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Helmet cams have become really popular in the past few years. The first helmet cam I had was a VIO SPORT Adventure Cam II. It attached to my Canon Optura video camera that I put in my jacket pocket or backpack as I schralped down the mountain. It was the lightweight answer to the needs of the day. Enter 2009 and the options in much lighter packages are plentiful. We can even get full HD, 1080p, video from these tiny helmet cams.

I have seen footage from a lot of the helmet cam systems online. The HD quality stuff blows away the SD for sure. Helmet cams give such a unique perspective of your day, it’s well worth the investment IMOP. Below are 3 helmet camera systems that I think are worthy of any day you are gettin’ after it. If you have an opinion or link to your video, share it in the comments area!

VIO POV 1.5

VIO POV 1.5

Actual Footage: Behind the Line – Episode 14 – Sage Hotel Room

Pros: Waterproof, Dustproof, Wireless Remote, Good Sound, 110 Degree Field of Vision and Realtime Viewing After Your Run

Cons: Not HD, only 8gb SDHC, No Lense Adapters

Conclusion: Starting with the official helmet cam of Teton Gravity Research (TGR) and one of the most seen helmet cams out on the hill, the VIO POV 1.5 is a tried and tested helmet cam in a nice package. One of my favorite things about this helmet camera is the ability to see your current action right after the fact. It’s a durable waterproof setup that has proved itself many times over. The VIO POV 1.5 can take up to 8gb SDHC cards and uses 4 AA batteries. The biggest draw back with this system is the lack of HD video. It shoots in 720×480 resolution at 30fps, which is good, but not HD.

VholdR 1200 Contour HD

VholdR HD Helmet Camera

Actual Footage: ContourHD Camera Mountain Biking on Vimeo

Pros: 720p HD, SD at 60 fps, Small 4.3oz, Simple, 16gb Micro SDHC, No Wires, Laser Alignment

Cons: Cannot Review Footage, Only 3 hour Battery Life from Unique Battery, Wind Makes Mic Useless

Conclusion: The VholdR 1200 ContourHD Camera is  the least expensive HD helmet cam on the market. HD quality video is captured at 30 fps and SD video captured at 60 fps. 60 fps offers some sweet slow motion! The ContourHD is also an all in one deal. It is just one little device. No wires or remote. I love the Laser alignment option. It has a simple one button record and will take up to 16gb Micro SDHC memory cards. Can you purchase another battery somewhere? 3 hours is just no time at all. Watch for the VholdR Contour HD 1080p helmet cam coming out soon! We’ll see if the quality is any better than the 720p.

GoPro HD Hero

GoPro HD Hero Helmet Camera

Actual Footage: GoPro HD Video

Pros: 1080p, Ultra Wide 170 degree lense, 720p at 60 fps, 32gb SDHC, Waterproof to 100′, AAA batteries

Cons: Bulky, goofy looking

Conclusion: The first time I saw the GoPro HD Hero helmet camera I thought it was a disposable. Not true! This is a 1080p HD helmet camera. The size of the cam makes it a little cumbersum compared to the other 2 helmet cams looked at here, but image quality is not lacking. The GoPro HD Hero has 170 degree wide angle lens and has three recording resolutions: 1080p, 960p, and 720p. The best feature of this camera is the 720p HD recorded at 60 fps! The slow motion on this set up rules it. You can also use up to a 32gb SDHC card. With the 170 degree lens you’d need to be a little closer to your buddy while doing follow cam. The video with the GoPro HD Hero is amazing.

Helmet Cam Wrap Up

To sum it all up, the best video is seen with the 2 High Definition helmet cam setups. Go Figure. Is the VIO POV going to get an HD update? I hope so. The GoPro HD Hero has amazing quality and the 720p  at 60 fps must be amazing in slow motion. I can imagine some radness in slow mo. I’m anxious to check it out. Over all you cannot go wrong with any of these setup’s to capture your daily EPIC action for mom. Money wise, the VholdR 1200 ContourHD Camera helmet cam is the ticket.

POLL – Which Helmet Camera Do You Dig On?

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