Skating with an ipod.

[Jeanmarie]

What are everyones thoughts on skating with an ipod during a sparsley populated public session (or just in general) ...Yay or Nay???

[sexyskates]

I have skated with mine just to practice my straight line footwork sequence for my freestyle program. However, I normally would not continue to wear it. To avoid collisions I like to hear other skaters around me. I feel very isolated when wearing an I pod.

[Kevin Callahan]

Never. Using your ears while practicing any possibly dangerous action is simply common sense. This is why I don't approve of ear phones while driving or operating machinery.

In skating, as I've mentioned before, the amount, frequency, and volume level of scraping and scratching on the ice can help you improve edging. If you listen to an elite skater, they (we hope) make very little noise. If I hear myself scrape too much, I know I'm not doing what I should, and I adjust to make less noise, and when I make less noise it's because I am skating more efficiently.

[TaBalie]

When no one is on the ice with me I skate with my ipod... When there are others on the ice I turn it on low and put an earbud in just one ear.

[phoenix]

I do it all the time, but I keep my head up & watch all around me!!! Never had any problems. If you have a habit of looking down while skating, better not do it.

[luna_skater]

Not in a million years, at my club. Daytime ice usually has 15-20 skaters, mostly competitive, so there are people zooming around everywhere doing doubles and triples. We have enough trouble not running into each other as it is.

[Mercedeslove]

I wouldn't skate with your iPod. They shouldn't be in the cold like that, even the slightest fall will damage the hard drive, or the screen. Apple care will -not- cover the damage at all.

If you wanna skate with music, invest in a cheap CD player, or a cheap MP3 player. like 128mb.

The iPod however, bad idea. trust me. It hasn't happened to me, but I've heard stories from people who just jogged or worked out with it. The ipod is a delicate thing.

Also you can't hear anything, they do have earbuds that allow you to hear outside noise, so if you get a cheap, small mp3 player try those. I think you can even get a 64mb rio on ebay for like 30 dollars. (Even cheaper)

http://cgi.ebay.com/RIO-SPORT-CALI-128-MB-MP3-PLAYER-SEALED-128MB-WARRANTY_W0QQitemZ5853234698QQcategoryZ75453QQrdZ1 QQcmdZViewItem

That would be your best bet. If you have any more question just send me a PM.

[Shinn-Reika]

Yeah it's not worth it. I've killed tree ipods (which apple actually has replaced) skating with them.

And it does make you less tuned to your surrounding, so you really shouldn't skate with it when other people are around (especially children).

[Mercedeslove]

Yeah it's not worth it. I've killed tree ipods (which apple actually has replaced) skating with them.

And it does make you less tuned to your surrounding, so you really shouldn't skate with it when other people are around (especially children).


Wow! Did you tell them how it got damaged. Most people don't, but Apple tends to be dicks when it comes to replacing it, which is why I said they wouldn't.

I didn't want to say they might and have them not.

One of my good friends works at the local Apple Store and said they probably wouldn't replace it. Though sometimes Apple people will have a heart and will make sure it gets replaced.

[Shinn-Reika]

Well I said that it was showing the folder logo, and they said it was a bad harddrive.

How I got them to get me a third one is beyond me.

Though this one doesn't work now, and I really don't know why. No way they'll give me another so I'll just deal and get another mp3 player.

[EastonSkater]

Yeah....I do think that the ipod could get damaged when at one moment it's cold, and then the next moment it's warm as you head outside the rink. Condensation could build up inside it and cause problems with the circuitry...probably even promote corrosion and things inside. Depends on the humidity outside though I guess. This doesn't mean that the ipod would necessarily suffer damage like that, but it really could. Similar problems happen to things like digital cameras when you take them into the rink and then head outside into a warm place, or when you take a camera snow skiing and then head inside a warm shack.

The other thing is, I guess it might not be too bad if you only have the volume soft so that you could hear people around you in case somebody yells out as they're about to crash into you or something. So that at least you have time to react accordingly. But I guess it's just common sense and being responsible on the ice when it comes to shutting our hearing out from the outside. We become disadvantaged when we remove one of our important senses that protects us. Sort of like driving with the music really loud so that it's hard to hear ambulances or car horns, or other warning signals outside.

[Mrs Redboots]

I wouldn't skate with an iPod, but I do wear a cheap MP3 player, which I could afford to replace if I had to. I have replaced the original earpieces with sport earpieces, and found this morning I could hear what was going on around me perfectly well. Also, with the long lead of the sport earpieces, Husband can wear one and me the other in some dances!

Some rinks don't allow any form of headphones, so do find out what your rink's rules are on these things. I don't think I could wear mine on a public session (not that I ever skate on public sessions).

