# Headphones for helmet



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

My google search for suitable headphones probably was useless, probably since I'm not convenient with the necessary lingo to search specifically, and tech specs is gibberish to me, making it tough to evaluate results that pop up :embarrased1:

Would be great if those who know/use suitable headphones could give me hints, what brand/model would be options.

*Must* features:
- fit into helmet ear pads
- volume control and start/stop control working with android smartphone
- good sound quality (I'm picky with sound quality...I'd rather spend some coins more for good ones)

Absolutely no must, just nice to have features:
- next track control
- to be able to pick up calls (however that's called )


Edit: got the Chip BT; very happy with them; post #56


----------



## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

neni said:


> My google search for suitable headphones probably was useless, probably since I'm not convenient with the necessary lingo to search specifically, and tech specs is gibberish to me, making it tough to evaluate results that pop up :embarrased1:
> 
> Would be great if those who know/use suitable headphones could give me hints, what brand/model would be options.
> 
> ...


The best I have found is the outdoor Tech chips.
They work fine with android.
Have the rest of features you are looking for. Simple use with 2 buttons, that can handle all the features you have asked for.
Will also answer cells as well. I am always amazed at how good they sound.

The other one that interested me was the one the spammer posted on our forum for his kickstarter. It seemed well thought out, and early price is nice, but still not sold on stick on to helmet keypad. With the outdoor tech the buttons are safe from crash. Also it is eay to share and move from helmet to helmet.
One thing with using wireless headphones. They drain the life out of phone, so ensure you add price of an external USB battery pick to keen phone live for the day


----------



## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

A lot of headphones for helmets have cables, which have a join so you can remove the helmet without feeding the cable back into your coat.

Look for a set of these, and simply use a BT on the back of your helmet...

The short cable will reach the BT and means no cables still, no need to remover to charge etc...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jabra-Clipper-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headset-Blue/dp/B007NZN6VU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417266529&sr=8-1&keywords=jabra+clipper

Just clip on the goggle retainer on the back of the helmet...


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

larrytbull said:


> The best I have found is the outdoor Tech chips.


They look interesting. Do you use the wired ones or the bluetooth ones? I so far used earbuds with wire and controlling the volume was hard/fumbling with gloves so their system looks appealing (no need to take the gloves off). As I understand their site, only the bluetooth ones have the ear piece volume control while the wired ones the volum control is still on the small wire piece (= fumbling with gloves?). 

How hard is the bluetooth mode on the phone battery?

How sensitive does the push/click on the ear piece work? (My Giro helmet has rather thick ear pads... which gave me the mental image that I may have to almost punch my ear to get a reaction/click )


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Hey Nen's! While I don't have any personal experience with them,.. The Outdoor Tech, Bluetooth helmet speakers are the best I've seen as far as features and ease of use with phone and playlists. They are _Freaking_ expensive tho!

I use these,.. REI/Tune-ups! Sound is OK. The wire jack and volume control extension that comes with these sucks, but I just bought a cheap $5, 2ft. ext. jack and I use it to plug in between the helmet and my iPod shuffle. (I don't usually jack into my phone.) With this particular set-up, all your controls are at the phone. No remote buttons for any music/phone control options. 

I make do with this option because it's relatively cheap and as much as I like those "Chips" system speakers,..? I coudn't possibly justify the expense of them! :dunno: (Neni,.. I don't get the impression that you are quite as financially challenged as I am!  So the chips speakers might just be the perfect option for you!) Hope you found this helpful! :thumbsup:


-edit-
I would most definitely NOT go with any of the "In ear" options like Kevin suggested. I tried that at first. It is far more difficult to hear ambient noise around you, and I personally found it to be extremely uncomfortable as my helmet ear pads put pressure on them and forcing them deeper into my ears. I did not like that option.


----------



## Rogue (Nov 29, 2014)

My buddy just got some Outdoor Tech helmet headphones and they were incredibly loud on the outside. We actually thought she had flipped them facing outward of the helmet. On the lift I could hear them too, I'm not sure if she's keeping them or not. However, it does have a great control for volume, etc. 

I have SkullCandy Cassettes which I don't think they make anymore but you can still find them online. Sound quality is great. Other bonus is you can put in one side or both. I like riding with one ear open so I can talk on the lift and still listen to my tunes without changing volume. Downside is one click control to change tracks one way and no volume adjustment. My solution was buying an Outdoor Tech Adapt Adapt Bluetooth Headphone Adapter - OutdoorTechnology.com which allows to me to answer calls, change volume & tracks. Connects via Bluetooth. I found both on sale so wasn't too expensive overall.


----------



## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

Menu

I use only by. Hate wires but chips can use both. You lose phone bit with wired depending on phone bt will drain battery but easily fixed with external battery. My note 4 will drain down to 50% when using music for 4 to 6 hours. These are easy to use with gloves on


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Rogue said:


> ….My solution was buying an Outdoor Tech Adap*t Adapt Bluetooth Headphone Adapter - OutdoorTechnology.com *which allows to me to answer calls, change volume & tracks. Connects via Bluetooth. I found both on sale so wasn't too expensive overall.



Now I was seriously considering those. With my $30 Skull Candy speakers, they wind up being a good $50-$60 less than the Chips system! The sound from the SC headphones might not be as high quality, but it's plenty good enough. I mean I'm just listening to some tunes to stoke my stoke on the slope! :lol: It's not like I'm getting stoned and vegging on the couch, trippin' to the "Floyd" thru some high def audio system!


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Rogue said:


> I have SkullCandy Cassettes which I don't think they make anymore but you can still find them online. Sound qualty is great. ... My solution was buying an Outdoor Tech Adapt Adapt Bluetooth Headphone Adapter - OutdoorTechnology.com which allows to me to answer calls, change volume & tracks. Connects via Bluetooth. I found both on sale so wasn't too expensive overall.


Interesting option as well! I've looked at the SC Cassettes before but wasn't sure if they wouldn’t be too thick to fit into ear pads. Bonus of this setup would be that it could be used not only for snowboarding but also "casually" as "normal" headphones (aaaand... wait a sec.... that adaptor may solve my problem with my car audio - long story - ... hmmm... yay!)

Could you use the adaptor controller with gloves?


----------



## Rogue (Nov 29, 2014)

neni said:


> Interesting option as well! I've looked at the SC Cassettes before but wasn't sure if they wouldn’t be too thick to fit into ear pads.
> Could you use the adaptor controller with gloves?


They come with a thicker cushion and a thin rubber cover, depending on how you'll use them. They are kind of big, but I can get them in my Smith helmets fine. My friend has an ipod shuffle or whatever it's called that looks like the adapter and she changes it with her gloves on through her jacket. I haven't mastered that technique quite yet, but to answer your question yes. 



chomps1211 said:


> Now I was seriously considering those. With my $30 Skull Candy speakers, they wind up being a good $50-$60 less than the Chips system! QUOTE]
> 
> Ya it's a pretty good deal and you can use it for more than shredding. lol yes you'd definitely need some high quality stereo for that situation chomps


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I go cheap and simple. Skulcandy dropins, called the "home brew" kit. They sound alright but use very little battery draw, you have to buy in upgraded cable with inline controls separate. Earphones are like $10-15. Cable with controls another $10 on eBay usually. I used my last set for 2 seasons, 300 days or so...... 

I don't use a control cable as I can just adjust volume through my coat with the phone, I can feel my volume buttons..... I have a play list with a couple hours of music I like to ride with and don't fiddle with it too much....


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Argo said:


> Cable with controls another $10 on eBay usually.


Hmmmm... Found SK cassette half priced. Searched for a cabe-control (would safe battery vs. BT) but I can't find a cable with control for android. They all just mention iphone :dry:


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

neni said:


> Hmmmm... Found SK cassette half priced. Searched for a cabe-control (would safe battery vs. BT) but I can't find a cable with control for android. They all just mention iphone :dry:


I'm thinking you need something like this,..?

Accessory Cable

There might be something similar available that could be a lot cheaper. (...that "Beats" stuff is too expensive IMO!) But this is a good starting point. Radio shack has all that shit!


