Thoughts on bluetooth headsets for helmets

cupcake_mike

Active member
Thanks but no thanks. I mostly ride alone and don't want to listen to music or chat on the phone. I wear earplugs to protect the hearing I haven't lost yet.
I have a phone in my pocket it receives emails, texts and voicemail. I'll get back to the real world in due course...

I wear ear plugs too, doesn't really diminish the sound quality of the speakers, enhances even, cause it cuts the wind noise (that i hear anyway). Either my Playlist on shuffle or Howard from Sirius, if it's a long ride.
 

Indian in Texas

New member
My son works in a bike shop and has used Sena for years, however, he swears Cardo is what you want now, and we'll be getting a Packtalk Bold JBL Duo kit ASAP. I've seen so many reviews that Sena speakers are crap. I'm hoping the JBLs in the Packtalk are much better quality!
 

Timps27

Active member
I love the JBL speakers with my Cardo Packtalk Slim. I would recommend Cardo 100% but not the slim, buttons can be hard to work with bulkier gloves, battery is separate (but not detachable) so you have two pieces, and with some helmets (like my Arai XD-4) the design is too narrow causing stress and ultimately failure to the chassis. Cardo has stood behind their product 100% and replaced no questions asked, but most of my problems would have been completely eliminated by going Bold instead of Slim.
 

J0988

Member
Got the Packtalk bold for Christmas, but have only gotten a couple rides in because of this cold, snowy winter! Definitely an upgrade from my $30 Amazon comm unit hah! Surprisingly worked really good as a comm unit, but absolute garbage for music.
 

Charliemurphay

Well-known member
I use a Sena 20S and I use earbuds plugged in to it with it. It’s a little awkward to put the earbuds in before I put the helmet on but is great for comms/music or if I just wanna block wind noise and leave music off.
 

MilwDave

Active member
I have both the Sena 20S with the upgraded HD speakers and the Cardo Packtalk Bold Black. I will say the the HD speakers are a definite upgrade over the original speakers, the Sena cannot hold up against the new Packtalk Bold units with the JBL speakers. The Cardo sounds better, is easier to use and most importantly has a much longer battery life.

If you are starting from scratch I would wholeheartedly recommend you for with the Cardo.
 

OldFatBasstard

New member
Whoa I think I did this all wrong. I bought a cheap pair of bluetooth headphones from Walmart and with a little good ol' jimmy rigging skill fashioned two speakers for my helmet that would pair with my phone. That is what is in my Bell helmet. In the Icon I have the Cardo Freecom 4 with the JBL speakers. Between work and the weather I have not been able to test those out and with my luck my neighbors would see me sitting on the couch with my helmet on and further my weirdness in their eyes.
 

bbuettner

Member
I just bought a Sena 50R to install in my new Arai XD-4.

I had to trim some foam out of the cheek cushions to get the fit just right. Speakers sound great, controls are easy to use, I'm very happy with this setup.
 

FTRwiseace

New member
I have nothing else to compare to, but after researching this two years ago I decided on the Cardo Packtalk Bold. I've been very happy with the sound quality, battery life, and ease of use. I ride with a few other guys who have the same setup and it is very convenient to be able to communicate easily when necessary. Those JBL speakers sound really good.
 

Pmcb41

Member
What about just for music. I must admit I’ll be 60 this week, have ridden since I was 16 and just started wearing a helmet seriously this past year. I don’t listen to music when riding up Spearfish Canyon, or commuting to work, but when I head across Wyoming to visit my daughters I like to listen to music. I have a set of Ruckus blue tooth buds that work great and sound good but don’t fit under the helmet very well. I wear an Aria Defiant X helmet. I would like good loud sound, but don’t care for ear buds that much for long trips What is the best option?
 
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cupcake_mike

Active member
What about just for music. I must admit I’ll be 60 this week, have ridden since I was 16 and just started wearing a helmet seriously this past year. I don’t listen to music when riding up Spearfish Canyon, or commuting to work, but when I head across Wyoming to visit my daughters I like to listen to music. I have a set of Ruckus blue tooth buds that work great and sound good but don’t fit under the helmet very well. I wear an Aria Defiant X helmet. I would like good loud sound, but don’t care for ear buds that much for long trips What is the best option?

This one is cheap and has worked good for me in a spare helmet for over a year. Lasts about 20 hrs at max volume, much longer than any other one I've seen. Cool little feature that tells you how much battery life is left in the bluetooth menu of my phone. Its all integrated inside the helmet, no puck on the outside to ruin looks. Buttons could probably be better, kind of hard to ensure you are on the right one while wearing gloves, but you figure it out pretty quickly.

 

Timps27

Active member
What about just for music. I must admit I’ll be 60 this week, have ridden since I was 16 and just started wearing a helmet seriously this past year. I don’t listen to music when riding up Spearfish Canyon, or commuting to work, but when I head across Wyoming to visit my daughters I like to listen to music. I have a set of Ruckus blue tooth buds that work great and sound good but don’t fit under the helmet very well. I wear an Aria Defiant X helmet. I would like good loud sound, but don’t care for ear buds that much for long trips What is the best option?

If sound quality matters to you I would recommend Cardo, they have partnered with JBL. All the other companies are trying to make their own speakers, and none have the quality as a result.
 

Wayne

Active member
I use the Cardo Paktalk Bold which allows you to have up to 15 people in your network. It is backward compatible with all Caro systems as well as works with all other Bluetooth systems. Sound quality is great and the voice command is hard to beat.
 

FTRwiseace

New member
What about just for music. I must admit I’ll be 60 this week, have ridden since I was 16 and just started wearing a helmet seriously this past year. I don’t listen to music when riding up Spearfish Canyon, or commuting to work, but when I head across Wyoming to visit my daughters I like to listen to music. I have a set of Ruckus blue tooth buds that work great and sound good but don’t fit under the helmet very well. I wear an Aria Defiant X helmet. I would like good loud sound, but don’t care for ear buds that much for long trips What is the best option?

The Cardo Packtalk Bold has JBL speakers. It is excellent for just music.
 

ferraiolo1

2021-2024 IMR Ambassador
Staff member
yes, but not the optional 45mm ones, the ones that come with it are slightly smaller. I recently did the 45mm upgrade, huge difference.
 

ferraiolo1

2021-2024 IMR Ambassador
Staff member
They are $75-80 everywhere online.

the jbl speakers that come with the units are 40mm, unless you get the new special edition pactalk black, i believe thats the only one that comes with 45mm
 

Syco13x

New member
This one is cheap and has worked good for me in a spare helmet for over a year. Lasts about 20 hrs at max volume, much longer than any other one I've seen. Cool little feature that tells you how much battery life is left in the bluetooth menu of my phone. Its all integrated inside the helmet, no puck on the outside to ruin looks. Buttons could probably be better, kind of hard to ensure you are on the right one while wearing gloves, but you figure it out pretty quickly.

I can second this set, and the comments @cupcake_mike had about them. Especially if you are just listening to music. They could stand to be a lil bit louder at times, and I don't use them much for calls, but they do work. Not as full featured as a Cardo or Sena type headset, but I ride alone most the time and just want some music to enjoy, and these fit the bill perfectly. Got mine for $20 when I ordered them, hard to beat!
 
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