# Finding a good full face helmet looks harder than I imagined it.



## RyderRider (May 18, 2020)

I have recently started looking and researching various full face options out there. I plan to start riding FF for everyday riding and want to find a good fit. This era of COVID isn't making it any easier either. You simply can't find, then try on much of what is out there. I'd rather spend money on a good helmet than to pay deductibles for fixing my face and grill. LOL. I am not a big jumper or hitting up a lot of bike parks yet. But I want some better protection for my face.

The more I look, the more I seem to find that they ALL seem to have a good bit of room for improvement or at least ONE fairly significant drawback. I have read a fair amount of post here. Some are a bit older and don't include newer models. 

My current helmet is a POC Tactile Race Spin. I like pretty much everything about it besides the sweat that builds up in the MIPS system till it decides to empty like a river down your face. I was initially looking at their Coron Air Spin as it looks well put together. But it also seems like an older design and weighs about the most of any of the options that I have looked at. 

The newest design that I think I have seen is the Smith Mainline MIPS. This is one of the best looking of the ones I have seen. It seems to have the least amount of rough edges. But... It seems many have noticed that the MIPS starts making a lot of noise. Some reviewers don't mention it, (maybe lucky), and others gave it a hard pass for the noise alone.

Fox Proframe looks okay. I guess the visor doesn't move and you can't store your goggles up under them due to its position. I have heard about some concerns over a possible chin bar design flaw that I haven't fully grasped just yet.

Troy Lee Designs Stage helmet looks okay. Hard to tell from just pictures. I have read that their helmet inserts are not all that robust and seem to want to determinate when washed.

If I am spending up to about $300 on a helmet, I want a good one. I'm just not getting a warm fuzzy about what's out there.

Am I missing anything? 

Giro Switchblade? Bell?

What are you using and do you like it? Would you buy it again? What would YOU buy?


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## Dr Evil (Sep 20, 2015)

RyderRider said:


> I have recently started looking and researching various full face options out there. I plan to start riding FF for everyday riding and want to find a good fit. This era of COVID isn't making it any easier either. You simply can't find, then try on much of what is out there. I'd rather spend money on a good helmet than to pay deductibles for fixing my face and grill. LOL. I am not a big jumper or hitting up a lot of bike parks yet. But I want some better protection for my face.
> 
> The more I look, the more I seem to find that they ALL seem to have a good bit of room for improvement or at least ONE fairly significant drawback. I have read a fair amount of post here. Some are a bit older and don't include newer models.
> 
> ...


I bought a Bell Super 2R a few years ago and use it periodically but should probably use it more. Not DH rated but I am not using it for DH. I found it to be very comfortable and not very heavy at all.


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## PUNKY (Apr 26, 2010)

I had a TLD D3 Carbon. Just got a Fox Rampage Pro Carbon. 
I’ll climb with a helmet off if I’m going to need a FF on the way down. Not down with these half measure FF. Snap buckle closure, large unprotected vents not my cup of tea. Maybe the Switchblade I might consider but even then.


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## RyderRider (May 18, 2020)

Yeah, I am liking the design of the Smith Mainline and the POC CORON AIR SPIN the best so far. They look pretty stout. I want to like the Smith, but people are saying that it's pretty noisy. I need to go find somewhere that has one to try on. The places that I've found them don't want to let you try them on in the store because of COVID concerns. But you can take it home, try it, and return it. sigh.


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## Fajita Dave (Mar 22, 2012)

The pads in the TLD Stage are much thicker than any mtb helmet I've ever had. I need to be sweating buckets in 90+ degrees to fill the pads before they start dumping down my face.

I've washed the pads 6 times now which is about once a month. The helmet came with a 2nd main pad for the top of the head so I've been alternating those between washes and they're still like new. The cheek pads have shrunk a little bit. They were the perfect kind of snug when new but now they're pretty much just formed to my cheeks. Not loose but not snug like I'd prefer them to be.

