Helmet cams are popular among the extreme sports set as a way to capture live action shots from the perspective of the athlete him/herself. Contour is one of several companies offering these cameras, and already had a $280 1080p HD model out for quite awhile now. However, in an effort to differentiate itself from the competition, Contour has added GPS to a new higher end model which was released earlier this month.

The ContourGPS works the same as its more basic brethren, however as it records the camera saves the cameras location with the video data. What results is a awesome mash-up of video and data that is sure to delight many. Now when your skiing buddy calls you a liar than you shredded 3,000 feet of vert like it was nothing, you can now prove it to him as the system will have recorded your location, speed and even elevation.

(See it in action here on Contour’s website. It’s pretty cool.)

Contour’s pricing on this isn’t bad at $350, a $70 markup from the original. It does appear to me that this is on the upper end of most helmet cams available out there, but you’re paying for the quality, namely the sharpness of the video. Speaking of, what I’ve seen is pretty darn good, with the obvious concern being lighting (low lighting will result in a grainy picture, but then again most video cameras that aren’t $1,000+ do). But if you’re into backcountry, whether it be on a bike, a snowboard, or skis, this is an interesting product.

Furthermore, if you’re a surf or wakeboarder, the company sells a mount for this camera too. The mount attaches to the board via a waterproof adhesive, and includes a waterproof case to protect the camera itself. Contour sells this mount for $40.

Pre-orders are currently being taken through Amazon and two other retailers, and it is expected to start shipping within the next few weeks.

 
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