[NickiT]

Personally I wouldn't consider it unless there were no other bodies on the ice (in which case you would need to use an ipod anyway!). It's very important to be able to use all your senses and if you fail to hear someone coming close who is running through their programme it could end in injury.

Nicki

[Hannahclear]

I sometimes use mine while I warm up at a 6am session, where there is like one other person out there. I don't do anything beyond skating round the rink and stretching with it though, too much of a distraction. I can't imagine spinning with music playing.

[Skate@Delaware]

Although I don't have an Ipod, my mp3 player cost almost as much. I have it in a squishy neoprene sports-type holder and clip it into my front pants waistband. I also don't put both earpieces in (only in my bad ear and crank the volume up8O ) that way I can still hear the outside world.....and I figure as long as I can hear my scratchy toepicks, I'm ok;) .

There is one woman at my rink who wears hers, both earpieces in and volume UP (even I can hear it) and she skates around in her own world, we almost collided because she went backwards and changed directions suddenly without looking AND didn't hear me say "WATCH OUT" :x . You couldn't tell she had her earpieces in because her hair hid them.

I wear a thin headphone type thing and leave one side off. If it's Thursday, I let the regulars know I'm wearing it.

[sunshinepointe]

As far as the ipod getting damaged from heat/cold and falls- I put mine in a protective sleeve that I wear around my arm under my clothes or jacket - been doing this for a couple of months and it works just as good as the day I purchased it.

I do think that skating with an ipod can be dangerous if you're not aware of your surroundings, or if you blast your music so loud you can't hear anything but your own music. When I use mine I always keep it low enough to hear other people close to me.

[Justine_R]

I seriosuly don't think thats a good idea, Ipods are SO expensive.
I would consider looking for something really cheap & that if something happens and it breaks you can replace it easily!

[crayonskater]

I've skated with my iPod on sparsely crowded freestyle sessions. I leave the volume low; if I can hear others' stroking, I know I can hear them coming.

[Skate@Delaware]

This brings up the issue of "situational awareness"-being aware of your surroundings and being able to react to changes. You do this when you drive, walk through mall parking lots/garages, etc. You have to teach yourself to get out of the "bubble" and be aware. Sort of like getting the mom eyes (in the back of your head and the 6th sense to know the kids are up to something even though you can't see them ;) ).

I'm slowly losing my hearing and my therapist has had me work on this so I can still function in a hearing world when it's gone. Of course, I will miss the music but I'm glad it's my hearing and not my sight. And, it makes for some interesting meetings at work when people mumble and don't speak up (I'm still taking the minutes) :lol: . There are those that really, really think I'm ignoring them. And you can talk behind my back all you want-I can't hear you!

Anyway, sorry about going off on a tangent, but if anyone has any helpful tips, I'd be glad for them.

[Mrs Redboots]

It's very important to be able to use all your senses and if you fail to hear someone coming close who is running through their programme it could end in injury. Yes, that's why it's important not to turn the volume up too high, and to use headphones that allow other noise in. Mine does - I am always aware of what is happening, and if I think that for any reason I won't be, I only use one headphone and tuck the other down my front.

I can't imagine spinning with music playing.Not even your programme? That's what I use mine for - I've found I really don't like listening to ordinary records on it - too intrusive, and it gives me a headache - but it does mean I can do my choreography without having to have the music on for hours, and we only need the music once or twice a session.

[TaBalie]

The ipod I use to skate with is an ipod shuffle, and it can withstand anything -- being tossed on the ice, cold, etc etc etc. And like Mrs. Redboots, with only one earbud in, I can hear eveything.

[Moto Guzzi]

Skate@Delaware, I'm sorry you are losing your hearing. I work with a man who lost his hearing as an adult, and most people who don't know him very well aren't even aware that he is profoundly deaf. Whenever I talk with him, I do make sure I'm always facing him directly when I speak so he can lip read.

To get back on topic, you raise a very good point about being aware of your surroundings. The original question concerned wearing an iPod on the ice, but it's something one should also think about in other situations, particularly if you're a woman.

I have a Zen and wear both earbuds when I'm in the gym. When I go to a nearbly lake and walk on the trails there, I wear only one ear bud and keep my other ear tuned to what's going on around me. There are bicycle riders and dog walkers, and I want to know if one is coming up behind me. The trails are popular and so far I have not heard of any incidents of women being assaulted there, but it has happened on many other trails in our metropolitan area.

The key thing is to be aware. Don't get so lost in your music that you open yourself up to an unsafe situation. And be careful about driving with headphones; a friend of mine was ticketed for doing that and was surprised to learn that it's illegal in our state.

[Kevin Callahan]

particularly if you're a woman.

