5 Things Nobody Tells You About Helmet Headsets, Starting With Why the $400 Ones Aren’t Really Worth the Price

I’ve been riding for years.

And for years, I wanted one simple thing.

Music, calls and GPS in my helmet that I could actually hear.

So I tested three headsets.

The first one cost about $20.

The second one cost about $400.

The third one cost $89. And for that, you get two.

I thought the $20 one would be okay for the price.

I thought the $400 one would be in a different league.

I was wrong about two.

I used all three side by side.

And I found out a few things nobody tells you before you buy.

Here they are.

Here’s the first thing I learned. I opened up all three headsets and looked inside.

The $20 one looked like a toy.Tiny, thin speakers. Thin wires. Cheap plastic.

The $400 one had good speakers, a mic, a Bluetooth chip, and a battery.

The $89 one had the same main parts.

Then I made a list of what I really use a headset for.

Music. GPS directions. Phone calls. Talking to my riding buddy.

The $400 one did all four.

The $89 one did all four too.

The $20 one tried. It didn’t do any of them well.

So if the $400 one and the $89 one have the same main parts, where does the extra $311 go?

It goes into marketing. Big ads. Shiny booths at bike shows. Sponsored riders who get paid to wear the logo. Someone has to pay for all of that.

That someone is you.

This is the part that surprised me most.

I played the same song on all three. I rode the same road with all three.

The $20 one, I could tell right away. It sounded thin and tinny, like an old pocket radio.

Then I switched between the $400 one and the $89 one. I listened hard for the difference. I couldn’t hear one. Both were clear. Both were full. Both sounded like music should.

One cost $400.

The other cost $89, and it came with a second one in the box.

Stand next to a running lawn mower.

Now try to hear a song on your phone speaker. You can’t. The mower wins. That’s what happens inside your helmet at highway speed. Tests show the wind at 100 to 120 km/h is about as loud as that lawn mower. And it’s right next to your ears.

Sound experts call this masking.

When a loud sound and a soft sound play together, your brain only hears the loud one. So I took all three on the highway.

The $20 one gave up around 80 km/h. I turned it up all the way. The sound got sharp. It stung my ears. I still couldn’t make out the words.

The $400 one stayed clear.

The $89 one stayed clear too.

Same highway. Same wind. Same result.

Just $311 cheaper.

Next, I made phone calls from all three.

With the $20 one, my friend heard mostly wind. He kept saying, “What? I can’t hear you.” We gave up.

With the $400 one, my friend could hear me fine.

With the $89 one, my friend could hear me fine too.

He had no idea I was on a bike. That’s because MotoPods has noise cancelling on the mic. It cuts out the wind, so the other person hears your voice, not the road.

The $20 headset had one more problem.

After a few weeks, one side started cutting out. Then the wire got loose. It only worked if I wiggled it. The Bluetooth kept dropping, so I spent half the ride pressing buttons. And I wasn’t alone. In the reviews, riders kept saying the same things. A speaker stops working. It won’t charge. It breaks in a few weeks. One rider bought five cheap headsets in a row. That’s about $100. More than a pair of good ones.

So the $20 headset isn’t cheap.

You just pay for it again and again.

The $400 one and the $89 one are built to last.

The $89 one even has the newer Bluetooth. MotoPods uses Bluetooth 5.3. The $400 one I tested uses 5.2.

Plus 30+ hours of battery, and it’s rainproof.

I should be honest with you here.

That $89 pair is ours. It’s called MotoPods Pro.

I built it because riders only had two choices: junk for $20, or a logo for $400.

I wanted a third choice.

For years, good helmet sound stayed with the big brands.

A top big-name headset costs about $400. A second one for your riding buddy costs another $400. Even their smaller headsets can cost $150 to $350, and still come with a thick manual, lots of button combos, and features most riders never use.

That kept good sound out of reach for most riders, and kept the $20 headsets in business selling the idea of music in your helmet without the sound to back it up.

So how is a $89 pair even possible? Those $400 headsets are built for big marketing budgets, loaded with ads, bike show booths and sponsored riders, and priced to pay for all of it. MotoPods Pro puts the same main parts and the same clear sound into a simple headset that pairs with your phone, priced for real riders, with two in the box.

MotoPods Pro sticks to the inside of your helmet. It connects to your phone. Your phone does the rest: music, GPS, and calls. Want to talk to your riding buddy? Just call them. No junk parts. No logo tax. Just clear sound, made for the highway.

Here’s what you get:

• Clear speakers you can hear on the highway
• Noise-cancelling mic, so people hear you, not the wind
• Bluetooth 5.3 for a strong, steady connection
• 30+ hours of battery
• Rainproof
• Fits any helmet. New helmet? Just move it over.

Todays deal:

• 2x MotoPods Pro main unit
• 2x Speaker and microphone set
• 2x Clip-on base for the helmet
• 2x Velcro pads and mounting accessories
• 2x USB-C charging cable
• 2x Quick start guide and user manual

Free with your order right now: Shipping Protection, a USB-C Fast Charger and Installation Instructions, a $32.97 value. Up to 30 hours of calls and 40 hours of music on a single charge.

Mount MotoPods Pro on your helmet in about five minutes. Take it on your commute, your weekend ride and your next group ride.

If it's not right for you, send it back within 30 days for a full refund. You also get free shipping and tracking on your order.

Either you finally hear every ride, or you were smart for trying.

Click below to see MotoPods Pro, the free gifts, and the current offer.