Reliable communication on the trails couldn't be more important to safety and connection.
Midland partner, Joey Anderson shares how Midland's Bluetooth® Intercom System works in his family's SXS.
About Anderson Overland
Joey, his wife Robyn, daughter Jetta, son Bodie, and dog Luna are originally from the Big Bear Lake area in California. Two years ago they moved to Mojave Valley, Arizona.
“We were just kind of sick of the day to day 9 to 5 thing so we decided to start outfitting our rigs and we got a roof top tent and started hitting the trails.”
The family spends about 150-200 nights a year camping and guiding other overlanders. They give free guided tours and trips all over California and the Western United States. Those trips include a tour starting in southern California to Colorado. 90% of that trip is off-road.
“We just like getting out there with like-minded people and people newer to the industry to help guide them and achieve their goals. We want to help them figure out how to get off-road- do it right and safely," Joey said.
Getting into SXSs
The Andersons have been getting out in their SXSs since 2021.
It's a popular activity out in the Arizona desert.
“It’s a huge industry out here and there’s just so many groups of other people doing this together.”
Need for communication on the trails
Like overlanding, keeping in touch while off grid in SXSs, couldn't be more important.
“In our experiences, we’ve come across some challenges out here in the desert with keeping in communication with our group."
The Andersons turned to Midland's BT Mini Bluetooth® Intercom to bring simple communication to the trails.
“Finding a good, solid intercom with enough volume has been important. We’ve used other products in the past that just don’t have the volume and clarity that Midland’s BT Mini does. Others have been kind of a pain.”
Safety and connection on the trails
Reliable communication doesn't just bring connection to the trails, but also promotes safety.
“Communication is super important for safety. It brings peace of mind that if someone has an issue like a flat, needs help, you can get ahold of someone in your group to get help.”
It's crucial to be able to connect with one another as some are more familiar with the trails than others.
“If you have that issue out on the trail, even if it’s something like a hazard or obstacle on the trail that you might not see, but your passenger does, you don’t have to yell at one another or aren’t at risk to miss the message completely if you’re just communicating without a device. That’s happened to us a couple of times. Now, that we have these systems, we can communicate well to call things out.”
Midland's BT Mini Bluetooth® Intercom
Helmet-to-Helmet Bluetooth for One-to-One Communication
Easy to use, the BT Mini Bluetooth® Intercom revolutionizes rides by bringing seamless communication to motorcyclists.
Make safety and connection part of the adventure by pairing the BT Mini with up to 3 people across Midland devices. Users can pair their Midland device with other brands.
With up to 8 hours of talk time, users can effortlessly manage and customize the BT Mini with the Midland Connect app. Keep in touch by connecting a smartphone to the BT Mini to utilize music, conversation, and GPS.
Features:
- One-to-one communication for up to 3 people (Midland and other brands)
- Manage and customize your intercom via Midland Connect App
- Lithium-ion battery for 8 hours of talk time
- Connect to your smartphones to make and receive calls, or pair to GPS
- TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor) system compatibility auto detects motorcycle digital dashboard
- Super Bass Sound speakers
- Max distance 1/3 mile between helmets
- Waterproof IPX6
- Firmware update from PC via USB
- Stereo music (A2DP)
- Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Noise-Cancelling Filter
- Recharge in about 2 hours
- 2 microphone options (flexible wired mic fro full helmets, boom mic for open helmets)
- Voice alert
- Single multifunction key
- Distinctive Italian design
Using Midland's BT Mini on the trails
Anderson previously used other intercom systems on the trail, but they didn't perform like he had hoped.
“Finding a good, solid intercom with enough volume has been important. We’ve used other products in the past that just don’t have the volume and clarity that Midland’s BT Mini does. Others have been kind of a pain.”
Once Midland launched its BT Minis, Anderson was excited to use the product, knowing Midland has been reliable with GMRS two-way radios.
“What I was really impressed with when I started using Midland’s BT Mini is just how crisp the audio is and how the head room with the volume was a lot better than what we were used to previously. I really appreciated that Midland went that extra mile to ensure the best sound. It was just a breath of fresh air.”
Now that he's using BT Minis, he's able to to keep connected with the group.
“It’s pretty awesome that you can sync them together. We’ve been really, really stoked about this product.”
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