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

chomps1211 said:


> I'm thinking you need something like this,..?
> 
> Accessory Cable
> 
> There might be something similar available that could be a lot cheaper. (...that "Beats" stuff is too expensive IMO!) But this is a good starting point. Radio shack has all that shit!


Thanks Chomps, yes, that's such a cable. Gosh, I'm usually not as helpless with finding stuff but this search was ridiculous  Now I got some key words.


----------



## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

Get the Jabra Clipper BT controller, been using it for 2 years now, never suffered a flat battery on my phone, even when on the hill for 9 hours...!!!

Very easy to use with gloves, and always easy to find on the back of your helmet...!

And cheap from Amazon...


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Kevin137 said:


> Get the Jabra Clipper BT controller, been using it for 2 years now, never suffred a flat battery on my phone, even when on the hill for 9 hours...!!!
> 
> Very easy to use with gloves, and always easy to find on the back of your helmet...!
> 
> And cheap from Amazon...


I've checked your link, thanks, and also the jabra homepage, but they do not mention volume control... :dunno:


----------



## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

It is 5 button, up/down volume, left/right track selection and play/pause this also does answer/end for phone calls regardless of music playing... 

I have bashed the hell out of mine, fallen directly on it numerous times, and would also say after 2 seasons, the length of battery has not deteriorated at all...!!! Already to go for the 3rd season now...  It has only ever been used for snowboarding, but as you know, cold is not the best for batteries, but still no issue. Can't fault it...!!!


----------



## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

koss ksc-75 w/ an additional controller cord.


----------



## DevilWithin (Sep 16, 2013)

*PSA:*
I just got an email from Outdoor Tech and they have 36% off everything for 36 hours. I figured I'd pass along the info in case anyone was considering picking up those CHIPS headphones. 

Here is the information:
36% OFF Everything For 36 Hours

Here's your chance to get all your holiday shopping done. For 36 hours, you can take 36% off of anything on the website. Just use coupon code "*cybermonday14*" at checkout.

Here is a link to the CHIPS on their site:
CHIPS - Universal Bluetooth Wireless Snow Helmet Audio - Outdoor Tech®


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

DevilWithin said:


> *PSA:*
> I just got an email from Outdoor Tech and they have 36% off everything for 36 hours. I figured I'd pass along the info in case anyone was considering picking up those CHIPS headphones.


Thanks! :thumbsup:


----------



## Extazy (Feb 27, 2014)

I use outdoor tech, I wish they were a bit louder, but I guess it's a good thing that I can hear somebody slipping on ice behind me.


----------



## Buffaluphagus (Nov 15, 2014)

I picked up some JVC flats Over-the-Ear headphones HAS160R at best buy for $10. They fit very nicely in the smith helmets. All i did was break off the speaker from headband, and removed the ear pad, slid these bad boys in the slots and was jamming. So far I'm happy.


----------



## Buffaluphagus (Nov 15, 2014)




----------



## destroy (Dec 16, 2012)

If anyone is interested in some in-ear buds that actually work, the Shure SE series are fantastic. They're well made and sound miles better than any of the Skull Beat Candy cans that are in the same price range anyway. They'll fit under ear flaps on helmets pretty easily (I wore them with my Bern Watts) and stay in well. The downsides are that they're sound isolating because they're designed for musicians as in ear stage monitors. Basically, they work like earplugs and headphones at the same time, so some might not want that so they can still hear ambient noise on the hill. Not all models have the skip-answer functions for phones and would need to purchase a gadget that does that as well. Just throwing it out there though


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Yeah I would never wear my Shure's on the slope, mainly because of that amazing sound isolation. I wear them on the bus to the mountains, but once there I really want to keep my peripheral hearing while listening to music...


----------



## SGoldwin (Oct 10, 2011)

Reading through the thread I couldn't find anything matching all criteria:
- fit into helmet ear pads
- volume control and start/stop control working with android smartphone
- good sound quality
- next track control
- to be able to pick up calls

I would like another one:
- working with iPhone.

I would like it to work as the headset supplied with iPhone except that it should fit into helmet ear pads. 

I found that Skull Candy Single-shot follows these criteria and is "optimized" for my Smith helmet. Sad part is that it's impossible to get them here in Sweden.
Smith Skullcandy Single-Shot Helmet Accessories Men's: Smith Optics US Site

Another headphone that could fit is Koss Porta Pro - the version with headset buttons. If sound quality is good enough I don't know.


----------



## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

Outdoor tech chips fit fine in smith and does all the above


----------



## SGoldwin (Oct 10, 2011)

larrytbull said:


> Outdoor tech chips fit fine in smith and does all the above


Looks great. Except for the price tag.


----------



## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

You missed the 30% sale during xmas


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

larrytbull said:


> The best I have found is the outdoor Tech chips.
> They work fine with android.
> Have the rest of features you are looking for. Simple use with 2 buttons, that can handle all the features you have asked for.
> Will also answer cells as well. I am always amazed at how good they sound.
> ...



^^^THESE! :excl: I totally love them. Sound is awesome, very easy to control just by tapping the earpieces, and when a phone call comes in the volume fades and you just tap once to answer, just talk normally (no external mic needed) then tap again to hang up and the music starts again. I've got some wired Skullcandy speakers that I used to use in the collar in my jacket, but I was constantly getting the cord tangled, and they didn't have enough volume. The OC Chips sound GREAT. Highly recommended.


----------



## SGoldwin (Oct 10, 2011)

larrytbull said:


> You missed the 30% sale during xmas


I found them without Bluetooth - I don't need bluetooth.
Wired Chips - Universal Snow Helmet Audio - Outdoor Tech®

$39.95 - much better price.

Next step is to find them in sweden 

I have a lead at ridestore.se.


----------



## jwelsh83 (Jan 9, 2013)

I use Jaybird wireless earbuds and love them. You can adjust volume, track selection, and take calls with the selector on the wire that connects the buds. Runs off bluetooth and it does have an internal battery that shows up on you phone. You can charge it from you computer, but me, I plug the usb charge adapter in the block of my iPhone charger and wall charge it. They're nice, but will run around $100 or so...


----------



## Kink (Jan 6, 2015)

SGoldwin said:


> I found them without Bluetooth - I don't need bluetooth.
> Wired Chips - Universal Snow Helmet Audio - Outdoor Tech®
> 
> $39.95 - much better price.
> ...


Let me know if you find them anywhere in Europe, I hate importing stuff to Germany.


----------



## Raeglatem (Jan 3, 2015)

snowklinger said:


> koss ksc-75 w/ an additional controller cord.


I second this.


----------



## Bertieman (Jan 19, 2014)

SGoldwin said:


> I found them without Bluetooth - I don't need bluetooth.
> Wired Chips - Universal Snow Helmet Audio - Outdoor Tech®
> 
> $39.95 - much better price.
> ...


Has anyone tried these? I got this k2 audio helmet, but the volume/track control chord already cuts out, and the sound quality has more to be desired. 
This set looks cool, but it sucks I can't try it in person.


----------



## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

Bertieman said:


> Has anyone tried these? I got this k2 audio helmet, but the volume/track control chord already cuts out, and the sound quality has more to be desired.
> This set looks cool, but it sucks I can't try it in person.


I got these a couple of weeks ago. I have used them a few times, so far I am very happy with them. I have noticed that the button on the ear piece that allows you to skip tracks doesn't work with the pandora app on my phone but it works fine with my music player app. I also had a chance to use it to answer my phone when I got seperated from my friends and they called me. you can even hold down the button to use siri/google voice.


----------



## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

neni said:


> Would be great if those who know/use suitable headphones could give me hints, what brand/model would be options.
> 
> *Must* features:
> - fit into helmet ear pads
> ...


Short answer: Something very similar to what you want exists, but they are systems made for motorcycle riders and don't have ideal form factors for snowboard helmets.

Long answer:

You have a few decisions to make:
1. How loud do you want to go? Wired headphones/speakers will be driven by your phone which will limit their volume. Wind noise (or even the scraping of your board) can get pretty loud so you might want to opt for headphones/speakers that go directly onto/into your ears.

