Replay XD Video Camera System Review

Replay XD Video Camera
Replay XD Video Camera System

I’ve tried different video camera setups in the past – most involving a tangle of wires that ran between cameras, recorders and powerpacks – and I have admired my co-worker’s GoPro setups. I wanted something small, light and easy to use. Enter the Replay XD Video Camera system. The self-contained lipstick-style camera is 3 inches long and weighs about 2 ounces; 3 ounces when attached to the plastic helmet mount.

To mount it, tape one piece of the 3M Dual-lock (think Velcro on steroids) to the side on your helmet, and the other to the mount. Squeeze them together for use. Once in place, the user can change camera angles by sliding a lever on the mount to “unlock” and rotating the camera.

Two raised buttons on top of the Replay XD Video Camera control its function. To turn it on, push the button toward the front; the camera vibrates notably to tell you it’s on. To stop recording, push a similar button toward the rear – the camera vibrates again and shuts itself off. Video is recorded on a 4 gig micro SD card that holds about 2 hours of video. When you get home, download the videos using a USB cable.

The Replay XD Video Camera system is simple and easy, but not without fault. Like similar systems, you don’t know what you’re capturing until you download the files. On my first ride with it, I ended up with a lot of great video of my gauges, but hardly any of the trail ahead. The key is trial and error. The video and audio on the base model I used were marginal. It captured the moment and was OK for the price, but this technology is moving so fast that such basic cameras are being left behind. In fact, the $160 camera setup I tested is buried on Replay’s own website beneath information about the company’s latest and greatest $300 HD model. The Replay XD Video Camera recorded some memories, but the video quality left me wanting something better.

— John Prusak

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