# Full Face Helmet



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

I am looking for a Full Face Helmet to help me keep my teeth when going big fails and I go down hard.

I do a mix of riding short chunky DH and a few hours of XC trails in the same ride.

It's very hot and often I get stuck in 90-110F weather and no wind to help.

I don't need a super heavy duty helmet but I want more than the regular bike helmet provides.

Above all I need to be able to keep riding for a hour or more in the heat without taking it off to cool down.

Here's a list of helmets that I am considering:

Specialized Deviant II
Pryme AL helmet
O'neal Airtech
Kali Durgana DH
Urge Down-O-Matic
Rockgardn Black Pearl DH/FR


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

duplicate


----------



## Uly (Aug 18, 2009)

I vote Deviant II. I use it for all mountain. I can ride with that thing on in 90 Degree heat for hours. The rubberizing on the outside, however, has not held up. It actually melted on mine.


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

Reading user review of the Deviant who say it's crash protection is sub-par is making me nervous. 
Can anyone comment to that?


----------



## Uly (Aug 18, 2009)

schristie11 said:


> Reading user review of the Deviant who say it's crash protection is sub-par is making me nervous.
> Can anyone comment to that?


I can only give you my opinion, and that is that the helmet is not a downhill/freeride helmet. The construction doesn't "feel" as heavy duty as the more popular dedicated downhill helmets. Since I only do all-mountain type riding and don't take big drops and bomb downhill, that is ok with me.


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

I guess "big drop" is a relative term. lol
I'm not looking for a motocross helmet but I want more then just a little protection.


----------



## barnyard (Jun 10, 2012)

Full face helmets are hella hot. Look for a good mouthguard and go with that.


----------



## abeckstead (Feb 29, 2012)

I have a Bell Sanction and like it. FF is not that bad... I'm kinda partial to the way my face looks and need to go to work tomorrow. I'd say I wear mine more than half the time and it's tollerable. I do some rides that are 4-5mi of straight climbing. For those I strap it to my pack and wear my normal brain bucket for the climb. On rides with varied terrain I just wear it, sometimes I'll un strap it and lift it up, but leave it on my head for steep climbs. Even just a little bit of air flow gets you the swamp cooler effect going... basically makes you ride harder to get some airflow :thumbsup:


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

barnyard said:


> Full face helmets are hella hot. Look for a good mouthguard and go with that.


It's not just my mouth.
I get hit in the face with branches and have all sorts of face impacts.
I have been lucky so far, but I'm tired of the bother and risk.


----------



## JMP0323 (Mar 29, 2012)

You have to DUCK, DODGE, DIP, DIVE, DODGE those branches.
I actually have been looking for riding glasses for the "branches" reason.



schristie11 said:


> It's not just my mouth.
> I get hit in the face with branches and have all sorts of face impacts.
> I have been lucky so far, but I'm tired of the bother and risk.


----------



## wintersolstice (Feb 26, 2012)

JMP0323 said:


> You have to DUCK, DODGE, DIP, DIVE, DODGE those branches.
> I actually have been looking for riding glasses for the "branches" reason.


If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a branch!:thumbsup:


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

Well I almost lost an eye last weekend to a branch that I hit mid-flight while getting air on a downhill run.
My Oakley shades saved me but just barely.
It was brutal, so I'm thinking I want the FF with goggles or visor etc.
Then a few days later I went head over heals and barely got my face off the ground but my chest and shoulder got creamed.


----------



## 4nbstd (Apr 12, 2012)

I've been thinking about getting a full face as well, but I sweat a lot as it is and heat stroke is a serious possibility for me, so the only full face helmet that interested me was Azonic/O'neal Airtech. That is, until I found out about MET Parachute Full Face Helmet. I've read about people breaking the lower portion of the helmet when crashing and getting cuts on their face from broken plastic bits though.


----------



## skidad (May 23, 2005)

4nbstd said:


> I've been thinking about getting a full face as well, but I sweat a lot as it is and heat stroke is a serious possibility for me, so the only full face helmet that interested me was Azonic/O'neal Airtech. That is, until I found out about MET Parachute Full Face Helmet. I've read about people breaking the lower portion of the helmet when crashing and getting cuts on their face from broken plastic bits though.


Think I'd go Casco Viper MX before the MET Parachute....either of which you would have to get from someplace in Europe. I think the OP wants something just a little more than this but I could be wrong.

https://www.google.com/search?q=casco+viper&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=uwM&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=zXdGUIjmFOLy0gG9qYHwCw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=665


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

skidad,

That's a cool unit but I am looking for a step up in protection from that type of helmet.


----------



## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

Wearing a full face and goggles for trail riding in 90-100+ degree heat with no breeze sounds really unpleasant.