2. How important is a good microphone for phone calls? Even without having to worry about OMTP vs CTIA wiring conventions, most headphones have really crappy inline microphones, and 3rd party aux mic cables aren't much better. They do make wired headsets with boom mics, but that is probably a bit above and beyond what you want to snowboard with.

Using a bluetooth headphone system will give the headphones their own separate power source, and avoid issues with wires getting tangled or disconnected, but mic placement sucks, since they are usually on one of the speakers. Bluetooth also carries the complication of needing some kind of water resistance.

Then there is cost... those ~$100+ bluetooth headphones are a rip off. You can get cheaper options (like USD $ 19.99 - Portable Sports Neckband V2.1 + EDR Bluetooth Headset/Microphone for Samsung HTC iphone, Free Shipping On All Gadgets! ) with the same features for much cheaper.

I used to ride (snowboards) with some wired walmart specials zipped into my helmet with an aux mic cable clipped to my jacket. It was a crappy setup that worked ok for music, but horribly for phone calls. I could barely hear the people on the phone and they could barely hear me. 

I used to ride (my motorcycle) with a BlueAnt bluetooth helmet adapter. It is now *very* outdated, but the system works very well. The noise cancellation works very well (eliminating wind noise and engine noise up to ~55 mph).... but the system:
1. mounts on the outside of a helmet
2. only comes with one earpiece
3. has a boom mic
They do have more modern systems nowadays (like the Sena SMH5 - Sena SMH5 Bluetooth Headset Dual Pack - Wired Mic - RevZilla) with stereo headsets that are water resistant, but you're gonna pay a pretty penny for them and you'll still have to mount the thing on your helmet somewhere.


----------



## XR4Ti (Dec 12, 2009)

I looked at helmet audio a little in this thread: http://www.snowboardingforum.com/outerwear-accessories/61089-helmet-audio.html

That $20 unit mentioned above is similar to the one I use (& talk about in the thread) but they are better now in that my version does not do BT audio playback, only BT for phone calls. FM radio and microSD card support is a nice feature though.

You can find variants for under $15 nowadays so why not give it a try. Only problem is it takes some getting used to when hitting the buttons with bulky gloves on.

Those Outdoor Tech units are a step in the right direction though.

FYI on my unit, I cut into and removed the wire jacket. That allowed me to cut out the stiffening wire that gives the headphones their shape around your head. This made it easier to install/remove them from my helmet.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Good to know about being able to remove that stiffening wire! I unscrewed what i could and even dismantled the earpiece (which led to a 1 hour process of trying to fit it all back together), which i totally do not recommend. That stiffening wire is annoying as hell.

But both my wife and I have been using a $15 variant of the exact model that Tarzanman posted up for a while now (wife's has about 10-15 uses, mine about 5), from bluebird to blizzard, without any problems with water damage. At that price its not really a problem if they get damaged though. Buttons are an issue, i generally have to press the buttons for my wife since my gloves have a flip-top, but i generally start it playing on the lift and dont touch it again


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

XR4Ti said:


> I looked helmet audio a little in this thread: http://www.snowboardingforum.com/outerwear-accessories/61089-helmet-audio.html
> 
> That $20 unit mentioned above is similar to the one I use (& talk about in the thread) but they are better now in that my version does not do BT audio playback, only BT for phone calls. FM radio and microSD card support is a nice feature though.
> 
> ...


I'll repeat, the Outdoor Tech Chips have EVERYTHING you are looking for and spare nothing. They take phone calls without any additional mic needed, the sound is great (on my Mutiny helmet then fit into a plastic ring which causes the bass to amplify through the entire helmet), the volume is more than enough, they are universal fit for any style helmet (mine fit right out of the box, but a set of various sized inserts adapters are also included) , they hold a charge a long time (Bluetooth), you can skip forward, backward, pause, adjust volume all by a couple taps on the either earpiece (also straightforward; tap right earpiece for on/off, pause, taking phone calls, tap left earpiece for skip/volume functions). The cord is flexible, almost like a rubber band. Easy Bluetooth pairing.

If I had any complaint at all it is that they try to be too hip. Their instructions are totally minimalist, mostly pictograms and hipster crap telling you how cool you are, without actually explaining anything. Installation instructions are like, _dude, you own these awesome 'phones so plug 'em in and go shred!_ Still, they're very simple to figure out. My wife even figured out how to use them! Worth every penny of the $130 (paid full retail at the mountain).


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Can you check if the Chips will handle pairing with two sources at once? I cant find any data online about that.

I use my sony walkman (think ipod nano) for tunes to save my phone battery, and because i hate having shutter sounds/facebook notifications come through the headphones. The headphones i have (the $15 ones) let me pair both my my mp3 player, and my phone at the same time. It is basically only plays audio from the MP3 player, but if i get a phonecall it automatically switches to the phone. 

But I do like the single button interface, and waterproof features of the Chips, and if it does dual pairing i might consider swapping (when they have another decent sale)


----------



## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

tokyo_dom said:


> Can you check if the Chips will handle pairing with two sources at once? I cant find any data online about that.
> 
> I use my sony walkman (think ipod nano) for tunes to save my phone battery, and because i hate having shutter sounds/facebook notifications come through the headphones. The headphones i have (the $15 ones) let me pair both my my mp3 player, and my phone at the same time. It is basically only plays audio from the MP3 player, but if i get a phonecall it automatically switches to the phone.
> 
> But I do like the single button interface, and waterproof features of the Chips, and if it does dual pairing i might consider swapping (when they have another decent sale)


They will not pair with my Lumia phone and iPod at the same time.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Ah that sucks. Thanks for trying... Was that done with the iPod, then Lumia (apparently you need to pair in that order for it to work)?

Actually is your iPod a recent generation Touch?
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3148094?tstart=0 it mentions that the dual pairing only works if the first device doesnt support the Hands Free Profile; And according to this page (iOS: Supported Bluetooth profiles - Apple Support), the later versions of iPod touches do.

Hoping it could work. Suppose the other option is a Clipper with the wired Chips, just annoying to have to deal with all those wires (and where to tuck them if i put the clipper on the helmet)


----------



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

Too bad I have missed the sale and the wired version as I understand doesn't let you adjust the volume from the pad.

The cheapest I have found in Japan is $150 with most places selling for a lot more. Even $139 is a bit too much for my taste unless it has really good sound quality.. but I need a reference point (I have tried a lot of headphones / earphones etc. and while I do not even expect it to sound as good as entry level Grado /Senn / AKG etc.) at that price it needs to match the Koss Porta Pro / KSC-75.

BTW, someone asked about the Porta Pro earlier in the thread. I don't know if it is good for snowboard use, but the sound is truly great at that price range. I don't think it is the most comfortable headphone out there either let alone one I would wear under a helmet, but perhaps it's cousin, the clip on style KSC-75 may be worth looking into. Sound wise they are very similar. Punchy but not overwhelming, clear sound and does not block ambient sound unless you increase the volume to hearing damaging level. It is also easy to drive meaning that a phone cam raise the volume to such level (not advisable). I find it more comfortable than the Porta Pro and it is my "need to be able to hear my surrounding" cheap option.

PS: @Neni: What did you end up getting in the end?

PPS: @Everyone else: Please let me know if there is another offer. Even at $100 it is still feel kinda expensive for something that is only used during the winter as a secondary form of entertainment.. but it is well thought and there is a lack of alternative so well thought for this purpose..


----------



## Randomseed (Feb 10, 2015)

Holy crap, Ive been looking for something like that Adapt for awhile now for multiple uses. snatched one up, thanks guys!


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

I ended up picking up a Jabra Clipper - bluetooth adapter with only 3 buttons (with a tiny bit of getting used to, its totally usable with gloves on), and 'mil-spec' water resistance. Cut and resoldered the KSC75 cable to be about 20cm long so now its all contained within my helmet. 

The Jabra clipper pushes out a fairly good volume; moreso than my phone does! which is necessary because the KSC75 are high impedance drivers. I was always at around 80-90% volume on my phone, but maybe 70% on the clipper. 