The M/L helmet came with three different size cheek pads but they increase in 10mm increments! 25mm (medium) was perfect when new but the jump to 35mm is way to tight. 30mm would be great after they break in. The 15mm and 25mm neck pads are a good range.

The EPS is pretty thick so it should do a good job absorbing a hard impact unlike the super thin Fox Proframe. I haven't hit my head with it yet so can't really say how effective it would come compared to the multiple other helmets I've taken head shots in.

It's by far the most comfortable mtb helmet I've ever worn but that's a personal fit thing. The pad fitment is great and there's no wratchet type retention system to pop open during a crash or make a weird half a$$ed fit for a wide range of head sizes. Every helmet I've ever had with a retention system has popped loose in a crash or even just riding which lowers the protection due to a loose fit. Lazer is the only brand helmet I've had with a solid retention system.


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## Trinimon (Aug 6, 2019)

Yup, I was shopping for a FF helmet the last few weeks and it's slim pickings for anything in the sub $300 range in my area. Either they don't have my size or it's in hot pink... if I had the skills to rock a hot pink helmet, that would be okay. Not this guy.

I lucked out and found a store with a 25% off on the TLD D3 fiberlite. Would have been nice to get that in the gold or silver checkered or silver but only the matte white in stock in my size. I could live with that for the price. So far, I'm really liking it. It's not the lightest helmet but I was okay with it on for most of the 8hrs on the DH trails. Size is a little on the snugger side.


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## RyderRider (May 18, 2020)

@Fajita Dave

Thanks for your insights on the TLD Stage. It's good to hear people's first hand accounts after they have used it for a bit. Point of sale reviews are often written in the honeymoon phase of our new purchases and have not had time to weigh all the positives against the negatives. Good point about helmets using custom fit via retention systems vs. finding a proper fit via padding systems. And while there is a possibility of mechanical failure with a ratcheting type of retention / fit system, the pads that offer a fit for the other type can change over time changing their overall fit and feel.

@Trinimon

LOL. I am finding something similar. It seems that a lot of the subdued colors and sizes are not in stock. The louder colors or designs are hanging around. Some look like the side of a NASCAR. I mean, on one level it's a helmet first and a visual statement last. But, if you are looking to spend close to $300 on a helmet you want to feel good about it both on and off. So now I am sifting through the wood paneling and neon pinstripes of options out there looking for a diamond in the rough.


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## gdg1 (Apr 10, 2020)

My halfshell helmet is the POC Tectral Spin as well, which fits my head great. Just got an IXS Trigger FF. Still adjusting the fit, but seems pretty good. Haven't worn it yet, but was looking for everyday riding, no parks or shuttles, so wanted ventilation for all-around pedalling. I think the POC Coran Air would be on my list if my riding was just one-direction.
The IXS has two cheek pads, 2 position visor, and a ratchet adjust system.


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## FLYINW (Apr 26, 2016)

I feel if I'm going to hurl myself down a mountain trail at motorcycle speeds I feel I'd be better off with a motorcycle specific helmet.


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## RyderRider (May 18, 2020)

I decided to try the Smith Mainline. I really like the design of this helmet. It wasn't easy finding local helmets to try on, but I lucked out and found a LBS that had a medium in stock. There are quite a few tempting designs out there. But this is one of the newer designs that caught my eye that I could actually put in my hand.

First impressions (non-riding)

This feels like a quality designed helmet. The fit and finish, (black matt in my case), looks refined and well thought out. I was concerned because a few reviews that I have read said that it can be noisy. They said that the MIPS liner seemed to make quite a lot of noise in their ears. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I measured my head at home and came in right around 57cm. That put me into their medium sizing. I went to the store and found that they had a medium in stock. It felt pretty light. It claims a 770 grams for the medium. There are lighter and heavier helmets out there, but I felt that not only could I live with that weight for the extra protection, but when I put it on, it did not feel cumbersome.

