Outdoor Retailer and Snow Show, the biggest outdoor and snowsports event of the year, is happening now at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. We’ve got a team on the ground, there to bring you news about the most exciting new product releases. Follow our coverage here, and also be sure to check us out on Instagram. We’ll be posting exclusive images and interviews to our feed throughout the week.
Key Specs:
Brand: Skullcandy
Model: Icon Wireless
Price: $50
Availability: now
Unique Features: Bluetooth, 10 hours of battery life, no-slip headband, touch-controlled phone and music control
Upshot: After a five-year hiatus, Skullcandy’s Icon headphones are back, but this time they’re wireless. The over-ear headphones are designed for sport, use Bluetooth, offer 10 hours of battery life and let wearers toggle phone calls and music changes with a simple tap to the left lobe.
Who It’s For: Snowboarders, skiers and skateboarders primarily, but casual users shouldn’t be excluded by any means.
Insight: The original Icon headphone was released in 2006, and over its eight-year lifespan, it helped Skullcandy gain its original devout following within the action sports community. There was a time in which you couldn’t go to a ski resort without seeing a pair resting on top of the head of someone who probably should’ve been wearing a helmet instead.
The Icon’s simple design emulated and made cool that of the cheap headphones that might come packaged in the box with a Walkman. But beyond that, the Icons were comfortable on top of and sounded good through a beanie, and despite their simple construction, they could take a beating too. The return of the Icon is welcome, and making the new version wireless is a no-brainer.