But on the downside, the bluetooth connection is a bit more flakey than the $15 amazon BT headphones. It supports dual pairing, but tends to disconnect from the phone after a few minutes. And maybe 3-4 times a day it seems to struggle with the connection to my mp3 player (starts stuttering for 30 seconds or so)

I have a pair of Skullcandy cassettes on the way for comparison to the KSC75s, because , well my ears arent good enough to appreciate the fine fidelity of good headphones, and i would rather just have some boomy bass


----------



## Thelee (Feb 12, 2015)

*Earphones*

Check these out , i use these all the time. all kind of cool features to benefit us

http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/backbeat-fit:facepalm2:



neni said:


> My google search for suitable headphones probably was useless, probably since I'm not convenient with the necessary lingo to search specifically, and tech specs is gibberish to me, making it tough to evaluate results that pop up :embarrased1:
> 
> Would be great if those who know/use suitable headphones could give me hints, what brand/model would be options.
> 
> ...


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

So was price the issue? Because the Chips are about as perfect as you could ask for. Tap your left ear to advance/reverse song. Tap your right ear to change volume or take a phone call. As simple as can be. Worth every penny of the $130.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

For me it was price and the apparent inability to multipair. Could probably do with out the multipairing, but now with the USD back up nice and high, they are quite expensive headphones for what you get.

There was talk of 30, 40 and even 50% off sales, and this is when it was 100yen/$. Now its 120yen/$. For that money you can get some serious quality phones (or even another pair of bindings etc)


----------



## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

surfinsnow said:


> So was price the issue? Because the Chips are about as perfect as you could ask for. Tap your left ear to advance/reverse song. Tap your right ear to change volume or take a phone call. As simple as can be. Worth every penny of the $130.


I agree with this. I love my Chips and I'm completely bummed my new helmet doesn't accommodate them in the ear pads. They were easily the most convenient headphones I've ever used.


----------



## Handbanana (Dec 10, 2013)

Kenai said:


> I agree with this. I love my Chips and I'm completely bummed my new helmet doesn't accommodate them in the ear pads. They were easily the most convenient headphones I've ever used.


What kind of helmet doesn't accomidate chips? I just want to know so I can avoid.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Last season's Sandbox helmets didnt have audio pads (current season do). You can unstitch the top of the ear pads to make an opening though (i did that to fit other headphones in there).


----------



## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

Handbanana said:


> What kind of helmet doesn't accomidate chips? I just want to know so I can avoid.


POC Fornix Backcountry MIPS. Otherwise a great helmet and I really wanted the MIPS technology because I got a serious concussion last year. I figure every little bit helps.


----------



## knoxious (Feb 16, 2012)

I used to wear my Senheisser earbuds but they were a pain in the ass to keep in and were too isolate-y for my liking (or to hear what your mates are trying to say). 

I picked up a pair of these at TJMAxx for $12 and they are surprisingly good! 

180s: Tec Fleece with Headphones (Ear Warmers) for Unisex, Men's


----------



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

By the way, does OutdoorTech deliver overseas? I don't feel like making an account to just find out they don't (and if anyone with an account can tell me how much they charge to ship to Japan that'd be superb).


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

*Feedback*

A little feedback...

I got the Chip bluetooth headphones a month ago and am totally happy with them. They fit nicely into the earpieces of my Giro helmet; super easy to handle, good sound quality, very easy to operate with gloves. Perfect! 
Big improvement compared to my former Sennheiser earbuds... no more wire, no more pressure hurting points, no more taking off the gloves to adjust volume or stop/play.


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

neni said:


> A little feedback...
> 
> I got the Chip bluetooth headphones a month ago...
> 
> *...Big improvement compared to my former Sennheiser earbuds... no more wire, no more pressure hurting points, *no more taking off the gloves to adjust volume or stop/play.


Wow! I'm surprised you put up with "earbuds" for _any_ length of time. First time I tried my helmet on wearing earbuds, I knew that wasn't going to fly. Having them pushed into my ears by the helmet was super irritating. 

When I looked into them, I really liked the specs and apparent ease of use for those Chip's headphones, but damn they're expensive. I've been using some drop in, wired helmet earphones since the very start. The wire is a bit annoying at times. And I thought the inline volume controls on the cables were worse than useless. With or without gloves, volume control was a pain. Especially keeping the volume from being changed accidentally.

(...always to the painfully loud side naturally!  Never too low!). I solved that by replacing the original vc plug with a straight wire & jack and used the volume controls on my iPod or Shuffle. I can set and lock those. 

I will say that I have gone thru one set of the wired earphones due to the wires failing at the speaker connection. 3 years of flexing was too much for them I guess. So after buying a second pair to replace them,..? If I had bought the Chips to begin with? (...they weren't an option at the time.) The cost would have been roughly the same. 

Just a little something to consider for anyone weighing the pros and cons between wired or Bluetooth and making those price comparisons.


----------



## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

That's actually funny, i bought a new helmet earlier this year, and didn't want to go the bt controller route, so took a chance on buying the Chips BT and just sliced open the ear pads in my Sweet helmet...!!! Worked a treat with no issues, so am gonna change the other helmet over as well next year, not sure if i can be bothered with swapping them, so may just get another pair and be done with it... Hehe

Definitely agree with ease of use, and i am not even using ear pads designed for them...!!! But they still work...!!! I get a couple of days out of them as well about 6 hours a day...


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

chomps1211 said:


> I will say that I have gone thru one set of the wired earphones due to the wires failing at the speaker connection. 3 years of flexing was too much for them I guess. So after buying a second pair to replace them,..? If I had bought the Chips to begin with? (...they weren't an option at the time.) The cost would have been roughly the same.


Good point. Many of my wired headphones lasted only a handfull of times till the wire broke :dry:


----------



## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

I should really get something helmet compatible next season. One of my main reasons for not wearing one is my helmet and earbuds not getting along....probably a dumb reason I know.

I'll look into these Chips.


----------



## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

The aforementioned tech chips are the bomb. Expensive, but once you use them you will never look back.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

I've tried everything. Probably spent close to $1000 on various options at this point, including the Skull Candy speakers that were made to fit into the collar of my Sessions jacket. They all worked just play okay. The Chips were worth every penny spent on them. No more removing gloves, no more tangled wires, total control of playlists just by tapping on your ear. I can take and make phone calls and get messages from buddies on the mountain. Oh, and the sound is AWESOME. Anyone saying a $10 pair of earbuds from TJMaxx is sufficient just doesn't know jack shit. The Chips totally dominate the helmet speaker options.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

ThredJack said:


> I should really get something helmet compatible next season. One of my main reasons for not wearing one is my helmet and earbuds not getting along....probably a dumb reason I know.
> 
> I'll look into these Chips.


One of the best features of the chips is lift line conversations. If some douche back is telling you about how awesome his daughter is skiing, you can discreetly turn up the volume, tune him out, then just look at him and say "What? I can't hear you." By the same token, they're play-through. You can easily lower the volume, but still hear the music, just by tapping on your earpiece...so when the dudes next to you are talking about a big party, you can still hear what's going on without taking off your gloves and fumbling for the volume control.


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Anyone know if they ever go on sale? I think I'd definitely grab a pair if I could get 'em 15-20% off or something.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Yeah... I had ordered them last year after this post on dec 1st vvv
hope they'll have the same this year



DevilWithin said:


> *PSA:*
> I just got an email from Outdoor Tech and they have 36% off everything for 36 hours. I figured I'd pass along the info in case anyone was considering picking up those CHIPS headphones.
> 
> Here is the information:
> ...


----------



## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

snowklinger said:


> koss ksc-75 w/ an additional controller cord.


Which controller do you use? The Monster I was using with my 75's died after a slam...

You can buy a lifetime supply of Koss's for $130...


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

neni said:


> Yeah... I had ordered them last year after this post on dec 1st vvv
> hope they'll have the same this year


Wow! Yeah, that's a pretty sweet deal.  I'll keep an eye open. If you get such an email this year,..? Gimme a shout!  

