Zeal HD Camera Goggle Review

Interested in shooting your own POV (point of view) video footage while skiing, but don't want to look like a Teletubby with a block on top of your head? The Zeal HD Camera Goggle offers a unique solution.

The Zeal Camera Goggle integrates a wide angle (170 degree field of view) camera that shoots in HD (1080 & 720) into the frame of spherical lens ski goggles, streamlining your set up.

Integrating the two pieces of gear makes a lot of sense - it guarantees the camera is looking wherever you are, not accidentally titled or skewed, as can happen with helmet or headband mounted cameras.

You also get a small viewfinder inside the goggle (lower right) to check your picture for framing and the like without having to pull it off your helmet.

Like many POV cameras, the wide angle lens helps make sure you get everything in frame, minimizes shake and opens up the depth of field so everything is in focus. Controls are on the side of the frame, and the buttoms are big enough to easily use with ski gloves.

And this isn't just a camera slapped onto a cheep pair of goggles - Zeal makes some of the highest quality goggle optics with cutting edge anti-fog properties, UV protection and visual clarity.

Fit will work well with medium to large faces, comparable to a Smith I/OX. Batteries last up to 3 hours, and the goggles come with a 4 gig memory card.

Downsides? The sleek combination means you're always using your point of view, rather than hand-holding the camera or mounting on the end of a ski pole, but in our experience, its a worth-while tradeoff.