The NIMA Sports Bluetooth Speaker Helmet is the ultimate tech accessory for NCAA football fans

College football is one of the most popular sports in the United States. It is so popular that even the NFL owes much of its success as it laid the foundation for the talent and rules in place today. Students and graduates can develop an almost unhealthy fanaticism for their school’s team and show it in crazy ways.

I’ve come across one of the coolest wireless accessories I have reviewed in a long time, and college football fans will love it. The NIMA Sports Bluetooth Speaker Helmet.

Design

The NIMA Sports Bluetooth Speaker Helmet is a very unique accessory. The unit I am reviewing is a full sized helmet that looks and feels like the real thing I used when I played football. Except this one has a massive woofer built into the bottom of the helmet, with two large speakers built into the earpieces. The speakers in the ears are covered by mesh metal grilles that don’t distract from the look of the helmet.

Controls are similar to what you would find on other large wireless speakers; there are buttons on the back of the helmet for power, Bluetooth, track and volume control. Where this speaker is more advanced is with the EQ button that changes the sound based on seven different preset settings.

On the back is where you will also find a 3.5mm audio input jack, a full sized USB A outlet for charging your smartphone, and the power input.

There’s an eye guard behind the face mask which reminds me of former San Diego Charger, Ladanian Tomlinson, and gives the helmet a finished look. It’s a true wireless speaker with a large built-in battery that gives the helmet a good bit of heft at 14 pounds.

The helmet speaker is an officially licensed product of the NCAA and fans of Nebraska, USC, Alabama, Michigan State, UCLA, LSU, University of Florida, Auburn, Florida State, Arkansas and the University of Texas. More schools are in the works for future helmets, but are currently limited. I would guess that would have to do something with the high licensing fees these schools charge.

Specs

• Bluetooth 4.2 EDR
• Microphone for taking calls
• Dimensions: 15.0in x 13.6in x 11.2in
• Weight: 14lbs
• Full stereo sound with dual speakers and a large subwoofer

Sound, App and Looks

First off, the look of this helmet speaker is awesome. It’s the same logo and color of the USC Trojans’ helmet, and I can imagine that other schools look spot on too. The face mask not only looks like the real deal, but it feels like it is made from real steel that is covered in plastic. It makes for a great carrying mechanism.

The sound is where the speaker excels. With a speaker on each side of the helmet and the inclusion of the down-firing subwoofer, the sound is designed to impress those even at tailgate parties. It gets very loud and can play over crowds, or in my case, really anger my neighbors.

The sound quality is helped that by the ability to change the EQ settings to any preference your ears desire. Changing the EQ is simple to do with the seven presets through the TWS button on the back of the helmet, or you can connect through the free iOS or Android app to access the controls of the Nima helmet speaker.

With the ability to control the EQ, the user is free to adjust the sound for ultra bass using the large subwoofer, or they can dial it back for a more balanced tone. Regardless of the EQ setting, the speaker sound fantastic sitting right up against it or even up to 20 feet away.

Summary

The NIMA Sports Bluetooth Speaker Helmet is one of the coolest products I have reviewed all year. It doesn’t come cheap with a price tag of $399 for the large version, but you can get the medium for $249, and the small for $149. For the ultimate college football fans, there might not be a better accessory to add to your collection of foam fingers and jerseys. It offers eight hour battery life, is extremely loud and offers customizable sound that would impress at a tailgate party, or simply look awesome in your home. This would also make for a fantastic gift for the 2016 holiday season.

Head on over to www.nimausa.com to learn more.