Rugged Radios
- Thread starter Shawn
- Start date
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
I would get a cardo system instead.
In fact I did, My wife and I used them extensively on our trip when we rode through Alaska for 8 days. And I recently set up my parents with 4 Cardo headsets to communicate with them and two other passengers in their Can-Am side by side.
The rugged radio setup only allows you to use push to talk versus voice activated speaking and you can't speak at the same time as someone else. Their helmet speaker system is also inferior to the Cardo set up with last sound/ wind isolation. Additionally you could link a Cardo with Bluetooth to your phone and listen to music independently and make cell calls with each rider having independent control. And you won't have to deal with the cumbersome nature of unplugging and replugging back in the push to talk.
The only real advantage of the rugged radio setup would be your range.
Sena is the other competition to Cardo and while also good... having used both I found the Cardo superior.
In fact I did, My wife and I used them extensively on our trip when we rode through Alaska for 8 days. And I recently set up my parents with 4 Cardo headsets to communicate with them and two other passengers in their Can-Am side by side.
The rugged radio setup only allows you to use push to talk versus voice activated speaking and you can't speak at the same time as someone else. Their helmet speaker system is also inferior to the Cardo set up with last sound/ wind isolation. Additionally you could link a Cardo with Bluetooth to your phone and listen to music independently and make cell calls with each rider having independent control. And you won't have to deal with the cumbersome nature of unplugging and replugging back in the push to talk.
The only real advantage of the rugged radio setup would be your range.
Sena is the other competition to Cardo and while also good... having used both I found the Cardo superior.
Spork
Tin Foil Hat Equipped
- Location
- Saratoga Springs, UT
The only experience I have with rugged radios is when we figured out what channel a guy in our group with a rugged radio was using and tuned all the baofeng radios to the channel so we could all talk.
Unimog
Eric
- Location
- Stansbury Park, UT
Similar to Gravy, I did the research a few years ago and my son and I went with Cardo. They are definitely pricey, but I haven't regretted it at all. It just plain works well and they continually support and update the firmware and software to make it better.
NYCEGUY01
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Willard, UT
I have used the moto kit quite a bit. All our sxs have vhf radios and intercoms.
We bought 2 of those kits and just put a handheld radio in my nephews camelbacks with the longer antenna.
I put helmet kits in their helmets and they work awesome.
They can talk to each other or anyone in the group etc…
We bought 2 of those kits and just put a handheld radio in my nephews camelbacks with the longer antenna.
I put helmet kits in their helmets and they work awesome.
They can talk to each other or anyone in the group etc…
rholbrook
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Kaysville, Ut
I have the cardo and have the speaker kits installed in my moto helmet and my adventure helmet. My boys have the cardos in their helmets. We love being able to talk. Distance can be a problem but we manage. All my adventure riding group has cardos and it makes it fun. I have set up a BaoFeng with Bluetooth speakers and blue tooth push to talk button that i have mounted on my handle bars. Because it goes through my phone blue tooth I believe I can make it go through my cardo as well but I haven't sat down to figure it out yet. The Baofeng would be great on longer distances.. I do have all the fancy rugged radio stuff in my Rzr and like it but it is set to auto recognize talking and mutes the music but it is different on their moto setup. You have to be wired to the PTT button. I would bet that the blue tooth PTT would work on their radio but they are ptetty proud of their radios based on the cost. That is why I went with the Baofeng.