Cardo Packtalk Bold - Testing in progress!

[bigjohnsd]

Festar and I have acquired a pair of Cardo Packtalk Bold communicators. Initial installation and activation was seamless, I read the directions, Festar just installed his. He finished first. Both units worked well, easily paired with our phones, Apple and Android, best was that the units paired in Mesh mode with no human interaction. None of the often numerous "Can you hear me now?" ********* long associated with Communicator pairing.

Festar says the FM radio worked well, I listened to be some music from my phone.

A couple of little things:

No sidetone when you talk, you don't hear yourself in your speakers.

The helmet speakers plug into a female jack on a wire. If you want to use your ear buds you have to unplug the speakers and plug in your buds.

The "Cardo Connect" phone app is easy to install and works well.

We will test and report further on these units over the next several months.

 

[st4gary]

John, interested in your report. I've had the same unit for a few weeks along with a new helmet to install in but damn life is getting in the way. Have the Sena 20S in my old helmet and it's virtually impossible to buy a mounting kit to move it to a new helmet and sena was of no help. So I switched to Cardo as my riding buddy used them and raves about the mesh capability.

 

[FJRTom]

I have been using the PackTalk for a few months now and think it is amazing. SO much better and easier to use than previous Cardo systems that I have had. The connection with my iPhone is perfect and getting a bunch of users "meshed" together is painless. Highly recommend!

 

[FJReady]

Interested in how the sound quality of the speakers are compared to the Sena 10 system.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

We’ve been using the Bold since the Nakusp and Spearfish rally. Very simple to use , connect easily , speakers sound great even with plugs in, my phone links up and Pandora works and sounds good, I listen to my station and Diane listens to her Pandora station on her phone. Communication between us works well and is clear at freeway speeds.

 

[draco_1967]

My buddies and I switched to the PackTalk (regular) last year after fighting the 20s for 3 seasons. The PackTalk is so much better in every way! My favorite part (other than the no-hassle automatic pairing in DMC) is that the intercom goes completely silent if no one is talking. Compared to the constant static, wind noise, and random popping of the 20s, the PackTalk is incredible!

 

[erixun]

Holy St they should be better than the Sena 20... A quick search says they go for about $450 - $500....

Where as a Sena 20s is $250... and a Sena 10 is $150.

I think I will just put that money into fuel.... and keep my reliable Sena 10.

Hopefully they come down a bit.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Holy St they should be better than the Sena 20... A quick search says they go for about $450 - $500....
Where as a Sena 20s is $250... and a Sena 10 is $150.

I think I will just put that money into fuel.... and keep my reliable Sena 10.

Hopefully they come down a bit.

Packtalk Bold is $492 a PAIR ! ( at Cycle Gear )

singles are $280.

I think you didn’t read the cost correctly ?

They work by voice command, similar to Hey Sir on an Apple phone, it’s hey Cardo music on, hey Cardo music off, etc etc, no more trying to push small buttons for commands. Hey Cardo change station, hey Cardo next track........I could go on but it’s too much typing, just research it yourselves.

Up to about 12 riders can join a group instantly via mesh technology, leave the group come back later and instantly be part of the group again, no “ pairing” required.

There some great YouTube videos that compare the Sena vs Cardo Bold and the Sena gets its *** handed to it in everyone of the 12 or so comparisons that were made in each separate video.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

That’s Hey Siri, not Hey Sir !

My edit button has disappeared, so I can’t edit my post immediately after posting it ?

 

[bigjohnsd]

The voice commands work well for me, but not so well for me mate Festar. Cardo doesn't seem to u understand 'Stralian very well. Festar had struggled, we hope that Miss Cardo learns on her own.

Communication is simple and ckear, no background noise in mesh, the only negative is the lack of side tone, so you don't hear yourself talk through your headset.

At this very early point, one day commuting, I like the Packtalk

 

[philter]

I hated the "sidetone" feature and turned it off. To each their own. {man, I am becoming a 90's man, changed the HIS to THEIR automatically. Now I am only TWO decades behind the rest of the world.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

The voice commands work well for me, but not so well for me mate Festar. Cardo doesn't seem to u understand 'Stralian very well. Festar had struggled, we hope that Miss Cardo learns on her own

There was talk on ADV of Cardo not understanding “English “ accents well, riders there had to speak “Americun “ to get Cardo to respond to commands then things went well.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Pop and I had the old Cardo Scalarider for years and we liked them but they were not perfect.

We upgraded to the Cardo Freecom 4 after his crash. We really like these.

 

[Tyler]

The voice commands work well for me, but not so well for me mate Festar. Cardo doesn't seem to u understand 'Stralian very well.

Cardo is in good company... :lol:

 

[Knifemaker]

Holy St they should be better than the Sena 20... A quick search says they go for about $450 - $500....
Where as a Sena 20s is $250... and a Sena 10 is $150.

I think I will just put that money into fuel.... and keep my reliable Sena 10.

Hopefully they come down a bit.

$399 for TWO units on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZLKCLK6/ref=emc_b_5_mob_t

 

[John d]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Knifemaker" data-cid="1402890" data-time="1533861999"><p>

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="erixun" data-cid="1402833" data-time="1533779470"><p><br />

Holy St they should be better than the Sena 20... A quick search says they go for about $450 - $500....<br />

<br />

Where as a Sena 20s is $250... and a Sena 10 is $150.<br />

<br />

I think I will just put that money into fuel.... and keep my reliable Sena 10. <br />

<br />

Hopefully they come down a bit.</p></blockquote>

$399 for TWO units on Amazon:<br />

<a href='https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZLKCLK6/ref=emc_b_5_mob_t'>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZLKCLK6/ref=emc_b_5_mob_t</a></p></blockquote>

Sorry, but the Packtalk Bold is up one generation from the previous Packtalk.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

I think what John d is saying is the Amazon link is not the latest Cardo Packtalk Bold, but the Packtalk Duo model. It does not show the correct picture for a Bold unit. The ad does not say Bold anywhere, don’t buy this old model.

 

[John d]

^^^Yes, the old Packtalk model is discontinued and being cleared out of stock, but the prices are reasonable.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I use Nolan modular helmets, having found them to be every bit as good as Shoei, for me, but I haven't tried the Neotec 2. I'm looking for something to put in a neotec when I buy one out of curiousity. Very helpful review.