You just launched a snow division. Please give us a quick history of Cardo Systems and what led you to make products for the snow sports industry.
Cardo Systems is a world leader in wireless motorcycle communications – a market it invented more than 15 years ago. Cardo has been reinventing the market ever since, with the introduction of the first long-range Bluetooth intercom in 2007, Mesh-based group intercom in 2015 and hands-free Natural Voice Operation in 2018.
As avid skiers, we saw that our intercom solutions made a big impact on our family winter vacation and realized they can make an even bigger impact on the winter sports industry as a whole. You may say that while taking a break from work we found a perfect synergy with a whole new audience.
Can you tell us a bit about your new product for our industry?
Our Packtalk Ski intercom system, allows – for the very first time – a group of skiers and snowboarders to communicate fluidly with each other while rushing down the slope. It automatically reconnects cut-offs, brings back group members who temporarily veered out of range and can heal any broken connection within a split of a second. In practice this device keeps you in constant touch allowing you to chat with your friends or family just like you would in person.
Packtalk Ski is weatherproof, offers seamless communication at a range of up to 0.6 miles in line of sight and is full-day operational with up to 8 hours of talk time. It can also connect to any smartphone to stream high quality music or answer the occasional phone call.
To learn more, watch the video here
You are launching this new product this winter, 2020/2021, with a focus on the alpine region of Europe, for ski/snowboard schools and rentals. Please share some information on how this will roll out.
Being the biggest snow market in the world, combined with its compact geography, makes the Alpine region a great starting point. Working with ski schools and rental shops makes a great synergy, exposing our solution to large winter sport audiences while helping local businesses become more efficient and provide better service.
Being a Packtalk Ski Guinea Pig for the last winter seasons I can testify this thing is tremendously addictive. Once you try going down the mountain with a Packtalk strapped to your helmet you will never want ski without it.
The product will also be available direct-to-consumer in the rest of the world this year. What are your plans for launching with retailers/online retailers in North America the following year?
Packtalk Ski will be available for purchase world-wide on our website as early as this coming winter season. We are also exploring, in parallel, other distribution channels including traditional bricks-and-mortar retail.
If an SIA retailer member is interested in renting or selling your product to consumers, how can they find out more information or get in touch with you?
Industry partners interested in a cooperation with Cardo Systems are welcome to contact me – [email protected]. For any additional information about ordering online, FAQs, videos, technical specifications and more, visit our website www.cardosystems.com/snow.