POC Obex Join Headset Evaluation: Loud and Clear

I spend most of my winter weekends in Colorado snowboarding at resorts across the state. The perfect half for me is the social side—there isn’t any tea hotter than that spilled on the chairlift. However in case you’ve ever been snowboarding or snowboarding, that generally communication is proscribed, like after they’re zooming forward of me. (It’s cool, it’s solely my second season!) If I’m training alone, it’s additionally good to have some leisure.

I’ve used Bluetooth earbuds to take heed to podcasts and music after I journey, and I’ve examined some helmet audio programs, however the sound is often meh. I’ve by no means actually gotten into frequently listening to something on the slopes. Lately, I had the possibility to attempt the POC Obex Join headset, a helmet audio and communication system the model lately launched with Harman Kardon. The audio high quality of this factor blew my thoughts and formally turned me into somebody who all the time wants a couple of soundtracked runs each time they snowboard.

Go With the Circulate

The Obex Join headset might be paired with any of the helmets in POC’s Obex line, or you may get it included with the Obex Join backcountry helmet. I attempted it with the Obex MIPS, and it was simple and intuitive to put in. I pulled the common ear pads out of the helmet and snapped the Obex Join ones in, then tucked the connecting cable behind the adjustment dial behind the helmet. The audio ear pads felt simply as tender, well-cushioned, and heat as those that got here with the helmet.

In addition they embrace simply as a lot house on your ears—I by no means felt just like the pads had been urgent in opposition to my head. As a substitute, they cradled my ears. If in case you have earrings that you simply don’t take out, you understand how necessary that is!

The Obex MIPS helmet itself is a stable piece of drugs. It has a snug, light-weight really feel, with an inside dimension adjustment dial, adjustable overhead vents, a goggle clip, an adjustable plastic clip chin strap, and entrance air flow over the goggles to assist forestall fogging. As indicated within the identify, the helmet encompasses a multidirectional influence safety system (MIPS), the gold customary in helmet building that permits your head to maneuver relative to the helmet throughout influence and restrict rotational power.

As soon as I had the system put in in my helmet, I downloaded the POC Join app (iOS, Android), and tried to pair my telephone with the headset by way of Bluetooth. I couldn’t do that immediately from the app—I had to enter my iPhone’s Bluetooth settings and choose the headset, nevertheless it was seen there and paired straight away. The method was fast and straightforward, even on a windy mountain street on the way in which to a ski resort. After that, I may management my music, calls, and voice assistant from the helmet itself.

Screenshots courtesy of Kristin Canning