I’ve taken your standard hand-held Sony camcorder on many hell-runs down steeps or through glades and only broke one camera. This point of view (POV) filming let’s me relive snowboarding in the off season, reminding me of favorite lines… and the one camera I ruined. Was it a rock or a root I hit? I can’t remember, but I do recall that having both hands free when snowboarding is kind of important.

There are helmet and even surfboard-mounted cameras like the GoPro cameras; great, low-cost cameras that capture your personal Jeremy Jones moments in either video or pictures taken at set intervals. If you’re looking to step-up the recording quality and not give up much in the way of size and weight, the VholdR CountourHD1080p is worth looking at.

The ContourHD is easy to use, even with gloves on. Simply slide the record switch forward to record and slide it back to stop. Don’t like to hear your grunts or record your expletives (I’m still talking about snowboard filming here), the CoutourHD can record in silent mode. It uses two lasers to help you line-up your shots when mounting it on a helmet, goggles or handlebars and the battery lasts up to 3 hours.

The CountourHD is spartan when it comes to controls, but I feel this is a positive. The less small or moving parts on a device taken out in the wild, the better. If comes with Easy Edit software that allows you to adjust contrast, exposure, metering and audio gain. I would like to see Easy Edit ported to iPhone or Android, allowing you to make adjustments to changing conditions and light when you’re out-of-bounds and your office is the glade before you.

At just 4.3 ounces the ContourHD can be pre-ordered at vHoldR for $330, making it is as light in the wallet as it is in the hand. Get one and get outside to record your next adventure. VholdR has a good community of users posting their adventures on VholdR.com.

Posted by: Lawrence