Mountain climbing, hiking, and other mountain sports are among
the most physically demanding and intensive activities one can
undertake. When climbing up a slope, for instance, one must rely
on the capabilities of his or her entire body. There is no room
for error, and because of that, one cannot afford to spare a free
hand to use for nonessential tasks, like holding a video camera,
for example. That can create a conflict of interest as many expeditionary
novices want to be able to record and keep footage from their
initial climbing or trekking experience but are unable to handle
a video camera at the same time. There is a way to circumvent
that restriction, however, with a nifty little device.
For recording footage while keeping your hands free, a helmet
cam is the perfect tool for a climber to use. A helmet camera
sits on your head like a normal helmet, and captures video as
you trek without necessitating use of your hands to operate it
properly. Coupled with a helmet, this device is both a piece of
safety equipment and a piece of recording equipment, though you’ll
want to check to make sure the helmet meets safety regulations
if any exist. By using one, you can maintain your focus and concentration
on the task ahead, something vital to your continued safety as
you climb, while still capturing all the little nuances of your
climb.
For those familiar with regular camcorders, you should note that
there are critical differences between a helmet cam and a typical
consumer version. There are fewer controls on the helmet-based
type, and you won’t be able to start or stop recording as
easily. Because of that, you’ll have to rely on an editing
program to remove unwanted footage later, but many modern computers
are equipped with at least some basic video editing software.
You’ll also want to note that the camera will be recording
everything from a first person perspective, so while your extremities
may be seen in many shots, the rest of you most likely won’t
be. For the purpose of remembering what your actual climbing experience
was like through your eyes (albeit as though your eyes were a
couple of inches higher than they currently are), this may actually
be preferred by climbed when compared to a less-personal third
person view.
Sure, using this technology isn’t the right choice for every
climber, and some may prefer to bring a partner along and switch
using a more conventional camcorder during climbs. Whatever way
you choose, just be sure your first priority while climbing is
always your safety, not your video recording.
