If you’ve been riding for any amount of time, there’s certainly been a day when you wish you could communicate with others on the ride quickly, easily and without having to stop to pull out your phone.
Enter two-way radios, the age-old tech that works instantly regardless of cell service. But even those can be cumbersome. We’ve seen attempts to make them more user friendly for cyclists, which were cool, but the latest offering from AWIRE might just be the category killer we didn’t know we wanted until now.
AWIRE is a new lightweight, two-way radio designed to clip onto your jacket or jersey so you can stay connected while out braving the wilds. It is also designed to integrate seemlessly with your phone, allowing you to play music and take calls, then easily switch back to talking to your friend on the trail. With far reaching outdoor applications, it seems like a no-brainer for riders who want to stay safe and connected or for anyone who wants to commune with nature rather than disrupt it by yelling at their friends. Because we all know the person behind you can’t hear a damn thing you’re saying…
The AWIRE contains a 462 MHz UHF antenna with a range of up to 2 miles. However, unlike many traditional two-way radios, the AWIRE weighs in at a measly 40 grams and is designed to link up with your phone through Bluetooth and a downloadable app. Music will automatically mute when conversation begins and start back up when you’re done speaking.
Though it works with your phone, the rechargable Li-Po battery ensures that it isn’t draining your phone in the process. And, of course, it works where your phone won’t. There’s 22 channels to prevent cross talk from others, too, and no limit to how many friends can be synced up per channel.
This Kickstarter is to cover production tooling for the AWIRE. For $180, you can reserve a pair of AWIRE radios for you and a friend to be delivered this September…or just get one for $100. Full retail will jump to $165 (single) or $250 (pair). But act fast- this campaign must be funded by May 8th to get off the ground.
