Text by Cody Hooper, Photos by Jon Crowley and Cody Hooper.
When we first saw Rugged Radios' RRV RZR rolling through the dunes, we thought it was a medical team searching for an injured rider. Thankfully, it was just Greg Cottrell out having fun in his corporate cruiser. RRV, or Rapid Response Vehicle, is a play on Rugged's communications background, eluding to the idea of instant communication.
Rugged has grown into a staple in the UTV aftermarket in the last few years, allowing drivers and passengers of multiple cars to communicate clearly and effectively with radio equipment previously reserved for high-scale sand and desert cars. Rugged has a host of products to outfit your UTV for communication, from a two-person intercom kit all the way up to four-way intercom and car to car bundles.
What has set Rugged apart from the competition (in our eyes) is their dedication to complete customer satisfaction. Every single member of Rugged's staff, including the owner, will routinely pick up the phones and call on customers after an order to ensure everything arrived on time and undamaged, as well as to answer any questions the consumer may have. Small touches like this bring on repeat business, which Rugged works very hard to maintain.
Rugged's RRV RZR XP4 1000 and Sportsman Ace 570 are both equipped with 50 watt car to car radios, in-helmet speaker and microphone kits, and Rugged's new fresh-air blower system. Similar to the infamous "Parker Pumper", the blower motor pumps fresh, filtered air into a full-face helmet through a special adapter port. When coupled with a helmet skirt, it keeps you cool, dry, and dust-free without the need for goggles. It's an absolute must for desert racing, and we are seeing them on more and more UTV builds lately.
Rugged's RRV RZR is also fitted with a four-place intercom kit. The intercom kit allows up to four passengers in the RZR to communicate seamlessly. Helmets are outfitted with a set of speakers and a microphone (the kit fits nearly any helmet), and the lead coming out of the helmet plugs into a harness that is wired into the UTV. Communication at full throttle becomes as easy as chatting over dinner, and you don't have to hold down a button to talk.
The car to car radio kit is a 50 watt VHF radio that comes pre-programmed with 75 of the most popular offroad frequencies. It uses the same helmet speakers and microphone as the intercom, allowing you to broadcast and receive communication from any VHF radio in range. It's an effective way to communicate with other cars, base camps, on-road vehicles, and more.
For more information on Rugged Radios and their other Race Products, check out www.RuggedRadios.com or call (888) 541-7223.