An Indestructible Headset?

Plantronic’s Explorer 370 Rugged has been designed for the adventure in all of us. That is a bold claim for a Bluetooth headset. Solid construction makes the Explorer 370 water, dust and shock resistant. It is possibly the only headset that meets U.S. Army’s MIL-STD 810 standard for field survival. Military equipment is designed to survive most natural hazards and operator errors while being easy to use. This places the Explorer 370 Rugged in good company indeed.

The Explorer 370 Rugged is available in two colors: charcoal and dark blue. The headset is surrounded by a tough - thick rubber material. The thick rubber encloses the two volume nubs located at the top of the Explorer 370. The charger jack housing is shielded with a rubber cover. A sturdy hinge attached to a plastic loop is on the back of the Explorer headset. Even with the heavy shielding, the Explorer 370 is still lightweight and only slightly larger than other Plantronic Bluetooth headsets.

Not only is the Explorer 370 Rugged similar in size to other Plantronic headsets, it is also similar in programming. A multifunction call button is located on the front panel. A Multicolor LED light is on the right of the call button. Setting up the headset to use is identical to other late model Plantronic headsets. This prevents you from having to learn a new way to set up your headset which saves you time and greatly reduces the product’s learning curve.

The Explorer 370 Rugged lives up to its name. One unit was subjected to drizzling rain and frigid temperatures all night. It was then ran over by a 4300-pound Toyota SUV. Afterwards the Explorer 370 Rugged was drenched in water getting both the earpieces and microphone wet. Although looking severely ragged, the Explorer 370 Rugged continued to function. By surviving all of this, the Explorer is more than ready for standard outdoor use.

Although the Explorer 370 Rugged is incredibly tough, its durability comes at a price. This Bluetooth headset does not come with noise-cancelling circuitry or AudioIQ technology. Both features are found on Plantronic’s Discovery 665. You may have to speak louder on calls with the Explorer 370 over other Plantronic headsets but for toughness, the Explorer 370 cannot be beat.