PRODUCT EVALUATION: CARDO PACKTALK EDGE COMMS
By the staff of Dirt Wheels
We installed the Edge units on Bell and Fox helmets. You do need to make sure your helmet has speaker pockets in the ear area to get the most comfort.
This month we are looking at the Packtalk Edge paired to the Packtalk Edgephones headset.
FEATURES
The Cardo Packtalk Edge can be used to link 2 to 15 riders completely wirelessly and without a connection to your phone. Once the cradle, JBL speakers and microphone are mounted into a helmet, the Packtalk communicator drops in place quickly, thanks to a magnetic Air mount. On the unit itself you can connect to your phone, make calls, listen to music or talk to those riders in your group all hands-free.
Now, thanks to the new Edgephones product, part of the group you are communicating with can be helmet-less. Think of it as headphones that you can use to communicate with riders on a track or with a rider you are watching and training trailside.
This is the helmet-less Edgephones setup. It’s the perfect teaching tool to use on the track or trailside, or on the occasional UTV ride that doesn’t warrant a helmet. Just snap the Packtalk Edge in place and start teaching.
PERFORMANCE
The beauty of this product line is that once you buy and install the Packtalk Edge setup, you can remove the main unit from a helmet and use it over in the Edgephones. This is perfect for a growing family that has kids riding and learning at the same time. Dad can go riding with Junior and talk to him wirelessly through their helmets, then back at camp, Dad can put on the Edgephones and continue to coach as the kids ride around camp. Remember, multiple users can talk and all be heard at once, and there’s no problem with knowing you are “stepping” on the other talker. The audio is crystal clear through the JBL speakers for rider-to-rider chatter, music and phone calls. The new voice-operation feature is great. When you want to change a function, all you have to do is say what you want to happen and it does it. We mostly used the voice assistant to raise and lower the volume and to check battery status throughout the day. We could get a full day of riding in between charges, and when it came time to charge, popping the unit off and bringing it inside was as easy as connecting the USB-C charger.
The new magnetic Air mount sticks out about a half-inch further than the Spirit unit we tried last. The size has not been an issue so far, and deploying the unit with help of magnets is super easy.
VERDICT
For ATVs or UTVs, we love the ability to communicate wirelessly. You can jump in and out of a vehicle and keep talking with your helmets or headphones on. If you do go out of range, which happens right before the one-mile mark out in the desert (closer in the dunes or woods), the system reconnects without you having to push any buttons.
We have always liked the Cardo Systems product line, but the Packtalk family of products is suiting our ATV and UTV needs perfectly. ο
PRICE: $389.95, Packtalk Edge; $699.95, Packtalk Edge Duo; $149.95, Packtalk Edgephones
RATING: ★★★★★
CONTACT: www.cardosystems.com
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