# How do I put speakers in a helmet?



## Gregg LaPointe (Dec 25, 2016)

The ear flaps usually have a zippered pocket. Maybe returning it is the best option.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Smith helmets that are speaker compatible have a zipper that runs along the bottom of the padding from one earflap to the other. Some other helmets like Giro have the earflaps velcro'd shut on the inside upper. In either case, there is a foam insert that has to be removed to make room for the speakers.


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## Craig64 (Jul 16, 2015)

You should be able to separate the ear flap section from the helmet.











You can see that this helmet with the microfibre on the ear flaps has vents to assist in audio transfer.










There will be a compartment inside either zip or most commonly velcro that allows you to access inside the ear flap. Giro have tagged the earflap as audio compatible.










Inside the ear flap section there will be a neoprene insert. On the Giro Range this is around 10mm thickness. They will be shaped and precut to allow you to remove the neoprene inside circle and place the speaker section into the neoprene.










I didn't cut this section out as I have a few different colours of Giro Range helmets and just swap the ear piece sections over. You track the wire loom between the speakers under the helmet insert to the other side. BT speakers are the best but if you have a wired unit there will be a small hole in the bottom of the earflap to thread the cable through to the audio device.










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## IzzWhiz1 (Jan 7, 2022)

Gregg LaPointe said:


> The ear flaps usually have a zippered pocket. Maybe returning it is the best option.


yeah, I think we're gonna exchange it. we made a rookie mistake - apparently, there's more than one type of Smith Mission helmet. My dad, as you can most likely infer, was not aware.


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

You should double check if there is no zipper and the helmet is marked audio compatible then the ear flaps are Velcroed near where they meet the helmet


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

I got some chips 2.0 But my helmet not compatible. Cut a hole in the ear seam and viola, it’s magically compatible. [emoji2957]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

If you are exchanging the helmet and haven't committed yet, I should mention that the zipper on the Smith helmets is finicky and fragile, and will eventually start to split whenever you try to zip it up. Since you have to unzip it to charge the speakers, you'll basically end up with a helmet you can't zip up. I've stopped using Smith helmets (which I otherwise really like) because of this.

If at all possible, go for helmets that open and close the ear pockets with velcro.


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

Donutz said:


> If you are exchanging the helmet and haven't committed yet, I should mention that the zipper on the Smith helmets is finicky and fragile, and will eventually start to split whenever you try to zip it up. Since you have to unzip it to charge the speakers, you'll basically end up with a helmet you can't zip up. I've stopped using Smith helmets (which I otherwise really like) because of this.
> 
> If at all possible, go for helmets that open and close the ear pockets with velcro.


That's interesting. I still use corded headphones like it's the 1800's lol. Guess there's a benefit to being behind the times that I didn't see until now.


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

WigMar said:


> That's interesting. I still use corded headphones like it's the 1800's lol. Guess there's a benefit to being behind the times that I didn't see until now.


with the chips you just flip them left to right so the charge port is where the zipper ends instead of where it begins


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

16gkid said:


> with the chips you just flip them left to right so the charge port is where the zipper ends instead of where it begins


If you do that, the microphone ends up on the left side pointing up. That's fine if you never take phone calls, of course. Just have to remember to reverse all the commands left for right.


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## Phipper (30 d ago)

Same problem/issue with the Chips 2.0 and my Smith helmet with the finicky zipper and having to flip speakers left for right to gain access to the charging port. I added a small "pigtail" - male to female extension in order to charge the Chips without having to unzip to gain access to the port. Now I"m wondering, maybe I can flip the speakers back to the way they are recommended in the helmet and simply cut a very small hole in the liner, near the right ear flap (where the zipper begins instead of ends) to feed the pigtail through the small hole, then cauterize the synthetic material closed with a lighter around the pigtail cord so that I can charge the Chips without ever really having to unzip or remove the speakers from the helmet? Going to try this tonight. I think I've found the solution. Even with the newer Chips bluetooth wireless, you still have to unzip the finicky zipper to remove and charge the speakers. I can tell that I'm only going to be able to unzip this thing a handful more times before that zipper gives up and its toast forever.


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

I switched to a bern helmet and they have a button closure instead of a zipper, way easier


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## El Cholo Rojo (3 mo ago)

This was not the "mounting speakers to a helmet" thread that I was hoping for.


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

El Cholo Rojo said:


> This was not the "mounting speakers to a helmet" thread that I was hoping for.


Did you come for the hot glue and rivet action and leave having experienced the rare helpful thread


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## El Cholo Rojo (3 mo ago)

I could just use some feedback on positioning and colorway:


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