I tried it on in the store and the sensation with the new-to-me cheek pads felt tight fitting but not crazy. There was no large size to try on for reference. It felt pretty good if not a tad tight. I bought it and took it home. That night I tried it on a couple more times and began second guessing myself and would not be happy till I could try on a large size. I lucked out and found a large at another shop today. It was too big. Yippie. I have to do the whole Goldilocks thing before I am comfortable with a big purchase like this. Hahaha. 

I swapped out the medium pads that come in the helmet with the smaller neck and cheek pads that are included. MUCH better. I decided to take the full plunge and pick up some nice new Smith Squad MTB goggles (in the Tusk) color. They come with a clear as well as tinted lens options. I had to have clear for the darker PNW days to come. Shaking my head around I didn't notice any extra noise that I had read about. The real test will be on the bike, probably tomorrow.

I imagine that the moto style D retention loops will take a bit to get used to, but I will adapt. The chin retention feels comfortable overall.

I will update with some pics and a ride report when I can.


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## Rusnak_322 (Dec 6, 2009)

I just got a TLD Stage from this place - $100 off. I have not worn it on the bike yet, but compared to my Fox Rampage, it is light.

https://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=98963&category=444


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Maybe look at the other recent threads on full face helmets?


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## RyderRider (May 18, 2020)

Nurse Ben said:


> Maybe look at the other recent threads on full face helmets?


You might have missed it, but I bought a Smith Mainline.

I had looked at other recent threads, and as many reviews as I could find. The problem was the two main options that I was looking at, (the POC Coron and the Smith Mainline), had the least recent info about them.

The main drawback on the POC seems to be the overall weight. This is probably the reason you don't see them out in the wild that often besides race circuits. It looks like a solid helmet otherwise.

The Smith Mainline looked promising, but besides bike industry reviews, (that I take with a grain of salt), I didn't see a lot of talk about them yet. I got a chance to try it on and I liked it. I have yet to have a lot of head time on it, but it looks promising.


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## thegock (Jan 21, 2014)

Suomy makes a quality DH/FF lid. C1JP0003 GAMBLE is my steez.


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## Btollefson (Apr 7, 2021)

@RyderRider I'm looking at the same two helmets (Coron and Mainline). What are you impressions of the Mainline now that you've used it?


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## RyderRider (May 18, 2020)

Btollefson said:


> @RyderRider I'm looking at the same two helmets (Coron and Mainline). What are you impressions of the Mainline now that you've used it?


I like my Mainline. It is light. I was not able to try on the Coron, but it is supposed to weigh a good bit more. I think that I "might" only consider running a POC Coron if I knew I was going to be hard charging downhill racing or RedBull Rampaging it up, just for a little bit more protection. It HAS to be hotter than the Smith though. I might have seen only one person in the last year wearing a Coron. I see it as a purely purpose built downhill helmet.

The Mainline hasn't been too bad to wear on climbs. If I bring it, I am wearing it, on the ups and the downs. The MIPS makes a little more noise, but to me, it's barely there. My huffing and puffing is much louder. The Smith goggles seem to fit in the sweet spot nicely. I would still look at all the helmets I could if I were buying again. The Mainline uses a traditional moto D-ring chinstrap, but I don't find it to be a big deal. I am not taking my helmet off a billion times on a ride. The fit and finish is upper end quality compared to other helmets I was seeing out there. They even make a cool Stormtrooper style one now that I would totally get if I was buying again. Mainline

The thing to remember is that from a design standpoint, you might come to a conclusion about your selection based on features and what the design offers. But when it comes to our head, it's all about what fits well. So don't get too dead set on one particular helmet. Try them on if you can.

It looks like Fox might have discontinued their Proframe helmet. They replaced it with something new, the Rampage. Make sure that your helmet will play nice with your favorite form of hydration. I can run my drink tube through the front, just barely. The new Fox FF looks to have a screen there. But, maybe there's enough room between face and chin guard to come up from underneath. This is all out the window if you run bottles though. Fox Racing® White RAMPAGE HELMET - Foxracing.com Category Catalog - US - Official Foxracing.com

I'd probably get one of the two I have been talking about.


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