Every skier has undoubtedly had trouble comfortably listening to music while shredding. Earbuds under a helmet? Sore ears galore. The existing in-helmet audio systems? Often expensive and unpractical. It was just a matter of time until someone came along to put an end to this seemingly-unsolvable debacle.
Enter SOUNDSHIELD by UNIT 1, a one-of-a-kind product that’s taking the world by storm via a successful Indiegogo page, with even grander plans for the future.
The issue UNIT 1 tackled—creating a desirable helmet-audio combo—was complex. But the solution they came up with is simple. SOUNDSHIELD is made up up two parts, a certified-safe helmet and high-definition bluetooth headphones that work both together and separately like a winning team.
On the hill, the headphones fit seamlessly into the helmet, providing a stress-free experience. Volume is controlled by an easy-to-use dial on the headphones’ exterior, other functions (pause, play, etc.) are controlled via a button within that dial, the battery life is a whopping 16 hours and all you have to do to recharge is plug into a sleek charging dock. You can even take phone calls on the hill with a simple press of the aforementioned dial. Then, when the shredding is over, the headphones slide right back out of the helmet so you can keep rockin’ at work, school or any other time you want.
After endless research, product development and business strategizing, the UNIT 1 team felt confident enough to push SOUNDSHIELD out to the world. And, on top of the great numbers seen from Indiegogo campaign, founder Juan Garcia Mansilla says everything has been amazing—particularly conversations with users thus far.
“This is bigger than funding, really,” he says. “Every interaction we’ve had with our users has been great. Every. Single. One. As an upcoming company, you can imagine how important this is… We’re getting validation from the very people we started this company for. We went for crowdfunding not only to raise funds but also to test the waters and get to know our market. Crowdfunding provides invaluable market feedback, directly from your user. And as far as that is concerned, we couldn’t be happier.”
Mansilla adds that SOUNDSHIELD isn’t some niche product pointed at a certain type of skier. Instead, he has a long list of relevant customers in mind that him and his team are planning on tapping into.
“SOUNDSHIELD is for the park skier who knows that to land that new trick… He needs just the perfect song playing. For the freeskier that wants music for the hot hike up a face but also wants protection for the way down; shredding powder with your own soundtrack is just unbeatable. For the everyday skier who enjoys music occasionally while on the mountain but listens to music every day. For the tech geek that wants the best possible audio experience out there, both on and off the slopes. For the outdoorsy kinds who want headphones that are tough and reliable. And when he or she hops on a skateboard or some skis, he can still use them inside the helmet. For the fashion geek that wants an everyday accessory that looks awesome and can also wear while on the skate park or on the mountain, flawlessly combining with the helmet and adding the perfect touch to your outfit. For that guy who thinks helmets look dorky so doesn’t wear one… Now he or she will look sleek as hell and won’t give up protection for looks.”
Speaking of looks, check out the various colorways of SOUNDSHIELD, below. Surely, every skier can find something that fits their style.
In sum, the UNIT 1 team is stoked on SOUNDSHIELD’s already-impressive success, as are we. Want to get in on the hype? Click the button, below, to learn more and get yourself a great deal on a setup for the 2017-18 ski season.