:hairy:


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I got the Koss, 3 pairs actually. They aren't as good as the skull candy drop ins. The SC aren't as good as the chips.... I'm sticking with the skull candy and will be getting my wife the chips blue tooth...


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Argo said:


> I got the Koss, 3 pairs actually. They aren't as good as the skull candy drop ins. The SC aren't as good as the chips.... I'm sticking with the skull candy and will be getting my wife the chips blue tooth...


How long have you been using the SC? Mine lasted 3 seasons of constant use, but the wire eventually broke and I ruined them more trying to re-wire them. :embarrased1: :laugh:


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

-edit-
...or did you mean you use the bluetooth Drop Ins?


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Nah, I used skull candy drop ins for 2 seasons, they got rusty from sweat. I replaced them with more skull candy then tried the Koss. The Koss work but they just aren't as good as the others....


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

The drop-ins are essentially the same as the Cassettes right? That was a barrel of disappointment for me. Almost zero bass - a little louder than the Koss but barely noticeable. Thought they might at least be good for over-the-ear non snow use but even then my Shure SE215s outbass them at moderate volumes

What they seem good for is being clear at extremely loud volumes (uncomfortable even for my bad hearing). Then the bass can be felt and you can rock out. But i dont think my ears would last long like that.


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I prefer good clear midrange and treble over having bass, especially when it's directly in my ear.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Fair enough. I guess i have pretty bad ears anyway (slowly admitting to the fact that the highpitched while i constantly hear is tinnitus) so i guess my reviews dont hold much weight.

I also found the Skullcandies to be a bit bigger than the Koss. Didnt fit in the Sandbox earpads well.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

chomps1211 said:


> Wow! Yeah, that's a pretty sweet deal.  I'll keep an eye open. If you get such an email this year,..? Gimme a shout!
> 
> :hairy:


Got this: 
OutdoorTechnology.com, use the coupon code below for 10% OFF your purchase!

Coupon Code- OTSAVE10


----------



## Rogue (Nov 29, 2014)

I've noticed not all aux cords are created equal....I love my SC Cassettes, but they definitely sound better with different aux cords.


----------



## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

chomps1211 said:


> Wow! I'm surprised you put up with "earbuds" for _any_ length of time. First time I tried my helmet on wearing earbuds, I knew that wasn't going to fly. Having them pushed into my ears by the helmet was super irritating.
> 
> When I looked into them, I really liked the specs and apparent ease of use for those Chip's headphones, but damn they're expensive. I've been using some drop in, wired helmet earphones since the very start. The wire is a bit annoying at times. And I thought the inline volume controls on the cables were worse than useless. With or without gloves, volume control was a pain. Especially keeping the volume from being changed accidentally.
> 
> ...


I wear apple earbuds and they're low profile, very little pressure. 

However i have other earbuds that the sound level gets messed up when something touches them. 

My favorite earbuds are Bose with noise cancelling but I only wear those when the hill is near empty cause it's like you're in your own world.


----------



## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

Would one be able to use those CHIPS with a helmet that isn't actually audio compatible?


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

ThredJack said:


> Would one be able to use those CHIPS with a helmet that isn't actually audio compatible?


Scroll down to Kevins post. He did.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

ThredJack said:


> Would one be able to use those CHIPS with a helmet that isn't actually audio compatible?


Be careful...Kevin might have made it work, but it depends entirely on your helmet. You make them work by tapping on the outside of either ear piece. If you have too heavy insulation, or the helmet partially covers your ears, they might be difficult to control (not to mention seriously muffle the sound). They have good volume and bass, though, so I'd be less worried about the sound than being able to access the controls.


----------



## Jibfreak (Jul 16, 2009)

Thought I posted this here before, but I'm just going to throw out my solution for music while shredding. It's not for the audiophiles, in fact the audio quality is pretty bad but totally acceptable for me while riding.

I bought some around the neck headphones on ebay that have an mp3 player / SD card reader built in. No more wires, no carrying a cell phone or mp3 player, no bluetooth, nothing besides the headphones. It's awesome. I use them for everything and they're cheap enough that I bought 2 pairs and swap them out around mid day when the battery dies.

They run about $5-7 on ebay and you'll need your own micro SD card as well.

Here's a link to the one I bought. I got another style that's more of the in-ear type and hated it. This one sits inside the ear but not in the actual ear canal.
TF FM Radio Sport Wireless Headset Headphone Earphone Music MP3 Player Micro | eBay

Or you can just search "tf mp3 player headphone" and search through a million results to find the one you want ;-)


----------



## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

surfinsnow said:


> Be careful...Kevin might have made it work, but it depends entirely on your helmet. You make them work by tapping on the outside of either ear piece. If you have too heavy insulation, or the helmet partially covers your ears, they might be difficult to control (not to mention seriously muffle the sound). They have good volume and bass, though, so I'd be less worried about the sound than being able to access the controls.


Looking at my new Giro Discord right now, it seems like it might be doable. I'll have to give it a shot before next season!


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

ThredJack said:


> Looking at my new Giro Discord right now, it seems like it might be doable. I'll have to give it a shot before next season!


Check the earpiece for a zipper or velco at the lower rim which opens the liner for headphones. Giro should have this.

My Giro girls helmet has very thick but soft earpieces; to click/control the Chips is no problem.


----------



## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

Came across this eBay listing for the Outdoor Tech wireless Bluetooth CHIPS. Pretty sick deal. Seller has high feedback so it seems legit?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391095858515?


----------



## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

neni said:


> Check the earpiece for a zipper or velco at the lower rim which opens the liner for headphones. Giro should have this.
> 
> My Giro girls helmet has very thick but soft earpieces; to click/control the Chips is no problem.


Mine has pretty much the same earpieces. So it should work great!


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Triple8Sol great find! Big enough deal to convince me to try it. International shipping was a joke so i am sending it to a friend who promises he will come Japan-side this year.


----------



## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

tokyo_dom said:


> Triple8Sol great find! Big enough deal to convince me to try it. International shipping was a joke so i am sending it to a friend who promises he will come Japan-side this year.


Looks like you weren't the only one to jump on the deal...they're soldout now.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

No idea how they can offer them half price when everywhere else is RRP, but at least its through ebay/paypal so if they dont arrive etc i should get my money back.
Maybe a new model coming out? who knows, but with all the rave reviews these get i couldnt not try them. 

The Jabra clipper setup i have works ok, but the battery dies mid afternoon (6hr battery life), and its amazingly weak bluetooth signal... If i turn my head to the side (so my chest/shoulder is in between the mp3 player and the receiver) then it cuts out. 
It does do multiple pairing (bit of a question about whether the Chips can), but the phone connection drops out pretty quickly and then it doesnt bother to try reconnecting.


----------



## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

Chips you can't double pair, I tried


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Yeah thanks for trying that for me before. I am still holding hope that it might work with my combination because Dual pairing cannot work if both items have HFP bluetooth profile (hands free profile - i.e. the item can use a bluetooth headset for calls). I think you said you tried iPhone and Ipod - i believe the ipod has the HFP for facetime.

Then again its also very likely that it just doesnt support it, in which case i wont be much worse off than i currently am (the Clipper just drops the second connection after a short while)

Anyway, on another note, the same seller is now selling the wired Chips for a bargain, if anyone is interested:
Outdoor Technology Wired Chips | eBay


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

tokyo_dom said:


> Yeah thanks for trying that for me before. I am still holding hope that it might work with my combination because Dual pairing cannot work if both items have HFP bluetooth profile (hands free profile - i.e. the item can use a bluetooth headset for calls). I think you said you tried iPhone and Ipod - i believe the ipod has the HFP for facetime.
> 
> Then again its also very likely that it just doesnt support it, in which case i wont be much worse off than i currently am (the Clipper just drops the second connection after a short while)
> 
> ...


