We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a full motorcycle communication system with mesh group intercom, AI voice control and serious noise cancellation, choose ASMAX F1s; if you need a light, open-ear bone conduction pair for running, cycling and gym work, choose gidosha Open Bone Conduction. These are two different tools for two different jobs, and picking the wrong one will frustrate you within a week.
• ASMAX F1s biggest strength: Mesh 5.0 for up to 10 riders, plus a CloudTalk mode that supports up to 50 riders, wrapped in a helmet-mounted system with 7-layer noise cancellation and 35 hours of battery life.
• ASMAX F1s biggest trade-off: It is a helmet headset, not a pair of headphones. It mounts to a motorcycle or snowmobile helmet, weighs about 50 g, and it is built for riders, not for the treadmill.
• gidosha Open Bone Conduction biggest strength: A genuinely open-ear design that leaves your ear canal free so you hear traffic and surroundings, with a smart digital display and up to 50 hours of working time.
• gidosha Open Bone Conduction biggest trade-off: No intercom, no group talk, no noise cancellation, and a Bluetooth range of roughly 33 feet. It is a personal audio device, nothing more.
• Who ASMAX F1s is for: Motorcyclists, snowmobilers and group riders who need to talk to other riders while moving.
• Who gidosha Open Bone Conduction is for: Runners, cyclists and gym-goers who want music and calls while staying aware of what is around them.
The ASMAX F1s is a motorcycle helmet communication system first and a headphone second. The core of the product is group talk. Mesh 5.0 holds a stable link with up to 10 riders at once, and if someone drops out of range the mesh network keeps the rest of the conversation intact instead of collapsing. That is the detail that matters on a real group ride, where riders naturally spread out on twisty roads. On top of that, the CloudTalk mode supports up to 50 riders talking simultaneously with unlimited range, and the ASMAX Mode switches between Mesh and a 5G network in real time so you do not have to manually reconnect when you drift out of Mesh range. If you ride with a club or a regular group, this is the feature set that separates the F1s from a basic Bluetooth headset.
The second thing that stands out is the noise handling. The F1s combines ENC, DSP and CVC noise-canceling software with dual hardware filters, high-density microphone foam and sensitive mics, all driven by an octa-core processor. ASMAX states this eliminates over 90% of engine roar, wind, echoes and city noise, and that calls and intercom stay clear even at 100 mph. Whether or not you ride at those speeds, wind noise is the single biggest enemy of helmet audio, so a 7-layer approach is a meaningful design choice rather than a marketing line. The 40mm dynamic drivers and EQ tuning handle music and GPS prompts, and intercom-priority volume automatically lowers your music when someone speaks so you never miss a word.
Who should buy it: motorcyclists and snowmobilers who ride in groups, tour long distances, take calls on the road, or want hands-free control without fumbling for buttons. Who should skip it: anyone who wants headphones for running or the gym. This is a helmet-mounted system with a wired mic and boom mic, and it is built around a helmet, not around your ears.
gidosha Open Bone Conduction: Who It's For
The gidosha Open Bone Conduction is a sport headphone with a completely different philosophy. The open ear hook design leaves your ear canal uncovered, so you keep hearing ambient sound while music plays. For runners and cyclists sharing roads with cars, that awareness is the whole point. The ergonomic ear hooks are shaped to stay put during movement, so the fit is designed not to shift or fall off while you ride or run. If your main worry is whether you can hear a car coming up behind you, this design answers it directly.
The practical details are aimed at sport, not at group communication. A smart digital display shows power status at a glance, which removes the guesswork of "do I have enough battery for a long run." Speaking of battery, gidosha rates up to 50 hours of working time with a 2-hour charge time. IPX7 waterproofing means rain and heavy sweat are not a problem. Controls are touch-based rather than button-based, which keeps the housing smooth and easy to tap mid-stride. Bluetooth 5.3 handles the wireless connection with a range of about 33 feet.
The audio side uses a bone conduction driver with 16 ohm impedance, 20 Hz frequency response and 105 sensitivity, plus a stated audio latency of 60 milliseconds. The 60 ms figure is worth noting if you watch video or play games, because it is low enough that lip sync generally stays acceptable for casual use. The build mixes plastic, silicone and titanium, which is a sensible combination for something that has to flex and survive sweat. It also ships with a hard EVA carrying case, which is a nice touch for tossing in a gym bag. One thing to be clear about: there is no noise cancellation here, and no intercom. It is a personal listening device for one person.
Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, walkers and gym-goers who want music and calls while staying aware of traffic and surroundings, and who want long battery life in a sweat-resistant package. Who should skip it: motorcyclists who need to talk to other riders, anyone who wants active noise cancellation, and anyone who wants a warranty measured in years rather than months.
• Best for group riding → ASMAX F1s. Mesh 5.0 for 10 riders and CloudTalk for up to 50 is a capability the gidosha simply does not have.
• Best for solo running and cycling → gidosha Open Bone Conduction. Open ear hooks keep you aware of traffic, which is exactly what a runner needs.
• Best for hands-free control → ASMAX F1s. Offline multilingual voice commands plus app control beat touch taps when you are wearing gloves.
• Best for battery life → gidosha Open Bone Conduction. Up to 50 hours of working time versus 35 hours on the F1s, though the F1s charges in 50 minutes versus 2 hours.
• Best for wind and engine noise → ASMAX F1s. The 7-layer ENC/DSP/CVC system is built specifically for high-speed helmet noise. The gidosha has no noise cancellation at all.
• Best for weather protection → a close call. The F1s is IP67, the gidosha is IPX7. Both handle rain and sweat; the F1s rating also explicitly covers dust.
• Best for helmet use → ASMAX F1s. The quick-release mount and 50 g weight are designed for helmets, and the wired mic and boom mic fit inside one.
• Best for everyday fitness and commuting audio → gidosha Open Bone Conduction. Touch controls, a power display and a hard case make it the simpler grab-and-go option.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to one question: do you need to talk to other people while you move? If yes, I would buy the ASMAX F1s. Mesh intercom for 10 riders, CloudTalk for 50, offline voice control and a 7-layer noise-canceling stack are exactly what a rider needs, and nothing in the gidosha's spec sheet comes close to that. If you are a runner or cyclist who just wants music with your ears open, I would buy the gidosha Open Bone Conduction instead. It is lighter in purpose, keeps you aware of your surroundings, and its 50-hour battery suits long training weeks. Buy for the job you actually do, not for the spec sheet that looks bigger.
They are not really competitors. If you ride a motorcycle in a group and need intercom, the F1s is the only one of the two that does the job. If you run or cycle solo and want open-ear audio, the gidosha is the more suitable design. Check the current price on Amazon for each before deciding.
Technically you can wear it, but it has no intercom, no noise cancellation and only about 33 feet of Bluetooth range. For helmet use and group talk, the ASMAX F1s is the appropriate choice.
The ASMAX F1s, clearly. Its ENC, DSP and CVC stack with dual hardware filters targets engine and wind noise. The gidosha has no noise control, and bone conduction audio is also more affected by loud surroundings by design.
ASMAX lists a 2-year warranty on the F1s. gidosha lists a 3-month warranty on the Open Bone Conduction. That difference is worth weighing if long-term support matters to you.
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