Let's Talk About Helmets

By Tonnya Sayah

DSG Brand Ambassador (Maine)

Let's talk about helmets… which is the best one?

Have you ever wondered this? As the sport evolves, so has the gear. Years ago, when I started riding, everybody wore a basic full face helmets. If you were really getting fancy you might have had a heated shield, but even that was rare. Today, there are so many options I have found myself asking what the best one is. I decided this year to try something new and see if I could answer this question for myself.

Now, know that what works for me may not work for you depending on your riding style and climate. I am a trail rider and ride in temps as low as 10 below and as warm as the mid-30s. Up until 2013, I had always used a basic full face helmet and it worked fine, but it was pretty basic. Last season, I upgraded to a modular and wow, what a difference! I loved not having to take my helmet off when we stopped along the trail for a quick drink of water or a snack. This may not seem like much, but on extremely cold days the less exposure to the weather, the better. However, this type of helmet also has some drawbacks. They are heavy on your neck and shoulders, and I found that unless I left the shield cracked just a bit it would fog or ice up. The fogging could be minimized by wearing a breath box inside the helmet, but I personally never found one that was comfortable for me. One big upside to this style of helmet is if you are in a hurry and want a quick grab-and-go, this takes a minute or less to strap on and you are ready to ride.

This season, I have had the opportunity to ride with a moto-style Fly helmet and goggles. Right off the bat, the first thing I noticed is that the gear is much lighter and feels great on my neck and shoulders. It has taken me a handful of rides before I have been able to find a setup that works for me, so unless you have the patience for trial and error this may not be for you. This type of setup takes a bit more work to figure out what works best for you. I have tried two different styles of balaclavas as well as two different styles of goggles to find a comfortable fit for me. On warmer days I like the Fly Ignitor balaclava, but on colder days I find that the Ride Velocity balaclava works best. I have a set of Triple 9 goggles which have a nice amber lens in them (great for daytime), but for me, with the shape of my face, they pinch at the nose (however my 16-year-old son loves them) and I found they fogged up when I would stop. When riding with the amber lenses I would need a second pair of goggles for night riding as these were too dark. I then “borrowed” my son's 509s and they fit my face much better, as they seem to have a broader curve to them. These have a yellow lens (which makes green lights blue) and also have vents in the bottom and top of them; this has eliminated my fogging problem. The yellow lenses are a good day to night lens.

So which is best? It really all depends on what I am doing. I’m not ready to give up either one at this time. If we are just running out for a quick ride or on a rescue mission, then I am apt to just grab my modular and go. If I’m planning to be out for a long day, I’m apt to grab the Fly with goggles because I know at the end of the day my neck with thank me. Are you looking for quick and easy? Then I’d suggest a full-face modular. If you like to change it up, I would recommend a moto-style with goggles as the combinations are endless.