Been looking for new one for a while, quite liked the Shark Skwal, bought one online (stupid I know) The fit around the head was ok but was waaay too tight around my cheeks. Been looking around since and I’m struggling to find anything that a) fits or b) I like. Spent nearly 2hrs in Bikestop in Stevenage this afternoon, tried quite a few and the best fit was Arai only problem is I really don’t like the shape of the Arais.
Now my question is: Am I just being picky? Or is the look of a lid as important to you as the fit of it? (obviously not safety-wise but as a consideration when purchasing)
Normally you can get different size pads.mine was super tight when I first wore them. Took about three weeks to loosen up. Now they feel just just right.
It was waaaaay beyond bedding in tightness, like I said the fit around the forehead was good, but the aerodynamic shape of the cheek/chin section was just way too tight for my round face
The flip side of course is:
You buy a helmet, crash and it doesn’t work. Why? Because someone bought it, took it away, ‘tested’ it and brought it/sent it back, and now your skull is mashed because said helmet bounced around a yodel van twice.
Not sure it’s a deliberate cash making ploy.
I do kinda get that. and I don’t mean they’re doing it deliberately to make money. But a lot of things you really want to know about and experience for yourself you can only do while riding. So you buy a nice shiny new lid, £500 well spent you think only to ride away from the shop, realise that after 20 minutes you’re in searing pain, the visor whistles, it’s way noisier than your previous lid and you can’t operate the flip front with gloves on. And what can you do about it? Feck all you’ve got a nice new £500 doorstop/paper weight/shelf ornament.
There’s always enough info on helmets floating about, reviews or odd youtube comments you can engage in to give you a rough idea about what you’re gonna buy before you buy… This helmet topic is one I usually cover in ace cafe when surrounded by 20 odd riders…
Reviews are all good and well, and I’ve read a few trust me, but even with those you end up with conflicting opinions and as people have said helmets are a very personal thing so it’s going to be different for every rider
