Despite the numerical suggestions of it’s name, Snow2 is actually Recon’s 4th generation of HUD. It’s an idea that started around 2010, and has been getting progressively better with each passing year. Recon’s technology is not dissimilar from Google Glass, perhaps the most famous heads-up display technology to date, allowing users to access information at a glance without needing to look at their phone, or even a smart watch.
But Recon’s products are intended for athletes who want instant access to information such as performance metrics, trail maps, and more traditional data such as incoming text messages and calls. Thanks to an integrated GPS, the Recon HUD can display data such as speed, altitude, location, and compass. If a group of people on the mountain are using Snow2 and are connected to their iPhone, they can share their position on a map with friends, making it easy to find each other while on the slopes.
That’s not to say that a paired smartphone is necessary – data, such as the altimeter and aforementioned performance stats, will function just fine without a connected device. Recon’s heads-up displays are designed to be unobtrusive. Placed on the periphery of a user’s vision, they can glance down to see information when they want to — much like looking at the dashboard in a car. As with previous versions of the HUD, Snow2 is designed to be modular, and fit into goggles from leading optics manufacturers like Oakley, Smith, Scott, Uvex, Apina, Birko, and Zeal. However, this time around, Recon is also offering a standalone unit that’s pre-integrated into a pair of goggles and isn’t removable.