POC Obex Connect Ski Helmet
Obex family · 26/27
Technology
Harman Kardon Mesh Headset
An integrated headset in the removable ear pads: a Mesh group intercom that links up to 8 riders without cell service, plus Bluetooth for calls, music, and your phone’s voice assistant. Run through the free Obex Connect app — no subscription. Not a cellular or SOS device.
A low-friction layer inside the helmet that lets it move a few millimeters on an angled impact, redirecting rotational force away from your head.
Reinforced Shell with Aramid Panels
A polycarbonate body with an ABS top and aramid panels molded into the risk zones over an EPS liner, for added structural strength and penetration resistance.
A passive reflector that lets an organized rescue crew with a RECCO detector — helicopter or ground — home in on your location.
An NFC chip in the shell that stores your emergency contacts and medical info for a rescuer to read with a phone tap, whether or not you’re conscious.
AVIP
Attention Visibility Interaction Protection — POC’s high-visibility colorway approach, offered on the Obex Connect for being seen on the hill.
Features
- ·Integrated Harman Kardon headset — Mesh intercom for up to 8 riders
- ·Bluetooth for calls, music, and voice assistant
- ·Free Obex Connect app, no subscription
- ·RECCO reflector and twICEme NFC Medical ID
- ·Aramid-reinforced dual-material shell with Mips Evolve
- ·Available in an AVIP high-visibility colorway
The Obex Connect is a helmet built around its audio, so start there. The headset is integrated into the removable ear pads and runs a Mesh intercom — a peer-to-peer network that links up to 8 riders directly, without cell coverage or a base station, which is exactly the point on a mountain with no signal. Layered on top is Bluetooth for phone calls, music, and your phone’s voice assistant, all managed through a free app with no subscription. The hardware is Harman Kardon, and it accounts for a large share of the price — the standalone headset sells for roughly $330 on its own. Be precise about the limit: this is group communication, not an SOS or cellular device. It reaches the riders in your group, not emergency services.
The shell is a genuine flagship build, not just a speaker mount. A polycarbonate body with an ABS top gets aramid panels molded into the risk zones over an EPS liner, with Mips Evolve to manage rotational force on an angled impact. For the backcountry it carries two rescue layers: a RECCO reflector so an organized team can locate you, and a twICEme NFC chip that stores your emergency contacts and medical info for a rescuer to read off a phone tap. Both are after-the-fact aids — they help people find and treat you once something has gone wrong, and neither replaces a transceiver, shovel, and probe. Sliding vents, a 360° dial, and goggle chimneys finish it, with EN 1077 Class B and ASTM F2040 certification and weights of 570 to 660g.
This is the top of POC’s connected line, and the choice is really about how much comms you want. The Obex Contour Communication is the cheaper connected option — a JBL-powered headset with Bluetooth and phone functionality, but not the up-to-8 Mesh intercom, the RECCO, the twICEme, or the aramid reinforcement. The plain Obex helmets protect your head just as well for a fraction of the price with no audio at all. Buy the Connect if you tour or ride in groups and want a true multi-rider intercom plus a rescue layer in one helmet, and you accept paying flagship money for it. If you only want music and calls, the Communication saves you real money; if you do not need audio, a standard Obex is the smart buy.
Safety — read this
The RECCO reflector and twICEme NFC chip are after-the-fact layers — they help rescuers find and treat you once something has already gone wrong. Neither replaces an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe, or the training to use them. The Mesh intercom talks to your group, not to emergency services — it is not a cellular or SOS device. Carry your avalanche kit, and know how to use it.
Strengths
- +Integrated Mesh group intercom (up to 8) plus Bluetooth audio
- +Aramid-reinforced dual-material shell with Mips Evolve
- +RECCO reflector and twICEme NFC Medical ID for the backcountry
- +No-subscription app and an AVIP high-visibility option
Best For
Skiers who tour or ride in groups and want intercom audio plus a rescue layer built into one helmet, and are willing to pay for it.
Limitations
- −Expensive — $600, with roughly $330 of that being the headset
- −Not a cellular or SOS device — group intercom only
- −Rescue hardware does not replace avalanche gear
- −Heavy for a resort lid at 600g in M/L
Not For
Anyone who does not need the comms — a plain Obex protects just as well for far less — or who wants a lightweight resort-only lid.
Specs
- Weight
- 570g (XS/S) · 600g (M/L) · 660g (XL/XXL)
- Construction
- PC shell + ABS top + aramid panels + EPS liner
- Rotational Protection
- Mips Evolve
- Audio
- Integrated Harman Kardon headset — Mesh intercom up to 8 riders + Bluetooth
- Rescue
- RECCO reflector + twICEme NFC Medical ID
- Ventilation
- Sliding vent covers with goggle chimneys
- Fit
- 360° adjustment dial
- Certifications
- EN 1077 Class B · ASTM F2040
- Sizes
- XS/S · M/L · XL/XXL
Common Questions
- How many riders can the POC Obex Connect intercom connect?
- The Harman Kardon Mesh intercom links up to 8 riders without cell service. It also has Bluetooth for calls, music, and your phone’s voice assistant, run through the free Obex Connect app with no subscription.
- Is the Obex Connect an SOS or emergency device?
- No. The Mesh intercom communicates with the riders in your group, not with emergency services. The RECCO reflector and twICEme NFC chip help organized rescue locate and treat you, but they do not replace avalanche safety gear.
- Why does the POC Obex Connect cost $600?
- The integrated headset accounts for roughly $330 of the price — the standalone version sells for about that on its own. The rest is a reinforced aramid-panel shell with Mips Evolve, RECCO, and twICEme.
- Obex Connect or Obex Contour Communication — what is the difference?
- Both are connected POC helmets, but the Connect is the flagship. It runs a Harman Kardon Mesh intercom for up to 8 riders plus Bluetooth, and adds a RECCO reflector, a twICEme NFC chip, and aramid shell reinforcement. The cheaper Obex Contour Communication uses a JBL-powered headset with Bluetooth and phone functionality, but not the multi-rider Mesh intercom or the backcountry rescue hardware.
- Does the POC Obex Connect need a subscription for the intercom?
- No. The Mesh intercom and Bluetooth features run through a free app with no subscription. The Mesh network is peer-to-peer and works without cell service, so there are no ongoing fees to use it.