Yeah, it's pretty obvious why you can't pair the Chips -- incoming phone calls would go to both phones. That wouldn't be cool. It's not a "shortcoming" of the Chips or anything, it's just a practical matter. Being able to make and take calls is one of the main selling points of the Chips. Maybe Outdoor Technologies will come up with a cheaper, playback-only model, but there are already several of those on the market.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

This actually goes for all bluetooth devices with "dual Pairing". Two phones wont work, but a dumb MP3 player (for audio only) and then a phone does work (you have to pair them in that order).

But if not, i think i might go back to using my phone for music. The Sony MP3 player is great, but i can use that on the bus there etc instead.


----------



## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

I really don't need the call answering, as I use an iTouch rather than my phone, because I hate running the battery down in case I need it in emergency(mild paranoia?). I'd HATE to pay extra for a feature I won't use.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

ThredJack said:


> I really don't need the call answering, as I use an iTouch rather than my phone, because I hate running the battery down in case I need it in emergency(mild paranoia?). I'd HATE to pay extra for a feature I won't use.


Been using them with my smartphone + running GPS tracking app + taking lots of pics. Works fine, didn't run out of power. 

I first though I don’t need the call feature as I don’t take calls on the mtn. But it turned out to be handy. Formerly, I had to check the phone alla time for incoming messages from riding buddies to meet cos I neither heard nor felt the notification while riding; often missed one.
Now I'm actually glad I hear when a call or a message comes in while riding on the hearphones.

If you're paranoid to run out of battery, take a little power tank for the phone with you.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

The only thing i dont like about using my phone is the fact that i get quite a lot of notifications throughout the entire day (skype, email, Line, text messages, facebook whatever). I can ignore most of them, but through the headphones it stops the music to play the annoying chime or tone.... Really kills the vibe i had with that song...


----------



## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

tokyo_dom said:


> The only thing i dont like about using my phone is the fact that i get quite a lot of notifications throughout the entire day (skype, email, Line, text messages, facebook whatever). I can ignore most of them, but through the headphones it stops the music to play the annoying chime or tone.... Really kills the vibe i had with that song...


That's my other issue. Nothing pisses me off quite like a Facebook notification interrupting my favorite songs.:dry:



neni said:


> Been using them with my smartphone + running GPS tracking app + taking lots of pics. Works fine, didn't run out of power.
> 
> If you're paranoid to run out of battery, take a little power tank for the phone with you.


I actually have been meaning to get one of those anyway. I have a cheap one somewhere, but it doesn't work all that well.

I also don't take a lot of pics either, mostly because I'm a beginner who has to concentrate on what he's doing at all times....


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

ThredJack said:


> That's my other issue. Nothing pisses me off quite like a Facebook notification interrupting my favorite songs.:dry:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So turn off FB Notifications! You should do that anyway. Who gives a shit if your friend just posted a picture of his cat? I like the call feature because we can easily get in touch with each other on the mountain. Even if it's just text saying "I'm over at the lift." But if your phone alerts you every time someone on FB or Twitter or Instagram farts, that's not the fault of the Chips.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Thanks, i had been meaning to switch most of them off... Had to look up how haha. Shouldnt get anything except for Line messages, which is usually how my wife contacts me though so need to leave that on.


----------



## Rogue (Nov 29, 2014)

tokyo_dom said:


> Thanks, i had been meaning to switch most of them off... Had to look up how haha. Shouldnt get anything except for Line messages, which is usually how my wife contacts me though so need to leave that on.


Depending on your phone you should have a Do Not Disturb option except for people who choose to let through. I had someone call once while I was mid air and the ring tone was WAY louder than my music and you can guess how that ended! From then on out I use the DND feature. No distractions needed!


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Hmmm will look it up. Though the kinds of airs i do wouldnt give the phone enough time to pause the music and play the incoming ring tone! haha

But on another note the headphones from that Ebay seller arrived (according to my friend in the US), and he says they look like some serious quality headphones. So it wasnt dodgy, just a very good deal! He is coming to visit this summer so i will have to wait till next season to try them though.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Update, my friend has come over to visit and brought the Chips with him. Happy to report that they DO allow dual pairing if with the Sony MP3 Player and my phone. Pauses MP3 player music to let the call through and then resumes playing after the call ended. Super happy about that. Will write up a review of these now that i have all 3 popular options: Chips, Koss KSC-75s and the Skullcandy Cassettes (which are apparently the same as the drop-ins?)


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

There are a bunch of Outdoor Tech BT Chips selling on Amazon as used for around $65. They're all being sold by Amazon Warehouse. Some are listed as like new, and a bunch as very good. Seems like a good deal and if they don't work well, it's Amazon, so just return it...


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

Just to follow up on my last post, I got a pair of the Bluetooth chips from Amazon Waterhouse deals listed as like new, and they seem to be in perfect condition. No scratches, original packaging, and sound is great and loud. Got them for 60 usd.


----------



## Bertieman (Jan 19, 2014)

emt.elikahan said:


> Just to follow up on my last post, I got a pair of the Bluetooth chips from Amazon Waterhouse deals listed as like new, and they seem to be in perfect condition. No scratches, original packaging, and sound is great and loud. Got them for 60 usd.


Are you talking about these - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop

I've been keeping an open mind for a new set of headphones for my k2 rival pro helmet. The stock headphones work fine, but if anyone suggests a pair that is known to be better, I'd check it out.


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

Bertieman said:


> Are you talking about these - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop ]
> 
> No, those are the wired ones, and I wanted Bluetooth.
> 
> ...


----------



## Bertieman (Jan 19, 2014)

emt.elikahan said:


> Bertieman said:
> 
> 
> > Are you talking about these - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop ]
> ...


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

The sound seems good. I haven't used them on the hill yet, bc I just got them yesterday. There are definitely reviews about them on this forum, here's a pretty recent (comparison) review.

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/ge...179857-helmet-audio-review-koss-ksc75-vs.html

I've tried them in a Giro Discord, and they fit well.


----------



## stickz (Feb 6, 2013)

Bought these Tues night for Baker Wednesday. Best $130 I may have ever spent. These are amazing. Outdoor tech FTW


----------



## ken35 (Mar 10, 2013)

I also rock the CHIPS from Outdoor Tech. They are awesome!


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

@#[email protected]! The new pair of Chips I got from UK via the French parent smuggling route (they're nowhere sold over here) are broken. Their batteries won't load. Pretty annoying


----------



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

Looks like there are no more cheap ones on Amazon, but there is a 25% coupon floating that takes it to under $100 on the official site. I might pull the trigger on one.

It seems like when they work, they work great, but the QA isn't perfect. Since I will have it shipped to family in the US and pick it up when I go there, it'll probably be best if they try test it on arrival eh.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

TooNice said:


> Since I will have it shipped to family in the US and pick it up when I go there, it'll probably be best if they try test it on arrival eh.


Yeah, let them try if they load and have them replaced if not so you won't have problems with expired return policies.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

neni said:


> @#[email protected]! The new pair of Chips I got from UK via the French parent smuggling route (they're nowhere sold over here) are broken. Their batteries won't load. Pretty annoying


Weird. The two sets I bought don't even have a place to install batteries. They charge via USB.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

surfinsnow said:


> Weird. The two sets I bought don't even have a place to install batteries. They charge via USB.


"Batteries" may have been the wrong word, sorry. Don't have an other word for the integrated power storing thing. The rechargeable thingy inside which you charge via USB


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

neni said:


> "Batteries" may have been the wrong word, sorry. Don't have an other word for the integrated power storing thing. The rechargeable thingy inside which you charge via USB



Still curious, since there is only one port on them, and it doubles as the headphone jack and charger. Maybe you didn't notice or wait long enough. I'm not being a smart-ass. One of the things I dislike about the Chips is that there is virtually no feedback as to what is going on. First charge takes about eight hours, and you really don't have any way of knowing if it's working. The led is so tiny you can barely see it. It will blink to tell you you've turned them on properly, but it simply goes out once charging is done. Did you give them a full eight hours to charge?

Now, if you're saying the mini-plug wouldn't fit into the jack (it's on the earpiece...I'm still not sure of the terminology you're using...what "integrating power storing thing?"), that's just a screw-up on their part.

