The best communication package for kitesurflessons

Choosing the best option for kitesurf instructors can be difficult if you never used BbTalkin before. There are many options and packages to choose from. Here we explain why we think these packages are the best option for kitesurfschool and instructors that want handsfree communication for their students.

Distance and maximum amount of students connected to the instructor

When selecting your pack we you will need to take in account that the maximum connections you can make also depends on how far your students will be from you as instructor. The bluetooth signal has a maximum reach of 1000m when you connect only two intercoms. After connecting the third combined with a MASTER 3.0. you will have two students that you are able to talk to and the distance will be maximum of 600m in best case scenario. We always advice to stay within a maximum of three connected intercoms. One MASTER 3.0 for the instructor and two STANDARD 3.0 for the students. As a kitesurf student generally you will be further away from you instructor then with other water sports because of the kite lines. The International Kitesurf Organization (IKO) recommend to have at least two times the line length to be safe from others.

As soon as the student try to body drag or stand up and ride. The speed will take the student away from the instructor and distance will increase very fast. When the students is down or low in the water. The signal will be weaker and result will be a 30% loss in distance. In the 3p communication pack this means your max 600m will be far less. This is important to take in account to be able to keep a sustainable communication. We highly recommend not to add a fourth intercom. The overal distance will be max 330m and when students going down in the water even less. It is always possible, but as mentioned above. The 330m in a 4p setting will be the maximum distance in best situation. Body dragging and crashing will nog benefit the distance of the system. In general we advise a 2p package or a 3p package maximum to have the best result in distance.

What is the best headset for a kite instructor?

Choosing the right setup for the instructors headset and student headsets mostly depends on your own preference. We always recommend to put the intercom as high as possible to the body to have the max available distance. For the instructor that does not wear a helmet during the instructions we recommend to take the BbTalkin Hat or BbTalking Cap headset. The Sports Headset is the only headset that comes with an arm strap to attach the intercom to the side of the arm. Preventing the loss of the full set when crashing. There is a high risk of lossing the headset around your head. But keeping the intercom attached to the arm makes sure you will not loose the full system. Problem is the overal distance will decrease 30% due to the fact the instructor already has the intercom low to the body. The last option is the regular stereo Headphone. This is the most comfortable headset but it is not waterproof.

What is the best headset for the kitesurf student?

In general all kitesurf students wear a helmet for safety reason (obligated at IKO and VDWS schools). There are many brands to choose from and it does not matter what brand you have. We have almost all helmet headset options for different helmets. In general there are four different options you can choose from.

From left to right. The mono helmet pad is the cheapest option available and most used for standard water helmets. The mono helmet pad has a left side speaker only including a microphone and only to use with helmets that do not have ear covers or muffs on the side.  This is important to be able to attach the headset correctly. The stereo helmet pad is slightly more expensive but has two speakers on the left and right. This will keep the student more focussed on the instructors voice and keeps them more calm and secure. Especially when one of the ears is full of water after a crash the student is able to hear you with the other speaker.

From left to right. Some helmets have a fully closed shell. A example for this is the GATH helmets like the EVO. To be able to attach a headset. You will need a mono helmet pad for GATH that will be placed outside and over the hole for the ears. The GATH headset therefore has a bigger patch to cover the surface on the helmet. The second option is the boom microphone with speaker. This option will need to be built in the helmet. Some full shell helmets have this option inside. Mostly this option is used with the FORWARD-WIP helmets that come with soft earmuffs on the side. You can add the boom microphone speaker inside the earmuff to be able to add it to the helmet. Make sure you have this option to be able to do this.

Of course you are not obligated to follow above instructions for maximum connections and headsets, but it is highly recommended.  Especially the maximum connection you can make is bounded by the distance you have to the students. If your students do not wear helmets, you can always take the Hat or Cap headsets to communicate.

Adding the system to more helmet sizes

Most schools have different size helmets. Everyone needs to have the best fit. If you want to add the same intercom set to other helmets you will need to add a velcro strip for each speaker pad and a mount for the intercom. It will take a minute or two to change the intercom and headset to another helmet. When you have different sizes. Buy for each helmet the velcro and mount. Every pack with intercom comes with a strap mount and a rubber mount. Make sure you take this in account when ordering more velcro and mounts. Every mono or stereo helmet pad comes with a female velcro to attach to the helmet to. Only the GATH and Boom microphone does not have this option.

Do I need any other accessoires?

The most delicate part of the system are the microphone and speakers. We always recommend to take extra repair microphone and speaker for the set you buy so you are able to change the broken part fast. Shipping small items can be more expensive and will take time. Time you sometimes don’t have. We also recommend to have mounts and velcro available for spare to be able to replace quickly. We also have a pack of microphone foams when you lose the foam or tear it. The foam are important to have the less wind noise and better sound quality. Finally it is always good to have an extra waterproof case available when breaking the case. It is really important to keep the intercom safe and away from water and dirt. When the case has small cracks. It is highly recommended to replace the case before using again to protect the intercom. There is no product warranty when there is water damage to the intercom.

Still not sure what to take? Don’t hesitate to contact us!