Sena 20S helmet communication and intercom system review

I have been watching the Sena 20S for a couple of years now.  I was ready to replace my aging headset for a while but stopped pulling the trigger on a Sena due to the flood of complaints about failures from the early adopters.  Well this year Sena fixed the 20S and it is now worth buying.

before you buy one insist you open the box and inspect the mounts.  If the mount dies NOT have a metal latch to hold the unit on, do not buy it as it's a 1st generation that will break.  If the dealer will not let you open it first, get them to agree to refund your money if it is a plastic latch type that will absolutely fail on you.  If they refuse to do that, go elsewhere.

The 20S is a little finicky at first as it is a massively complex device compared to earlier intercoms and communication systems.  what I can tell you is download the app right away and update the firmware on the headset right away.  do not even try to use it until it is updated.  also dont even try to fiddle with the voice menus... use the phone app to set it up, it's massively easier to use.


Audio quality?   Excellent.  My wife and I both have a 20S on our helmets and the intercom is incredibly clear.  music quality is even better.  The other nice part is that they get loud enough to make it easy to listen to through a set of  EP7 Sonic defender earplugs (my go to earplug for the bike).  This means they can get loud enough to hear over the straight pipes of a harley at WOT on the highway...  and can hurt your hearing.  So be warned, do not turn them all the way up.

I paired mine to my cellphone and my Garmin Zumo 350LM GPS.   I hear the GPS instructions over the intercom even when the wife is talking which is very nice,  it also comes in over the music as well.

Battery life is exceptional,  I charge it once every 2 weeks and a long 8 hour ride still has power left at the end of the day even with the intercom and music in use the entire time. they also use a standard micro USB for charging so you dont have to carry some wierd special cable.

So I would highly recommend the 20S in it's latest version.  they are still not waterproof, but unless you are riding for hours in a downpour without a windscreen you will not have to worry much.  I wish they sold a rubber "rain coat" for them just to make me feel better about riding in the rain with it on.