One last guess; you're not confusing the wired remote for some sort of charger, are you? It does nothing but run the Chips if your battery dies. Like I said, the actually battery is inside the earpiece. You'd never see it.

Good luck!


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

I believe when she stated "the batteries wont load!" She was referring to the internal battery wouldn't get or hold a charge! (...nen's, if I'm wrong about your meaning? Feel free to tell me FO!!)  :laugh:


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

surfinsnow said:


> Still curious, since there is only one port on them, and it doubles as the headphone jack and charger. Maybe you didn't notice or wait long enough. I'm not being a smart-ass. One of the things I dislike about the Chips is that there is virtually no feedback as to what is going on. First charge takes about eight hours, and you really don't have any way of knowing if it's working. The led is so tiny you can barely see it. It will blink to tell you you've turned them on properly, but it simply goes out once charging is done. Did you give them a full eight hours to charge?
> 
> Now, if you're saying the mini-plug wouldn't fit into the jack (it's on the earpiece...I'm still not sure of the terminology you're using...what "integrating power storing thing?"), that's just a screw-up on their part.
> 
> ...


Lol, it's sweet that you try to help, I don't read it as being smart-ass. I do have 2 pairs of chips and one wirks fine (BTW: you can check if they load by looking at the small red light, it'll appear it the power is running). The second, newly ordered pair however doesn't give that feedback. The led flickers shortly n fades immediately. After 24hrs of loading - and yes, I tried out if it's the cable which isn't working but it loads my other pair perfectly) there's no loading at all. Pairing is only possible (blue led feedback fliskers) when they are attached to power, but immediately fades if you pull the plug. My conclusion is that the internal battery thing is damaged.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

All cool! Now it all makes sense. I was just trying to cover as many bases as possible in one post. Yeah, it sounds like a bad battery. Much more info now than in your first post...it sounds like you obviously know how they're supposed to work. I was only trying to help! 

Now just pray for snow (at least for us on the east coast).


----------



## sabatoa (Jan 18, 2011)

surfinsnow said:


> All cool! Now it all makes sense. I was just trying to cover as many bases as possible in one post. Yeah, it sounds like a bad battery. Much more info now than in your first post...it sounds like you obviously know how they're supposed to work. I was only trying to help!
> 
> Now just pray for snow *(at least for us on the east coast)*.


..and Midwest :crying:


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Now mine stopped charging too. But i dont even get a slight flicker of the red light. Bummer... Its still within the 1 year period but need to get it back to the US.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Outdoor tech warranty department sorted me out beautifully. I emailed both the head office and Japanese distributor (even though i bought them from the US through ebay). The returns department in the US responded first, telling me that if i could get the broken ones to them, they would send me a replacement. As it was i had a friend visiting from the US at that time so i gave them to him to post to their Cali returns center.

Within a week, i had the replacement set sent to me in Japan! Also, the Japanese office responded (unfortunately after i had given them to my friend), telling me they would handle the warranty request even though it wasnt bought here. Might have been an easier way out, but in the end i got my replacements.

Interestingly the replacement set is different to the ones i had before. Now instead of a chime when they turn on/off, or when a device is connected, they have voice notifications "Power On" "Power Off" "Device Connected" "Maximum volume" etc.

This appears to be a hardware update because unfortunately, the new model no longer lets me connect both my music player, and my phone at the same time. But, the voice prompts are cool, and to be honest i havent ever received a call while snowboarding.

Connection strength on the new model may be a little worse than the old one, definitely noticed cutting out when turning my head so that my shoulder was in between the audio source and the receiver. But it was never perfect so as long as you have the earpiece on the outside ear (left ear for Goofy, right ear for Natural) its not so much of an issue.


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

tokyo_dom said:


> Outdoor tech warranty department sorted me out beautifully... Connection strength on the new model may be a little worse than the old one, definitely noticed cutting out when turning my head so that my shoulder was in between the audio source and the receiver. But it was never perfect so as long as you have the earpiece on the outside ear (left ear for Goofy, right ear for Natural) its not so much of an issue.


So connection may be a little worse.. I wanted to contact them as well, but not to get a set that still has connection issues... It's weird that your new pair is still having issues, b/c other ppl said that they don't have connection issues at all... 
Btw, instead of switching the headphones to the other ears (I ride goofy as well), I just put my phone on the right side of my jacket, b/c I was already used to the button patterns.. 
Question: When you bought your first pair on e-bay, was it from OutdoorTech or from some other seller?


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Well i had to return mine because they stopped charging - so there wasnt really much choice! Mine were from a random ski shop on Ebay. I was worried ODT wouldnt honor the warranty because i bought them for $65 when they were on sale.

And the differences in functionality makes me wonder if the first ones were quite old or something. They would just beep for audio feedback - the new ones have voice feedback "Power on" "Power off" etc. Also the fact i can no longer connect two devices at once, and then the lower connection quality.

I dont have jacket pockets to choose from like that. I just have it in the media pocket in the middle of my chest area. To be honest i am not listening to music much recently so its not so bad. But my wife commented the other day that our very first BT headphones, a pair of $15 over the ear chinese ones from Amazon had none of these issues. Lasted all day and never cut out.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

They cost $125. You paid $65 on Ebay. Hmm. You got shit...I cannot imagine why.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Yet the ones i got on Ebay worked better than the replacement set that ODT sent me.

Can you imagine why that would be?


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

If anyone is looking to try their luck with Bern branded ODT Chips on sale:
WhiskeyMilitia.com: Bern Outdoor Tech Wireless Audio Drop In Chips - $84.47 - 35% off


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

Haha, yeah. I said the same thing about my 10 dollar amazon bt headphones.. No problems..


----------



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

I bought a pair (of OTG Chips) in Canada back in January for about 100 CAD, which at the time I bought it worked out to be about $70. Mine also says stuff like "Power On", "Power Off", "Connected" etc.

So far, it is still working. Connection wise, it is fine most of the time, but occasionally it does get a bit quirky. The sound quality is, to me "ordinarily good". When you consider the environment it is used in, and the fact that the sound has to go through the helmet's ear padding, it was never going to be audiophile quality, but it is fit for purpose.

The biggest quirk I encountered, and for a while made me think less of it the device, is that sometime, the volume becomes really low. It turns out that un-paring and re-pairing again fixes the issue. Another quirk I have encountered a few times is that sometime my phone will become unable to control the Chips as if they are no longer paired. This again can be fixed by re-doing the pairing process. Doesn't happen too often, and I can't say for sure that it is the Chips and not the phone that is playing up.

(@Tokyo_Dom: Did you do a tamedog?)


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Yep ＾。＾

That was actually the first one i ever rode away from. Was a powder day, so the main jump was closed... meaning i could do a practice off the knuckle of the 6m kicker into a powder landing. Then below that was this little kicker with a steep kick, but just as steep, and soft landing area. Once you have landed one, they are not so difficult!

As for my Chips, the replacement ones are definitely worse. Unusable if my phone is in my pocket, stuttery if my phone is in my jacket media pocket. Thinking about working out how to attach my player to my shoulder like a mall cop. So much for "wire free" feels like wired would be so much less hassle. Looking forward to trying out the SENA Snowtalks


----------



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

That sounds pretty bad. I've had the odd stutter with my phone in my pant's pocket but it is rather seldom. By the sound of it, their QA isn't perfect and quirks (or failtures) aren't totally uncommon.

Apart from that, it would also be nice if it could be charged not via the headphone plug socket, but with a micro-usb port, perhaps on the other side. I am kinda worried that I will misplace the charging cable at some point, and it will become a pain to obtain another one.

(Nice! I am still not very good at popping off the nose, so came much closer to land a wildcat. Def going to be one of my goal next season :grin


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

My impression is that the stuttering is due to the phone, not due to the headphones. 

I've only observed the stutter when it's very cold and the CPU of the phone gets slow; like bader if cold + phone placed in more exposed pant pocket + streaming music. 
e.g. no prob on the lift or while strapping in, but as soon as I was pointing it - lot of cold air flow hitting the phone in the pant pocket - the stutter began, even if played local music.

