The BluSnap helmet cooler by BluArmor is a compact evaporative cooler that fits on the chin of your helmet and sends cooled air to your noggin. BluArmor sent us the BluSnap just in time for the hottest months of the year. But is it as easy as strapping on and cooling off?
The BluSnap has a black plastic casing in matte finish.
A rubber cover at the top keeps the USB charging point, charge indicator water inlet and the filter cartridge protected from the elements. Viewed from the front, the metal grille is hidden behind a honeycomb pattern. The black colour of the plastic and rubber is neutral and lends the BluSnap a utilitarian look so it should not be out of place on helmets of any colour.
There are five options for strap graphics, of which we received the Vortex graphic. The folks over at BluArmor also plan to include a variety of sticker packs of colours matching popular motorcycle brands so users can have a customised look. Sci-fi geek that I am, I enjoyed the boxy look it gave my helmet and fancied myself Darth Vader for the week that I tested the cooler.
Build and fit
Note that the vents take up 3cm of space inside the helmet area. So ensure you have more than that space free between your chin and the inside wall of the helmet for a comfortable fit. On my Arai Chaser-V, the BluSnap fit in place with very little space between the vents and my chin.
However, there was no constant contact, hence no discomfort. The issue was putting on the helmet with the BluSnap in place. Since it reduces the size of the helmet opening, the bottom of the rubber vents would brush against my forehead and nose during the process.
This experience will vary depending on your helmet and head shape. On the helmet, the elastic straps which have silicone grips inside, hold it in place. For those whose helmet chin wall is too thin, BluArmor includes two velcro tape pieces to help with the fit in such cases.
How it works
A word of caution here – if the knob is kept open, and the device is tilted forward or upside down, the water flows out the front of the device. So ensure you don’t do that (and end up cooling your jeans with the spilled water).
The cooling fan is activated with a single switch on the top right of the device.
Under the rubber cover, you can check for charge, displayed in four stages with LEDs. Next to these is a micro-USB charging point, using which I charged the inbuilt 2,500mAH battery to full in just under 6 hours. The idea is to use it in traffic, primarily, at speeds below 50kmph, when there is not enough natural windflow into the helmet vents.
For higher speeds, you can switch the fan off, and continue getting some cool air. On the bike
My two major concerns using the BluSnap on a daily basis were safety in case of a crash and the bulk.
The device looks bulkier than it is, for one, but weighs a nominal 300 gms. Most helmets weigh 1,200 to 1,400 grams. As for safety, the straps which snap onto the device will break away in case of a crash, moving the device away, and allowing the helmet to do its job without any intrusion.
I tested the device on my daily commutes of 17km through Mumbai traffic in the morning and early evening over a week and the charge lasted up to the sixth day. On two occasions, I had used the device while riding out in the middle of the day. For optimum cooling, BluArmor recommends you soak the filter cartridge in cold water before starting the ride.
The cooling effect was apparent a minute after turning the device on. There is no regulator for the airflow, but the speed of the airflow was comfortable. I would have enjoyed a regulator at times to speed up the airflow.
We also tested the temperature change in real riding conditions. Riding at around 4.45 pm on a day with ambient temperature at 33.2 deg Celsius, the temperature inside the helmet was 34.5 deg C when I put it on. Switching on the cooler and riding through traffic for 10 minutes brought the temperature down to 32.5 deg C.
After 25 minutes of riding, the temperature was 31.1 deg C. That is a temperature difference of 3.4 deg C over 25 minutes. The view from the helmet was not particularly disturbed with the BluSnap in place, but it would be nicer to have a more compact casing.
The fan is quiet enough that the its operation noise all but vanishes in while riding. The biggest test however was an unfortunate day when I was stuck in a traffic jam. After taking 20 minutes to move three feet, the cooling from the BluSnap was the only respite, and this is its primary function.
Verdict The BluSnap is a novel solution for keeping a cool head while riding in slow-moving traffic in any major city, especially during summer. It is a simple device that needs nothing more than 60ml of water and charging once a week to keep working.
The device could have been more compact for better integration with the helmet form, and a speed regulator for the fan could come in handy. We discussed these points, and the company seems to be working on some of them. But as a proof of concept, this is great.
I have been using the cooler even after the testing was completed. If you forget to turn the water knob off, spillage could be an issue in carrying or storing it, especially in an office setting. And while this point may be a stretch, those riders who avoid wearing helmets to beat the heat, could be encouraged to do so with the BluSnap.
For more info and specifications visit this : Bluarmor Blusnap Helmet Cooler
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