Capture All Those Miles to and from the Rink with a Dash Cam

Oh! The good ol’Hockey game, is the best game you can name,
And the best game you can name, is the good ol’Hockey game.

All right, folks, it’s September. The kids are back at the rink. Tryouts, practices and games - if you’re a hockey parent, you’ll know how demanding the schedule can be. The devotion of hockey parents goes far beyond those of other sports. We devote countless hours driving our kids to and from the rink, not to mention all those away-games and tournaments miles away from home, especially if your kid is playing at the AA and AAA levels.

Turning the travel into family togetherness is common among hockey parents, partially out of dedication and partially out of necessity. When the team has an away game, that’s when parents take the family vacation: gear, siblings, snacks and all. Kids, we’re going on a road trip! We may be tired, but we know that the drives to and from the rinks are full of memorable moments: the excitement and anticipation, the tears of joy or of disappointment, the pep-talks and the reflections, and of course, the scenery along the way.

The dash cams have been misunderstood for so long. Yes, the best case use for a dash cam is, without doubt, video evidence for an accident. But, the best reason to buy a dash cam is to record video of all your adventures on the road. With a dash cam, you can record just about your entire road trip, and when you get home, you can cut and edit that footage to create your own home movies of your adventures. You’ll always remember his first game on the road, and with a dash cam, you can share that with friends and family, too! Sure, you can use your smartphone to record those mile-upon-mile, but there are drawbacks: unstable setup and shaky recording, low-light optimization, and limited storage space - you do need to make sure there’s room on your phone for those game actions!

But with so many different choices, options, price points, and deals, (and aren’t you glad dash cams only come in black, not all shades of the rainbow?) how do you choose and is a premium dash cam better?

Dash cam is certainly one of those “you get what you pay for” purchases. So yes, a premium dash cam is better, and here’s why:

Camera resolution. Sure enough, many budget-friendly dash cams will give you Full HD 1080p at 30fps, which is typical TV-grade quality. But with cameras getting better by the day, why settle for Full HD when you can get 2x better quality with 2K Quad HD or even 4x better with 4K Ultra HD? You will want to record both the road ahead and behind because there is always something mysteriously magical and satisfying about watching the arena disappear into the horizon as you drive away. You will need a front-and-rear (or 2-channel) system, but unfortunately, not all rear cameras are capable of Full HD 1080p - for that, you will definitely need to go for the premium brands, like Thinkware, BlackVue, and IROAD.

Low-light recording. Then, you’ll have to consider when and where your recording will be done. 6 am practice? Mid-day tournament? Early evening game? In order to capture the best footage in various light environments, you will need advanced recording features, features that auto-adjusts the light entering the camera’s lens to give you optimal clarity. Low-light recording is where many budget-friendly dash cams come short.

Recording even when your car is parked. You will need to park your car when you’re at the rink. While Parking Surveillance is designed to capture footage in case accidents or vandalism occurs while your car is parked, it is a great way to capture all those jaw-dropping "while you were gone" moments, like a crazy parent brawl breaking out in the middle of the parking lot. All premium dash cams offer advanced parking mode features that would trigger the camera when motion or impact is detected. Just make sure you pick up an external battery pack as well - you don't want to be stranded at the arena because your dash cam exhausted your car's battery when it was filming every hockey stick or hockey bag coming a little too close to your parked car. The Cellink NEO battery is a battery pack that most experts recommend.

Now, let’s talk about some good-to-have features that the premium dash cams offer, like Bad Drive Tech. But I am not a bad driver...Bad Drive Tech is just an unofficial name for the Advanced Driving Assistance System and it encompasses features like Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Front Departure Warning, Red Light Camera Alert, and Speed Camera Alert. While these features are more useful for everyday city-driving, they can be a lifesaver on your drive, especially when you've been on the road for hours and you're starting to feel your mind wander.

What about staying connected at all times? Perhaps, your spouse needs to stay in town to drive your other kids to their sports engagements - the dash cam’s Cloud-capabilities will come in handy, like when the left-behinds at home want to know your whereabouts or track your journey. As of right now, only Thinkware and BlackVue offer cloud capabilities on their dash cams.

We understand that while premium dash cams are desirable, they also come with a bigger price tag, and after paying for new equipment and league fees, shelling out more money is the last thing on your mind. Did you know that we offer monthly financing? We have partnered with Affirm to offer easy monthly payment options to customers in the US. Worried about the shipping time? With the new BlackboxMyCar Free Rocket Shipping, you can get your dash cam in as little as one day, just in time for that first away game!

Once you have that dash cam installed, away games will no longer be just another drive to and from the rink. Imagine the memories you will record, and all the possibilities. If you have questions about a specific dash cam or feature, or you simply want a second opinion, come talk to us! Until next time, Happy Hockey Season to you and your “the next Sidney Crosby” in the backseat.