Never experienced a problem in warmer temps.


----------



## robotfood99 (Mar 19, 2016)

neni said:


> I've only observed the stutter when it's very cold and the CPU of the phone gets slow;



Solved.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

robotfood99 said:


> Solved.


:laugh: brilliantly ugly.
I prefer to simply use a Hand Warmer


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

Well, for me at least, it's definitely not the cold. I've had problems on quite warm days. I also don't stream music when I'm on the mountain, so that's not it either.. Oddly enough, I've never had problems during phone calls, only while listening to music.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Yeah last saturday it was about 15-20 degrees on the mountain (celsius - i was wearing a tshirt and sweating). I had my walkman on a neck leash to be around the same height as it would be in the media pocket but one mis-timed wildcat and it got ripped off. So i put it in my pocket and music stopped completely, until i bent over to have it within 30cm of the earpiece.

Next week i will use my phone and see if it makes a difference. Maybe it is the output of the MP3 player. I will also bring the audio cable though


TooNice: I cant remember if you were in Japan/Tokyo are but if you have a chance, go to one of the carpet/airbag jumps over summer (like Chiba Kings). Thats where i first got the courage to try it off a kicker (which is much easier than off a roller/wave, because you can go slower). Actually i dont think i have even tried one off a roller lately. Failed hard last time i tried


----------



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

Hmm, I must say that I noticed my Chips misbehaving quite a lot today (a very warm day) especially when I am going through jumps. For the time being I will assume that my old phone *might* be part of the issue, but not too sure. The thing is that on chairlifts, where it is mainly used, it is usually pretty good.

PS: I found out about Chiba King pretty much just before the winter season started and came to Whistler, so I never got to visit that place. Unfortunately upon my return to Japan, I will have to start packing up to move to another country where there will be none of those things. But I will try to make a couple of visits before I leave. Seems kinda far from the nearest station though..


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

On Sat i got to try them with my phone instead of the MP3 player, and its a big improvement. It was too hot to wear a jacket so the phone was in my pants pocket, and it only cut out when i looked over my left shoulder (receiver module in my left ear, so the signal would have to go through my entire torso pretty much). 

Next week i will go to LA, and i will pick up the SnowTalks, which hopefully have better performance. One thing i like about them is that they have a charging lead which you could extend to be near the opening of the audio pocket - so i wouldnt need to open them right up to charge

P.S. I will PM you about Chiba Kings... Seems its a bit OT for this thread


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Smith Optics Outdoor Tech Wireless Audio Chips | Helmets | Helmets & Protection | Darkside Snowboard Shop

Another source for cheap chips. The description on this sort of confirms that there are two versions - the Bluetooth 4.0 enabled, voice prompted one like they sent me as a replacement, and the earlier one with Beeps, and i guess not 4.0 (but with dual pairing)


----------



## byebyeblackbird (Mar 21, 2016)

It looks like outdoortech makes the chips in Bern and smith branded versions also. And Bern branded ones are $91 on backcountry and $85 on whiskymalitia right now. (Essentially the same after taking into account shipping.) I'm contemplating ordering ($90 is still not cheap) but wanted to share for others who might find the discount attractive. 

On second thought, I have no evidence for these to be exactly same as the original ones. Maybe I should double check... 

http://www.backcountry.com/bern-outdoor-tech-wireless-audio-drop-in-chips


----------



## byebyeblackbird (Mar 21, 2016)

Sorry just read tokyo_dom's post right now, so smith ones are also 91 on darkside!


----------



## byebyeblackbird (Mar 21, 2016)

Hahahaha looks like the whiskymalitia deal was also posted early April. Should read the full post!


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

I picked up my Sena SnowTalk helmet speakers while in LA last week. Havent had a chance to try them in the helmet, but the quality sounds good. And nothing i could do, from putting the phone in my pocket, to sitting on it so it had to go through my whole body, could make the audio skip. The connection just seems to be much more solid. The intercom feature is also awesome, and reports are that its pretty damn useful i bought two pairs - one for me and one for the wife).

If they are good, i think i will sell the Chips (they retail for 20k yen here - $190! so secondhand should get my money back at least)


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

So, inspired by @tokyo_dom, I got my chips warrantied. 
First off: 
1. I bought the (wireless) chips on amazon through a 3rd party seller
2. I bought them for about $60 (I don't remember exactly)
3. I bought them more than 1 year ago. (OT warranty is 1 year, I think...)
OutdoorTech knew all of this^
Not only did they warranty my chips, but they sent me the brand new Chips 2.0. Killer customer service!
I'm excited to try them out. Just wish some of my buddies had them as well so that I could try the new walkie talkie feature.
OT is officially on the legit company list!


----------



## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

I can't wait for my wife to open her stocking as that will make us a matched pair of 2.0 and we can try the walkie talkie!


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

Kenai said:


> I can't wait for my wife to open her stocking as that will make us a matched pair of 2.0 and we can try the walkie talkie!


That's awesome! Let us know how they work.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Finally got to try out the Sena's on the mountain this weekend. And i'm stoked.

Not a single drop out all day, no distortion, and enough volume to hurt my ears. Dual pairing capabilities. Unfortunately i was solo so couldnt try the intercom feature, but i like the fact that it does this on its own, not using the phone's internet connection.

Only downside is that it takes a minute to remember the button press combinations. And its easier to volume up than volume down (when trying to turn down the volume on a loud song you can accidentally turn it up)

Sena is a well known brand in the motorbike intercom business, and the quality shows.


----------



## Alpine Duke (Jun 21, 2015)

Any earbud types eventually hurt my ears. i've tried them all. My helmet actually fits right so it is nice an snug and ear inserts are just a no go. I also have the problem of our Ski Patrol rules of nothing like that because we have to be able to hear everything. 

So, with that....and, I want something to work in a motorcycle helmet but want to be able to hear still....I just ordered these:

https://www.amazon.com/Aftershokz-AS600SG-Titanium-Conduction-Headphones/dp/B018XNGQOE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484014328&sr=8-2&keywords=aftershokz+trekz+titanium

They transmit the sound via bone conduction. One can hear the music but still hear everything around them. I'll give you my review when I use them a few times.


----------



## mtw (Nov 5, 2012)

Was 2017 another year of little-to-no progress in helmet audio solutions?


----------



## wkd (Jun 23, 2016)

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/soundshield-audio-for-action-sports-reinvented-headphones#/


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

mtw said:


> Was 2017 another year of little-to-no progress in helmet audio solutions?


Over here (Japan) it seems lots of people are raving about BONZ headphones - a kickstarter 'success story' (i.e. they actually delivered a product). Its a kind of bulky in-ear solution (not helmet compatible :dry but the sales point is that the intercom (which works via your phone's data connection) is fully automatic - voice activated so you just talk and it transmits it (supposedly smart enough to know when you are actually talking or when you are just grunting/breathing heavily). So basically a full time connection to your buddy/buddies.

Lack of helmet compatibility, and the fact it really eats your battery kills it for me, but they are popular.

As for me i have nothing but praise for the SENA Snowtalk's. Completely under the radar, but kills the CHIPS in terms of bluetooth connection strength, and the direct connection intercom is actually super useful (used it while boarding with my wife). Doesnt drain your phone battery since it doesnt use your cell data, and worked with more than 100 yards between us.


----------



## Fielding (Feb 15, 2015)

For me audio quality is less important than ruggedness and convenience. Mind you, I own heavy duty hifi gear at home and I love listening to music. Especially smooth jazz, contemporary R&B, and yodeling. But I often ride in crowded areas. I ride ice. I need my ears open to hear what is happening under foot and around me. I need something that’s reliable and easy to manipulate. Some tracks must be skipped. Volume needs to be adjusted. Sometimes the music needs to stop and then start again. I dont want to charge anything else. It’s hard enough to remmber to keep my phone charged and my concealed carry piece loaded. I have found a solution. It is a bit of a rig but it uses off the shelf parts. I shall post my formula for snowboard/ski audio bliss shortly under the post title “Smell the Glove.”


----------

