Cardo, Scala Rider G4 Helmet Communications System: Review

Here are our first impressions after picking up our Cardo, Scala Rider G4 helmet comms systems.

Transmission and VOX:
PASS+
We found transmission using vox sensitivity was effortless. The full duplex support meant our conversations flowed as naturally as they would if we were chatting in person. (you don't have to wait for one person to finish speaking, like on the old "walkie-talkies", you can both talk over each other and argue as much as you would in person ;) The mics were sensitive enough to pick up our voices from the quiet of a stop sign on a country road, to windy highways with revving engines at 80mph. All told - it was a no-brainer. We simply mounted the units and carried on as normal, speaking when we wanted to, and the G4 handled the rest.

Distance and Clarity:
PASS-
We first wanted to test the distance we could separate and still effectively communicate. Test number one found me standing in the middle of a freeway underpass while goda went in the other direction. He was around the corner and all the way to the end of the block, with about 100 ft of concrete and approx 400meters of distance between us and the reception was clear and loud. However, this was on the first night minutes after setup, while walking around wearing our helmets like a coupla dorks... The real test would be the next day on the road at speed.

Test #2 (the road test) proved successful as well. Goda paused to take a photo of the beautiful mountain road we were cruisin' on, while I sped forward on my bike. We separated by what had to be 1/4 mile or more with hills in the way. While there were intermittent bursts of static while were weren't speaking, the transmissions themselves were perfectly clear when we were. The static wasn't anything too persistent or enduring, so all told, we're totally happy with the clarity and distance we're getting from the system. Also, while he caught up to me on the road, we were still separated by a good distance and were also moving in and out of the hills and turns between us. Again, the comms were loud and clear even when there were only a few moments with a direct line of between us.

At no point did we experience a break in communication. While we were never separated by a HUGE distance, we definitely covered a good range of distance, from Side by side, to thousands of feet of separation in hilly, uneven terrain and the connection was strong and clear. The units claim up to 1 mile of coverage, but that's likely when there is direct line of sight. We'll have to see about further test that specifically push the outer limits of usability, but feel confident that the distances that we covered in the initial test are adequate for most riding. AND for when the "S" really hits the fan, you can always use the G4's Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity to dial up your partners and get them back on track.

Setup:
PASS+
The unit has a mounting base that clips directly into your helmet. You simply slide a think plastic arm between the outer shell of your helmet and the inner padding. Once in place, tighten a pair of allen bolts and you've got a sturdy, and adjustable mount that feels permanent, but can be removed with ease.
The electronic unit is thoughtfully designed for easy use with gloves on. The buttons are wide and protrude enough to be sensed through your gloves. Commands are cave-man simple; Press this big button for MP3, press the other one for Radio, press it again to go back to comms, hold this other big button down for 4 seconds to power up or down, etc. Neither of us had any issues using the unit, again, with no consultation of the manual.
Importantly, the electronic unit is separate from the base and can be taken easily off to be charged, connected to a PC for updates, or just stowed safely away. The whole unit is said to be weatherproof, and from the fit and finish it looks it, but we had no inclement weather this weekend so we thankfully didn't get to test this bit just yet.

Summary:
Cruising: The simplicity of setup, and downright ease of use puts these units into the high-marks category.

Bruising: The few bursts of static weren't enough to dislodge the psyches of these two particular adventurers, but we can see the accountant types getting really burned up by it. It only occurred when there was a sizeable distance between us, so 98% of the time you'll only hear the noise that's coming out of your partners mouth, and not the comm unit.

Final Grade: 9 out of 10.
*We'll update with pertinent forthcoming data if any should come.