The Bluetooth Headset For Those Who Love The Outdoors
For those among you who love the outdoor, buying a high-end Bluetooth headset might not be something you are looking for. They don’t seem to be able to absorb the shock and water that you encounter in your daily activities. You want a piece that you can pick up when it’s dropped and put it back on your ear and continue the conversation. You want a piece that, should it fall on the sand on a beach, you could just pick it up and dust it off and pretend like nothing’s happened. Even better, you want something that, should it fall out of your ear, should not even hit the ground but instead, hang from around your neck. If this sounds like the kind of headset that you are interested in, I might just have the one for you.
Introduction
The Plantronics Explorer 370 Ruggedized headset has some unique features that are not seen in some higher-end models (more of which I will discuss in the later part of this review). There are 2 choices available in the Explorer 370 line-up: the Ruggedized version which I am reviewing today that comes in a nice blue and a silver-gray version called the Sport. Both retail at $79.95 a piece and a built for the outdoor. In fact, from their descriptions, I would say the Ruggedized and Sport are the same device in different colors. So how does it hold up and is it really the money you’re going to spend on it?
What’s In The Package?
Well before we get to the headset per se, here’s what you can expect to find in your Plantronics Explorer 370 Ruggedized package:
The Headset
It’s a nice piece of equipment and you’ll quickly notice that most of the it is sealed up, save for the earpiece and microphone. Even the charging port has a cover which protects it against the elements which is what you’d come to expect from such a headset.
The volume buttons are located at the top of the device (if you wear it on your right ear) and protrude outwards slightly, making it easy to find when the headset is being worn. Pressing them does take a bit of pressure, but nothing major that takes away from the experience.
The same goes for the main (black) button. That’s the one that you’ll be using most of the time to pick up and end calls as well as to transfer them from the headset to your phone.
The earpiece is a fixed, in-ear piece which I found to provide sufficient volume. There were in fact times when I actually had to lower the volume of the headset as it was too loud. More on that in just a while.
The ear loop is sturdy and while fixed, is flexible so you can easily switch between a right and left fit. Coupled with the earpiece, you can pivot the headset up and down until it rests comfortably and securely in your ear. I have had fitting problems with several Bluetooth headsets in the past but the Explorer 370 Ruggedized fit me really well thanks to this mechanism.
Unlike most headsets that I have encountered, the Explorer 370 Ruggedized had the microphone on the inside of the device instead of somewhere along the perimeter. What’s great about this design (I think) is that it manages to block out wind noise effectively. In terms of usability, I did not have any complaints from callers about me sounding soft so I guess Plantronics got it down perfect with the microphone.
For those interested in the specifications of the headset, it’s rated at Bluetooth v2.0, provides up to 7 hours of talktime and up to 8 days of standby which is pretty great for those camping trips.
The Charger
Next, we get to the charger. It’s an international charger which means it takes voltages of 110-240 volts. Perfect for athletes and tourists who travel around the world.
Not only that, head of the charger is interchangeable as well. Mine came with the US head but you could get other charging heads to fit your charger when you travel, eliminating the need for a travel adaptor.
The Lanyard
The last piece of item in the Plantronics Explorer 370 Ruggedized package is that of the lanyard. Remember how I asked earlier if you wanted a headset that does not hit the ground should it fall off your ear? That’s what the lanyard is for.
It wraps around the earpiece of the headset and you wear it around your neck so should the headset fall off or you want to take it off, it’ll just dangle from your neck. Great thought Plantronics.
So How’s It Like?
By now, you might be wondering, well just how does the Explorer 370 Ruggedized hold up? For a headset that does not have noise-cancellation technology, I’d say pretty well.
Call Quality
I was rather impressed with how the headset fared. When you consider that this headset was meant to be used in the outdoors where it’s rather quiet compared to the hustling and bustling of the city, you’ll soon realize that the noise-cancellation technology would not make much of a difference in call quality if it were added. Calls sounded clear and loud enough on both ends (according to my callers).
However, when I tried using it in the city, there were times when I could barely hear the person on the other end unless I pressed the headset into my ear. Background noise was also not eliminated though I could still carry out a decent conversation, thanks to the placement of the microphone on the headset.
When it comes to wind cancellation, it was really amazing how much wind it cuts out on it’s own. Again, I think it was due to the microphone placement because your face pretty much blocks the wind from entering the microphone.
Lanyard
For starters, I like how inclusion of a lanyard and I think all Bluetooth headsets should have the ability to hang from one. There are those around us who want to take of the headset from time to time you know. Anyway, back to the lanyard.
As I was saying, Plantronics did well to include one but I felt that it could have been better implemented. Due to the nature of the attachment to the earpiece, it takes out some depth from it. This means that the earpiece would not go as deep as it did and made the headset not sit as securely. I would have preferred a hole in the headset that I could have strung the lanyard through (or a small thread for that matter) to secure it. Was the headset loose for me with the lanyard hooked onto the headset? Not really but I would preferred a more secured fit.
Very Easy To Use
The header speaks for itself. I had no complaints about the headset in terms of operating it. Then again, it is a rather basic headset packed into a durable housing so it’s something that you come to expect.
Standing Up To The Elements
So is it really water, dust and shock resistant? It sure is. I decided to put it through the test and treat it like it wanted to be treated and after every test, it continued to work just like it had come out of the package for the very first time., thanks to the it’s design.
To be able to stand up to it’s claims, Plantronics had to minimize the number of openings to the elements. They did this by wrapping the volume buttons in rubber, providing a cover for the USB port that fits it securely, having an in-ear earpiece that is sealed at the point where it connects to the headset (hence rendering it immovable) and re-locating the microphone to the side and covering it with a mesh (from the looks of it). All this helps to keep foreign particles out to ensure a smooth operation.
Even after intentionally dropping the headset from my ear onto various grounds (grass, hardwood flooring, concrete and and sand), the headset worked like a charm. Try doing that to a high-end Bluetooth headset and you’ll be praying that it still works when you pick it up. Not with the Explorer 370 Ruggedized. It was born to be treated this way!
I tried out the headset’s water resistive (unintentionally of course) properties one day when I was caught in a drizzle. Surprisingly, I was able to continue with the conversation and till today (several weeks later), the headset continues to work. Way to go!
What I Like About It
- Easy to use.
- Resistant to dust, shock and water.
- Comes with a lanyard that hooks up to the headset.
- Provides a secure fit.
- Easily change fit from right ear to left ear.
What Could Be Improved
- Volume could be louder, especially for users who work in the construction site who would find this headset useful.
- Provide a hole to loop the lanyard instead of attaching to the earpiece for convenient access.
- Provision of noise-cancellation technology for users who use it in noisy environments.
Conclusion
The Plantronics Explorer 370 Ruggedized is a headset that fits the needs of those who use a Bluetooth headset in the outdoors. It’s well designed and stands up to it’s promise in helping you face the elements. It may not pack cool features like noise-cancellation but then again, its targeted users are those who thrive in the outdoors where it’s rather peaceful.
Even though I am not much of an outdoor person, I can appreciate the need of such a Bluetooth headset. I found it really handy when I was out at the beach one day and had no qualms about bringing this headset along when I needed to take my calls. So what if it drops or some kid splashes water in my direction? The Plantronics Explorer 370 Ruggedized can handle all that.
Get yours for $79.95 from Plantronics website and select retailers like Circuit City, Staples, RadioShack and even Wal-Mart.
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i need i head set really bad