Review: BluSnap 2

Summers in India are quite extreme. States like Maharashtra, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan witness temperatures around the 40°C mark, sometimes even crossing 45°C! And if you are a motorcyclist, then you'd know the agony of riding in such hot conditions. On top of that, most motorcycle gear that you can get in India doesn’t really make our lives easier. To alleviate at least some of these woes, BluArmour makes portable coolers for full-face helmets. The company has recently launched the second iteration of the BluSnap called the... err... BluSnap 2. If you are under the impression that the BluSnap 2 is just slightly different than the previous one, then you’d be wrong. That’s because BluArmour has made some substantial changes over the previous model. We have already tested the first one and you can read our review here. Now, it’s time to see how the new kid fares in real-world conditions.

What’s different?
Almost everything. The BluSnap 2 gets a redesigned body, which is a lot lighter than the previous one. Where the first one weighed 400g, the BluSnap 2 weighs just 284g. How can you make a portable cooler that weighs less than 300g? Well, for that, BluArmour made some significant design-based changes. For starters, to keep it on the helmet, the BluSnap 2 uses an adhesive tape rather than the elastic strap used in the previous iteration. Secondly, there’s no water container, you just have to dip the cartridge in water for 10 seconds. It is also an inch narrower than the previous model. While the first one was kind of mundane to look at, the BluSnap 2, with its new fascia and compact design, looks great. However, we would’ve loved if the BluSnap 2 was available in a number of different colour options. As of now, it is only available in black. But to increase the aesthetic appeal, BluArmour is offering the front grill in four colours: orange, blue, silver and red.

How does it work?
Well, its fundamentals are the same as the previous model. The fan sucks air, which is then passed through the water-soaked cartridge into the rubber nozzles and onto your face. Unlike the previous one, you don’t need to struggle to fit it on your helmet. Just stick the chin mount to your helmet and ‘snap’ (pun intended) the main unit to it.

That sounds good, but can it beat the extreme heat?
To a certain degree, yes. While in the previous model, you had to fill the container with water, in the BluSnap 2, all you have to do is dunk the cartridge in water for just 10 seconds to soak it. During our test, the temperature in Pune was a piping-hot 37°C and the cartridge ran out of water sooner (about 45 mins) than the claimed time of 90 minutes. The rubber nozzles on the new BluSnap are larger and thus push more air into your helmet.

The manufacturer claims that the BluSnap 2 can reduce the temperature inside your helmet by up to 15 degrees! Now, this can only be done if you are using cold water to soak the cartridge. And we are happy to report that this minute adjustment makes A LOT of improvement. Even at speeds like 70-80kmph, the device works pretty well and you can’t even feel that since there’s a small fan running in front of your face!

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However, the device kind of struggles to keep up when it’s put through stop-and-go traffic. As mentioned earlier, it needs to suck air inside for circulation and during heavy traffic, the amount of air passing through the fan is substantially decreased, which affects the overall performance of the device.

What if it runs out of juice?
BluArmour claims that the device will last for 10 hours on a single charge. So, if you are planning a long road trip, then you need to be careful about how much battery you use. However, if your daily commute consists of short trips, then one charge could last you almost 4-5 days.

Is it uncomfortable?
Honestly, it isn’t. You see, our main issue with the first variant was that it was too bulky. And considering that our test helmet weighed 1,450g, the additional 400g of the main unit made the whole experience quite an uncomfortable one. The BluSnap 2, though, is so light that you barely feel that you have attached a frigging portable cooler on your helmet! After comparing both the models back-to-back, the BluSnap 2 comes out as a clear winner when it comes to refinement; it’s much quieter than the first BluSnap. Yes, the fan does make some buzzing noise, but it’s so trivial that you won’t even notice.

Does it stay on the helmet no matter what?
Well actually, during our test, it did come off. And chances are that it may fall off without you noticing that it has done so. The problem lies with the adhesive tape that comes with the device. We believe using stronger, or better quality tape might make a difference. Also, the adhesive tape won’t stick to your helmet if there are ridges; the surface needs to be smooth. However, we did find a sweet spot on our test helmet (MT Stinger), to stick the chin mount. What the manufacturer could have done also offered it with (a smaller) elastic strap along with the adhesive tape to serve as a backup. And this would also be a boon on helmets which don’t have the space to mount the adhesive tape.

Should anyone buy this?
This is a tricky question. You see, on one side, the BluSnap 2 costs Rs 2,299, which is quite reasonable if you ask us. And it does its primary job of keeping your face cool exceptionally well. However, the adhesive tape is a bit of a killjoy. But apart from the mounting woes (which should be easily addressable) it’s a cracker of a deal. In the meantime, if you find some desi jugaads to stick the BluSnap 2 securely on your helmet, then please let us know in the comment section below!