Behind the Scenes of the Cardo Venture Launch in Big Bear
Last week I had the opportunity to join the Cardo Systems and SPEC PR teams in California's beautiful San Bernardino National Forest to help launch one of the most exciting new products in the off-road world; the new Cardo Venture, the world's first off-road helmet with fully integrated Cardo Dynamic Mesh Communication.
The week started with a drive into Big Bear Lake, where perfect weather greeted us with clear skies and comfortable temperatures. By coincidence, the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships were wrapping up the same weekend. I arrived Sunday afternoon just in time to meet up with several friends from the mountain bike community for a late lunch and an après-race celebration. Like any national championship weekend, there were incredible performances, plenty of stories to tell, and unfortunately a few crashes including a broken collarbone, ouch. It was great catching up with both old and new friends before shifting my focus to the week ahead.
On Monday we headed straight into the mountains for our location scout. Any time I get to work alongside SPEC PR, Ray Gauger of RGR Media and photographer Joey Augustin, I know it's going to be a great project. These guys are true professionals, and every event becomes an opportunity to learn something new. We immediately settled into our rhythm, scouting trails, identifying camera angles, and marking locations for each planned scene.
This part of the San Bernardino National Forest has become a special place for me. Four years ago, I worked my very first event with SPEC PR on these same trails during a Yamaha vehicle launch, and while it was a great event, that week couldn't have been more different weather-wise. We were driving through a blizzard with snow blowing sideways through the valleys. This time the mountains greeted us with sunshine and summer heat, but returning to the same location years later felt like a full-circle moment.
While both projects took place on the same trails, the Cardo Venture launch required an entirely different level of precision. This campaign included highly choreographed scenes where the vehicles, riders and helmets needed to be positioned perfectly within the frame so the production team could seamlessly integrate animated graphics during post-production. Several riding sequences also required exact camera compositions to highlight specific Venture features with on-screen callouts and visual effects. Every rider movement, every camera angle, and every helmet position mattered so we had to be prepared.
After a successful scout day, we wrapped up with dinner as the rest of the Cardo and SPEC PR crew arrived, preparing for a full production day.
Wednesday was dedicated entirely to filming the commercial and capturing supporting photography. This project was especially fun because my primary role was in front of the camera as one of the featured riders. Between takes we experimented with reels, product-focused content, and a few current social trends and documenting the behind-the-scenes experience.
Production days like this are long. Every scene is filmed multiple times from multiple angles to give the editors every possible option. By the end of the day everyone was exhausted, dusty, and sunburned, but there's a unique satisfaction that comes from knowing you've created something special with an incredibly talented team.
Thursday shifted from production to product experience as members of the off-road media joined us to test the new Venture helmet. Journalists from many of the industry's leading ATV, UTV, and off-road publications spent the day riding alongside Cardo ambassadors Dustin "Battleaxe" Jones and Adam McGill.
The highlight of the day came almost immediately.
As soon as everyone connected through Cardo's Dynamic Mesh Communication system, the entire ride changed. With up to 15 riders connected in a single group, conversations flowed naturally across the trail. Safety reminders, navigation instructions, coaching, route changes, and product discussions blended seamlessly with plenty of good-natured trash talk and dad jokes. Instead of stopping at every intersection or trying to shout over engines, the group stayed connected throughout the ride. It quickly became obvious to the whole group why Cardo believes integrated communication is the future of off-road riding.
During the media ride, my focus shifted to capturing photography and video, while helping ensure the attending journalists had everything they needed for their upcoming reviews and feature stories, which are expected to begin appearing in mid-August. It was rewarding to watch experienced editors and riders experience the Venture for the first time and immediately understand what makes Cardo’s Dynamic Mesh Communication different.
This project especially reminded me why I enjoy working with the team at SPEC PR. Every event is professionally executed, every detail is carefully planned, and every person involved is committed to producing exceptional work. A huge thank you to Van Holmes for inviting me to be part of another outstanding project, and to Cardo Systems for trusting me to help introduce such an innovative product to the off-road community.
If you're an ATV rider, UTV driver, trail rider, or anyone who enjoys exploring with a group, I highly recommend taking a look at the new Cardo Venture. It's an impressive piece of technology that has the potential to change the way we communicate on the trail.
If you're thinking about picking up a Cardo system, be sure to use my link below for a special discount.
Shop Cardo: https://cardosystems.com/discount/RYANSPINKS
