camera56
Well-known member
Originally appeared in www.midliferider.com
I'm a fan of Suomy helmets. I like how they fit. I like how they're made. I like it that they're kinder to your head in a get off than anything carrying a current Snell rating (for more on this, see my essay on helmets).
For the past year or so I've been wearing the very high spec and high cost Suomy Extreme, a lid I like for its light weight and "look at me now" graphics. What I don't like as well is the insanely difficult process of changing out a shield and the noise.
I recently picked up a flat black Suomy Vandal, a lesser but not less helmet than the Extreme. It's built to the same specs as its big brother and features the same lush interior with easily removed and washed liner and cheek pads. From that standpoint, one of the best designs in the business.
During my ride, I experienced everything from pissing rain and mid 40s, howling winds, and blazing desert heat that topped out at 106. I rode in blinding sun, drab overcast, and total darkness. All in, it was on my head for 3700 miles, so a fair test I think.
What I like . . .
I've already mentioned my appreciation of non-Snell helmets.
They're just too damn hard. I have a brand new Arai Vector that I'm retiring after about a dozen uses for this same reason.
Suomy's do a great job of internal venting. It's nearly impossible to fog the screen. Ten points on that count.
Unlike the Extreme, changing the face shields is a low effort affair. Rotate and remove a metal dial on either side and the screen comes right off.
The helmet is all-day comfortable. This is obviously highly subjective, but I find that Suomy's fit my head. The Extreme was tight but a perfect shape. The Vandal was just right out of the box.
I judge the Vandal to be averagely noisy. I haven't ever worn what i would describe as a truly quiet helmet, but I would say this is towards the good end of the range. Still, ear plugs are a must. Without them, the howl at speed is unbearable.
The Vandal vents adequately on a hot day. If I was a full time desert rider I might look for something with more airflow, but I didn't find myself bothered, even after hours in the sun.
What I don't like . . .
This is not fault of Suomy's, but someone please remind me not to wear an all-black helmet next time I spend days riding in the desert.
As much as I liked the shield system, I was constantly afraid of dropping the little metal locking disks. Visions of one rolling away and leaping over some cliff plagued me every time I changed screens.
While the helmet vents well, the top front vents are a bad joke. They're controlled by small rotary dials that expose a hole drilled in the helmet. Turning the dial with bear hands sitting still was a chore that often required an implement. In gloves . . . forget it.
There is a long plastic pokey thing that sticks down from the d-ring. It's for snapping the end of the strap to. Mostly it poked me in the neck, got hung up on my jacket collar, and generally was a nuisance.
All in, a fine lid. I like it so much I bought another for my wife. Give it five stars.
I'm a fan of Suomy helmets. I like how they fit. I like how they're made. I like it that they're kinder to your head in a get off than anything carrying a current Snell rating (for more on this, see my essay on helmets).
For the past year or so I've been wearing the very high spec and high cost Suomy Extreme, a lid I like for its light weight and "look at me now" graphics. What I don't like as well is the insanely difficult process of changing out a shield and the noise.
I recently picked up a flat black Suomy Vandal, a lesser but not less helmet than the Extreme. It's built to the same specs as its big brother and features the same lush interior with easily removed and washed liner and cheek pads. From that standpoint, one of the best designs in the business.
During my ride, I experienced everything from pissing rain and mid 40s, howling winds, and blazing desert heat that topped out at 106. I rode in blinding sun, drab overcast, and total darkness. All in, it was on my head for 3700 miles, so a fair test I think.
What I like . . .
I've already mentioned my appreciation of non-Snell helmets.
They're just too damn hard. I have a brand new Arai Vector that I'm retiring after about a dozen uses for this same reason.
Suomy's do a great job of internal venting. It's nearly impossible to fog the screen. Ten points on that count.
Unlike the Extreme, changing the face shields is a low effort affair. Rotate and remove a metal dial on either side and the screen comes right off.
The helmet is all-day comfortable. This is obviously highly subjective, but I find that Suomy's fit my head. The Extreme was tight but a perfect shape. The Vandal was just right out of the box.
I judge the Vandal to be averagely noisy. I haven't ever worn what i would describe as a truly quiet helmet, but I would say this is towards the good end of the range. Still, ear plugs are a must. Without them, the howl at speed is unbearable.
The Vandal vents adequately on a hot day. If I was a full time desert rider I might look for something with more airflow, but I didn't find myself bothered, even after hours in the sun.
What I don't like . . .
This is not fault of Suomy's, but someone please remind me not to wear an all-black helmet next time I spend days riding in the desert.
As much as I liked the shield system, I was constantly afraid of dropping the little metal locking disks. Visions of one rolling away and leaping over some cliff plagued me every time I changed screens.
While the helmet vents well, the top front vents are a bad joke. They're controlled by small rotary dials that expose a hole drilled in the helmet. Turning the dial with bear hands sitting still was a chore that often required an implement. In gloves . . . forget it.
There is a long plastic pokey thing that sticks down from the d-ring. It's for snapping the end of the strap to. Mostly it poked me in the neck, got hung up on my jacket collar, and generally was a nuisance.
All in, a fine lid. I like it so much I bought another for my wife. Give it five stars.
