Sena 10C and 20S helmet communication system review

More often than not, riding in pairs or groups requires constant coordination. While there are signs you can use to convey messages, there is nothing that compares to a hearty chat. We’ve felt this quite often too, especially on our shoots, where there is a need to be constantly in touch with each other.

There are only a handful of manufacturers who can help with this. Sena Technologies is one of them, and is the most sought-after brand when it comes to helmet communication systems. We got our hands on two models from the company – the 20S and the 10C. I took the 20S, which would let me listen to music and the radio, and most importantly, take phone calls on the go. Kartikeya, who goes on a fair number of rides took the 10C, which has a camera in addition to the features of the 20S.

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box the Sena 20S came in. Besides the module, headphones and mic which are standard, there were two extra mics, and a load of mounting options for different helmets and configurations. It even had an Allen key to fix the system on the helmet. The Sena 10C too was similarly packed.

Installing the two Sena units on both our helmets was a fairly straightforward procedure. Take the helmet liner out, fix the mount on the left side of the helmet shell, stick the earpieces on the shell, fit the liner back in concealing the wiring, and voila! Once installed, the system looks very neat, and doesn’t get in the way at all. The speakers sit flush inside the helmet, and you only know they’re there because of the sound emitting from them. We know it might be different for different helmet makes, however, neither Kartik nor I faced any issues.

The Sena 20S has a very streamlined, aerodynamic design. It has a nice combination of silver and black. The contours are also quite sharp, and mixes straight lines and curves really well. The jog dial is easy to use even with riding gloves on. The two other buttons are fairly accessible as well, but finding them initially with gloves on is a bit of a challenge. Everything else from there on is intuitive.