Exploring the beautiful outdoors on a snowmobile is always a fabulous time – and it is even better with family and friends! Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to hear each other over the roar of your ride’s engines.
A snowmobile helmet communication system is more than a way of listening to great music, it plays an important role in communication between your riding companions and receiving or making calls hands-free. These innovative devices are mostly compact and small but highly functional relative to the traditional ones. They aren’t bulky at all and can easily be hidden underneath the helmet for convenience.
Thanks to the best snowmobile helmet communication systems, you can effortlessly stay in touch with your group members. These are essential for a safe riding experience in the snow and ensuring that no one gets separated or lost from the group.
In this article, we’ve rounded up some of the top snowmobile helmet communicators for your selection, along with their essential features to consider when shopping. Take a look!
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Essential Factors To Consider
You will see no shortage of choices for snowmobile helmet communication systems, though many of them are designed for motorcycles as well. While that is ok in many cases, you just have to ensure that the communicator works well for your snowmobile specifically. When looking for the best unit, there are some features to consider, as mentioned below.
Sound Quality
The best snowmobile helmet communication system is the one that delivers clear sound. Unfortunately, the ride itself isn’t exactly quiet. The communicator has to compete with pretty substantial engine noise. Get a system that has an adjustable volume control. This will enable you to hear others while you are riding but will not be too harsh on your ears if you want to communicate while the ride is idle. Moreover, look for a system that has a noise cancellation feature as this tech blocks all sorts of background noises like wind, engines, etc. Some of the devices have speaker spacers that can be installed near your ears to block the wind noise. While they aren’t much efficient in blocking the wind noise, they are usually cheaper than the communicators with a noise cancellation feature.
Distance Range
When riding a snowmobile with companions, you may not always have them within your line of sight. This is why it is important to look for a communication system that works across a significantly larger range. Mostly, the range highlighted by the manufacturer is the distance across flat, open land in ideal scenarios. Trees, hills, snowfall, and other factors can lower it when riding a snowmobile in the real world. It is best to select a system with a larger range, even if it appears much greater than the average distance you intend to keep when riding in a group.
Easy Setup
A good snowmobile helmet communication system features a quick setup process along with simple instructions to operate. It is compatible with all sorts of helmets, from full to open face and modular types. Look for the one that has easy installation with button sequences and patterns that are effortless to master. Some devices include a speed dial button, which renders it easy for receiving, making, and redialing a call whenever you want.
Weather Resistance
This is the factor where you will see the difference in a communicator for snowmobiles and motorcycles. While a motorcycle communication system can withstand light snow and rain, a snowmobile requires something a lot more durable. Snow is capable of winding up every aspect of your communication system, from the headphones to the control unit. The system doesn’t have to be highly waterproof, but it’s built should be capable of resisting extreme cold temperatures when snowmobiling. You must check the specification by the manufacture for the device’s temperature rating before buying.
Battery Life
Snowmobile helmet communication systems are powered by batteries. And since you will be far away from charging facilities, long battery life for such devices is an absolute must. A unit that includes a rechargeable battery should be the ideal choice when riding in far areas. It is cost-effective and can last to a maximum of 8 hours. You can ride with confidence, knowing that your communicator won’t go off during the trip. Besides, you should also consider the standby time when shopping, which must be equally long.
Some Top Choices For The Best Snowmobile Helmet Communication System
A good snowmobile helmet communication system enables you to stay in touch with your family or friends riding along with you. This can enhance the fun element on the trail while uplifting the safety factor as well. All the choices below are a great pick and highly recommended.
Cardo PTB00001-PACKTALK Bold Communication System
Fiddling with a communicator is the last thing that you would want when you are out snowmobiling with your mates. Cardo truly understands what sort of frustration this can cause, which is why their PACKTALK Bold features hands-free communication that will enable you to stay connected with great ease and convenience. First is its natural voice operation that is all-new, always-on, and doesn’t require any turning of the wheel, pressing of a button, or moving a slider while riding. All you have to do is just say “Hey, Cardo”, and the communicator will do the task. When it comes to safety while sledding, the Cardo PACKTALK Bold embodies this effectively. Besides, you can expect a spectacular range on this snowmobile helmet communication system. In ideal climatic conditions, it has a range of nearly 1.6 km, but considering the fact, you are not always going to have perfect weather while snowmobiling, you can safely assume it to reach 1000 meters in real-world conditions at least. What’s more, the Cardo PACKTALK Bold isn’t limited to flawless communication only. It is superb for piping music through to the helmet as well. The Cardo-JBL tandem creates an ultimate listening experience that fulfills the combination of music and riding fantastically. The Bluetooth connects seamlessly with your phone through Siri or OK Google, enabling you to enjoy one of the most reliable and handy communicators available.
Uclear Motion 6
UCLear has introduced the most advanced communication systems with the UClear Motion 6. It is equipped with several features, which promise to be one of the most durable, best sounding, portable, and easy to use communication systems ever. As the name indicates, this communicator allows you to communicate with nearly 6 people with a reach of almost ¾ mile. The Motion 6 is a sleek, nifty, and stylish snowmobile helmet communication system that performs exceedingly well besides its attractive looks. With it, you can stay in contact and keep track of your buds on the trail. In addition to that, operating it is intuitive and innovative. Motion 6 highlights gesture control, which senses basic hand gestures that remove the need of pressing any buttons for controlling volume or performing other basic commands. And for those who prefer voice control, these communicators enable you to handle everything with your voice as well. Chatting isn’t the only highlight the UClear Motion 6 has to offer. You can also enjoy listening to your favorite tunes while shredding powder. In addition to these outstanding benefits, it is one of the most rugged communicators that can be bought. It is fully waterproof and is perfectly fit for outdoor use. What’s more, its impressive battery is a great plus, claiming to offer 18 hours of continuous talking time on a single charge.
Sena SMH10D-11 Bluetooth Headset
The Sena has been one of the top communication systems for snowmobiles and motorcycles to share intercom and sounds. The SMH10D-11 was initially designed for motorcyclists, but they double fantastically well as a snowmobile helmet communication system as well. It gives you an impressive range of over half a mile to stay in contact with your riding buds, even in extreme snow. You can share music tunes with your dear ones and make or receive calls conveniently by using the speed dial button. Moreover, you can also join an intercom conference call on the go with this great gadget. The battery life is also remarkable that ensures you enjoy extended sledding without worrying about your communication becoming cut short. You get 12 hours of continuous talking time on a single charge and up to 10 days of standby time. Its most outstanding feature is its noise cancellation feature that does a superb job in eliminating the background noise while you’re chatting. Built to withstand extreme temperatures, the Sena SMH10D-11 performs admirably and does a good job of keeping you in touch with your sledding partners.
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