In this post, I will discuss the relative benefits of Sena versus Cardo communication systems. For the purposes of comparison I will compare my experiences with the Sena 20S Evo versus the Cardo Packtalk Bold.
Why Use a Communication System? It’s a Game Changer!
When I first got back to riding, I noticed all these devices attached to people’s helmets and wondered about them. Because I was new back to riding, my initial thought was that playing music or talking over a communicator would be too distracting and so I put off getting one. Boy was I wrong.
Then a good friend of mine got lucky and bought a used helmet cheap with a Sena 20S attached already. So, I was motivated to purchase a Sena 20S Evo.
What a game changer! Riding with a friend and being able to talk as you ride is amazing. It’s not about idle chat, it’s about being able to pass on info like “gravel in the corner” or “turning left next” or even discussing where to stop next or a food destination. I also use it to let people know about points of interest so no one misses them. On group rides I often have someone in the tail position with a communicator and can be in the loop with what’s going on in the group behind me.
Then there’s music. Wow, just wow is music ever nice to have on in the background. I have a very clear memory of casually riding down a windy road near me and being so in the zone I was just belting out the lyrics to Beast of Burden by the Rolling Stones in a moment of pure enjoyment. Both systems offer the ability to play music from your phone or your local FM radio stations. I find the radio stations great. More than a few times I have been in the loop on traffic problems because I listen to local radio on the road.
Turn by turn navigation in your ear is also a handy feature. It removes the necessity of looking at a GPS or your phone to see where you are going.
I’ve talked with several of my friends who use custom earplugs and they are designed in such a way as to not interfere with the speakers in your helmet. You can filter road noise and still get high fidelity music and chat through your comms system.
Features:
So, let’s talk about the pertinent features of each of the two systems.
*Both systems sound equally good with music. I’ve found the Packtalk Bold intercom doesn’t sound as good as the Sena. I seem to get static and people sound a bit fuzzy, however this could be mic placement on their helmets.
Another tip on sound quality is that it is relative to the speaker placement in the helmet. I switched my Sena from my old helmet to my new and it didn’t sound as good. The shape of the helmet had moved the speakers further away from my head. When I installed the provided foam shims to move the speakers closer to my ears it sounded better.
**The claimed ranges for both systems are not accurate in our local area. The blind corners and trees here heavily interfere with intercom range. An average range I have had good luck with is 300-400 meters. That’s still more than enough for smaller groups. The Cardo has an edge here because it uses the Mesh system which relays the signal from rider to rider and so theoretically you can longer ranges.
A few words on installation. I found the Sena to be a more invasive installation because the mounting plate has to be screwed together on the side of the helmet. The Cardo has a clip that just slides up into the helmet which I found much easier.
A little about ease of use. I found the Sena a bit easier to use. The buttons and jog wheel design was better. That said, the Cardo is not hard to use, it just takes getting used to. The voice commands they both have makes it even easier.
I included a features section in this post to give you a rough comparison of the most important features of the devices but the number one criteria for selection is which brand your friends use. Cross-brand compatibility is not good between Sena and Cardo. Prior to buying a Cardo, I spent a good amount of time trying to connect to my friends on Cardo with no luck. Since getting a Cardo, I tried connecting to a friend with a Sena again with no luck. I’m sure there’s a way to do it, both user manuals say it can be done, but it seems to be incredibly complicated.
When it comes to buying a communicator, there’s very little difference between the Sena 20S Evo and the Cardo Packtalk Bold. I should point out that these are not the top of the line options in communicators. I like that the Cardo is advertised as waterproof. The functionality is very similar. The Cardo Dynamic Mesh is supposed to be a better system but I’ve never had enough riders on the group to see a difference and if you’re like me, you’ll likely only use it with 3 or 4 people on it at a time, in which case it seems to be basically the same as the Sena.
If you’re buying it for yourself to talk with other riding friends, buy the brand they are using.
If you are buying it to ride and talk with a pillion, make your choice based on price.
If you’re looking for a communicator for you and your friends to buy, I’d again say make your choice based on price.
Safe riding!!