Giro 2008 Omen Wireless Audio Helmet

Very much enjoying the Omen - was going to get the Fuse when I saw this one with Bluetooth. It also brings you to the next level up in terms of quality of headphones (the Motorola S805), which are supposedly themselves a decent pair of bluetooth headphones (they come out of the helmet and attach to the included headphone unit to wear without the helmet).

I don't even know where the mic is on these things - just that it works well, I'm very impressed with how well people can hear me, even in fairly windy situations on the slopes.

The helmet is supposedly heavier than other Giro models, but compared to the last, years-old helmet I had, I'm happy, so I may not be the best authority on that. It's important to have all the head freedom you can out there, as your body follows where your head leads of course.

Sizing: I had to return mine to get a medium - I'm sized by most fit charts to a large, and that's what I wore in the past, but even the medium is slightly large for me (except when I wear a thin hat inside, like now in January). It helps that you can tighten the fit with the dial on the back of the neck.

I wish that the earphones' volume level could go higher - I max out my iPod (with which I use the Bluna iPod bluetooth adapter, by the way, which is the product that transmits in A2DP/v2.0 stereo - the only one at this time to do so, I believe) volume, as well as the volume on the headphones, and it's generally still not as loud as I'd like it. Bummer.

FYI, the Bluna iPod adapter will drain the hell out of your iPod... my Nano's battery life is great without it, and it's claimed that it will take up to half the battery life away. I WISH it only took that much!! I'd say that it takes at LEAST that much power away from your day, and whereas I could use my iPod for a couple of days without the Bluna, with it I'm lucky to get a half day at max volume, which might have something to do with it, but which I feel I need to hear well, as mentioned above. (I don't have the shitiest hearing or anything, either.)

The big circles on the side of your head might seem odd - they certainly catch people's eyes - and I was a bit embarassed at first, but lemme tell you: It is SO, SO worth it to own the convenience of this technology... BOTTOM LINE: there's NOTHING like the ease of being able to use the big buttons and dials of those circles on the sides of the helmet (the earphones/dial controls) to INSTANTLY pause music, or adjust the track back and forth while riding, or the volume, whereas before when my friends said one word to me, I had to STOP, take off every damn piece of clothing to get to my iPod, pause it (or whatever), and finally say "HUH?" while the fun comes to a grinding halt... this same bullshit scenario day in and day out, and even when you ride alone, there arises the instances of quick communications/exchanges with lifties, people on the lift, someone who needs something or is asking/telling you something, etc. etc. etc.. So that's major, and it's a level higher than the mid-wire button on Skullcandy that simply lets you pause your music - those are of course great too, and light-years ahead of stopping and digging for your shit, but you probably still have to reach inside your shell for that wire, since you don't want to ride through the trees with it out. Now, part TWO of why these controls/system are AWESOME is that when you get a phone call (I do massage therapy on-call, and actually have the pleasure of booking appts. for the afternoon while I'm on the hill), it automatically PAUSES your music (if your iPod is also connected by bluetooth and not by the also-included [but unfortunately proprietary] wired music connection) to ring you. And when you end the call? Yup, it resumes your music. F'n SWEET. This convenience, for me, is something I've been waiting for for YEARS.

Now, a word of warning - the control buttons on the sides of helmet (one side phone/one side music) sometimes don't respond, or respond a few seconds late (when it comes to pausing/unpausing music, mainly). Don't know if that's just my S805s or if that's a common problem. But I'm so freakin happy with the basic ability of these things that I'm content with that few-times-a-day mishap.

Enjoy if you get this.

The Omen truly represents state-ofthe-art technology for snowsports helmets. It definitely brings you to the next level up in terms of quality of headphones (the Motorola S805).

The quality of the mic (hiddent in the left earphone) is good and works well even in fairly windy situations on the slopes.

The helmet is heavier than other non-electronic Giro models, but compared to having the conveniences of the Bluetooth technology, it's worth it.

Sizing: Go size a Giro helmet at a store first before ordering. There is a adjustable nape strap which tightens the fit with the dial on the back of the neck.

All the adjustment tools located on the earphones were large and easy to use.

FYI: YES, the Bluna iPod adapter will drain the hell out of your iPod.

The earphone bulges from the side of your head and it might seem odd and they certainly catch people's eyes. However, there's nothing like the ease of being able to use the big buttons and dials of those circles on the sides of the helmet (the earphones/dial controls) to pause music, or adjust the track back and forth while riding, or the volume.

Caution: There is a slight control button delay - the control buttons don't instantly respond.

I love this helmet and the Motorola Blue Tooth speakers. It's great listening to my favorite tunes, and instantly being able to take an inbound call on my treo. Especially on a powder day when I'm playing hooky to lay some fresh lines in the morning. The speaker pads in the ear are a little bulky and look a bit dorky, but it's easy to change tracks, volume, pause, or dial without removing gloves.

One annoying quirk is that you change tracks by twisting the wheel housing on the earpad, very efficient and effective. However, If you have your coat zipped up all the way in blower powder or a real cold day, the neck of the coat rubs against the wheel when you turn your head. This resets the music back to the beginning of the track, restarting the same song over and over again. It happens to me occasionally, but in certain conditions frequently, it's annoying when you can't get through the whole song. They need to put a little lock, so you have to press down on it with your finger to rotate the track wheel.

Otherwise, this helmet and system is the bomb.

I've got the same audio set up with my Giro G10 helmet I got them off S&C.com for $112. The G10 is a great helmet. I've got a medium and it fits great even though my football helmet size is between L and XL. Listening to tunes on the slopes is great, I dont know how I skied before I had these. There are controls right on the headphone inserts so you can control your iPod or cell, or whatever you play music on, by touching a button or turning a knob at the side of your head. No taking off your gloves and fumbling through your pockets with frozen fingers on a chairlift just to change the song. If you dont have any bluetooth music players I suggest you get 1, but if you dont theres a normal headphone jack and the audio helmet package comes with the cable for it.
Overall I love this audio helmet, the battery lasts a good amount of time, more than a full day on the slope. Listening to ska and doing moguls is pretty sick.
oh yeah and the sound quality is perfect.

The benefits are awesome, and others have written on them, so the cons for me are...
Cons...----------
The Motorola car charger doesn't seem to charge the speakers, and it also seems to somehow disable the power on the head phones so that I have to fiddle with them for like 15 minutes before they turn on again.
---------Speakers really don't handle heavy bass, they crackle at full volume.
--------- No way that these headsets could be used in a DJ environment, not even close to loud enough or enough bass to claim a DJ caliber headset, though I was enticed by the thought at first

That's all folks...Shred On!

This is the best damn thing I have ever spent too much money on. If you are on the fence with this decision, pull the trigger now. I love it and now cannot imagine skiing without it. All the important controls at the tip of your gloved hand and ambient music you can turn up while moving at speed down the hill. When someone calls, the music stops and comes back on when you finish. Great sound and easy to use.

This is the one, (unless you must have carbon fiber).
Has all the features you'd expect in a top of the line Giro helmet with the added quality and reliability of Motorola bluetooth.
No complaints whatsoever and very satisfied with the performance of both.
I'm wearing POC Lobes and they fit great.
I wanted the best and for $180 "Outlet" price i'm more than satisfied.