Not to completely derail the topic, but I would point out that assaults against men in general, and assaults of a sexual nature in specific, are vastly undereported because of our sociocultural idea of masculinity and the attempt at perserving pride that goes along with it. The ratio is a lot closer than published statistics would suggest, especially in urban areas. If you can't tell, this a bit of a crusade for me. We have this false concept that men aren't assaulted and the women aren't assaulters, and that's very, very dangerous.

Men, especially smaller men (such as myself, I have no upper body strength, and only weigh 115lbs), have to be equally aware of our surroundings. I'm not the biggest fan of walking alone in the dark, especially not in places like parking garages and dark city streets. I have no "masculine pride" issues preventing me from admitting if I can't find someone to walk with me, I make a lot of noise and tap my car's auto-locks several times so the lights flash, the horn honks, and the inside lights turn on in the cabin.

Being aware of your surroundings in order to protect yourself should be a priority regardless of your sex. Just my rant du jour.

Getting back on topic, I have a cheap, small mp3 player and I still wouldn't take it on the ice.

[Skate@Delaware]

Mine is a Zen also! My son wants one (for his Star Wars music:roll: -he's 10) so he might buy one of the cheaper ones.

I really like mine but only wear it when I'm working on my program. They only let us work the music box rinkside occasionally, and never on public sessions:frus: (ever since the hockey players got rowdy and busted the last cd player).

What's worse than wearing an Ipod on the ice???? How about talking on a cell phone!! I actually counted 3 people talking and skating at the last public session! The ice guard told them to stop and they said "no" because there was no rule posted against it!!! Yikes!

[Kevin Callahan]

What's worse than wearing an Ipod on the ice???? How about talking on a cell phone!! I actually counted 3 people talking and skating at the last public session! The ice guard told them to stop and they said "no" because there was no rule posted against it!!! Yikes!

This is one of my pet peeves, and I'm not nice when I see people on ice doing this. My usually response is "Hey, drive your skates!" It confuses people enough that they usually pay attention enough to consider what I mean. Of course in a society that talks on cell phones while operating internal combustion engines controlling tons of metal and plastic going very fast, this is not unexpected. Even I drive while talking on my cell phone occassionally, even though I know I shouldn't.

[MichTheSkater]

I wouldnt wear it on the ice because
1) i couldnt jump or spin with out it falling off.
2) i cant hear other skaters (incase your in there way and there saying MOVE!!!) it could cause accedents


i just put it on in the music room at the rink. umm i guess it would be ok for public skating sessions when your just skating in circles.. but not for sessions.

[Mrs Redboots]

Even I drive while talking on my cell phone occassionally, even though I know I shouldn't.Accident waiting to happen. It's illegal here, although people still do it - and you can always tell when they are doing it, because they drive so badly.

Not skating on public sessions, I don't see people skating with their phones out, although I did see it when I used to, also people eating sweets on the ice and dropping the wrappers on to the ice....

[MichTheSkater]

the only time we can bring candy out on the ice at our arena is when its christmas.. santa brings out candys for all the little kids.. but people have to come out and clean the ice after

[Mrs Redboots]

the only time we can bring candy out on the ice at our arena is when its christmas.. santa brings out candys for all the little kids.. but people have to come out and clean the ice afterWell, it's difficult to stop people on a public session when they have a bag or tube of sweets in their pockets. I think the ice marshalls do what they can, but they're often hockey-boys themselves.

[coskater64]

It's dangerous to wear any sort of device in your ear while skating. You can't hear others coming up behind you and it puts you into your own world where you might be less apt to pay attention to others around you.

Our rink doesn't allow that (ipods or mp3 players).

[Perry]

As for the iPod breaking from dropping it, that's actually fairly unlikely if you have it in the proper case. I have mine in an iSkin (which is realy a fairly flimsy case) and have dropped it on the sidewalk (from arm height) while running/walking at least a half dozen times. It has yet to suffer any negative effects, though I try to keep this bad habit to a minimum. Actually, someone has a website devoted to the nano and all the ways they tried to destroy it. I can't remember what the address is, but you could probably find it. I remember that dropping it from a three story building and running over didn't actually ruin it, though. If you're worried about condensation and whatnot, you can buy special cases designed for the beach.cold weather (like the lilipod). Check out iPodLounge for other cases.

The hearing, though, could be a problem. First of all, most of the headphones that will actually stay in your ears while you spin, etc. will block out too much noise. If you're just stroking on a fairly empty session or during warm-up time, you should be fine. A lot of people use them while their getting used to new programs and just practice the coreography off to the side with them. Other than that though, I wouldn't recommend using one. Your best bet is getting to the rink first and putting your background/mix CD on.

[TaBalie]

I agree it is dangerous to skate if you can't hear what is going on around you... But when I have one earbud in, I can hear everything (in fact, if someone is playing loud music then I don't bother since I can' hear my ipod well enough with one earbud in).