DH helmets are designed to vent at speed. Without air flow, they really hold the heat in. Plus, the chin bar keeps your breath in front of you to some degree, and also makes it more difficult to drink from your hydration bladder on the fly. I have one (POC Cortex Flow) but I only wear it on rides that have very discrete uphill and downhill legs so that I can strap it to my bag for the climbs. I tried it on a trail ride once for giggles, when I first got it. Never again.

I keep goggles in my bag, and I frequently wear them with my half-shell helmet for a DH run or when the weather or light makes them a better choice than my sunglasses. Mine are bike-specific (Smith Intake Sweat-X) but they're still warm, much warmer than glasses.

For what you describe, the Specialized is the obvious choice. It's the only one that's vented like a trail helmet.


----------



## skidad (May 23, 2005)

schristie11 said:


> skidad,
> 
> That's a cool unit but I am looking for a step up in protection from that type of helmet.


Well, there is this Cratoni Shakedown. 4 more vents on the back you can't see in this pic and 2 more under the visor also. The mouth guard is somewhat flexible vs rigid and designed to absorb and deflect on impact. Those front cheek pads remove also for a more XC helmet feel. Not a full on down hill helmet but a kinda in between.

Cratoni Shakedown Helmet 2013 | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

Yea I was looking at that one, as mentioned in my 2nd post.
I was looking for one with no flex to the front.
I wonder how much flex to the front the Specialized Deviant II has.



skidad said:


> Well, there is this Cratoni Shakedown. 4 more vents on the back you can't see in this pic and 2 more under the visor also. The mouth guard is somewhat flexible vs rigid and designed to absorb and deflect on impact. Those front cheek pads remove also for a more XC helmet feel. Not a full on down hill helmet but a kinda in between.
> 
> Cratoni Shakedown Helmet 2013 | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

» 2011 Urge Down-O-Matic Helmet - Sick Lines - mountain bike reviews, news, videos | Your comprehensive downhill and freeride mountain bike resource


----------



## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Hey Dr. Phil. I'm using the Met Parachute. It's a great helmet.


----------



## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

I third (or fourth) the Parachute. I crashed in it pretty hard and no mouth guard shatter so far. It's quite nice actually.


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

I'm just about convinced to try the Specialized Deviant II.
Does anyone know where to guy one online? 
Most places are out of stock.


----------



## Holf (May 9, 2012)

i been wanting a deviant II for ages but they dont sell them in Aust no sticker.., if u find a site thats sells online for a good price share it


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

Holf said:


> i been wanting a deviant II for ages but they dont sell them in Aust no sticker.., if u find a site thats sells online for a good price share it


Google shows me one place only, so I an going to start calling my local stores to ask if they can get me one.

Specialized, Deviant II Yorktown Cycles Westchester's Best Choice for Bicycles & Service


----------



## Holf (May 9, 2012)

cool stores in aust wont stock them  not aust standard sticker so order online is my only option and hope it fits


----------



## nurbos (Aug 3, 2011)

Urge Archi Enduro
It's light, fits perfectly, camel back friendly and you can spit as much as you want.


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

Well i pulled the trigger and had my local bike store order me the Deviant II.


----------



## Holf (May 9, 2012)

nice let me know how it goes, then mail me one to Australia haha


----------



## Stinky Ninja (Sep 7, 2012)

Great information I will be getting one soon.


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

schristie11 said:


> Well i pulled the trigger and had my local bike store order me the Deviant II.


My local ike shop said they would sell and ship to another state in the us, maybe they could do the same for you in OZ!!

I will PM you their contact info.


Have you tried a bike shop in OZ?


----------



## Holf (May 9, 2012)

not selling in OZ for some reason at all, trying at NZ store atm and hope to get one will cost a bit more thou about 170ish for me.


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

My helmet came in today!
I'll pick it up on the way home.
I am so exited!


----------



## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

Full face with shades should be enough. You don't need goggles until you need to keep the dust or mud out. I have a first gen. deviant that i've been very happy with, but it really is a "single crash" helmet. I ordered my first full face helmet the same day I went to the dentist to have moss stains buffed off my teeth ( I bumped into these rocks, you see):thumbsup:


----------



## austins43 (Sep 12, 2012)

hi sorry to post this but i need to post five things before i can ask a question sorry


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

I was considering goggles because I often ride when the sun is low and shades make it hard to see.

However, my Oakley glasses do have removable lenses and I could get the cheap clear ones, to insert when its dark.


----------



## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

MOJO K said:


> I ordered my first full face helmet the same day I went to the dentist to have moss stains buffed off my teeth ( I bumped into these rocks, you see)


So did I. Two root canals as a result. I still don't like wearing my full-face for anything less than pure descending. It took a while to stop imagining smacking my face on every rock I passed, but I'm over it now. I do wear my goggles a lot more often than the big helmet. Goggles are great when you're up to speed. But our rides are generally sustained climbs followed by sustained descents.

I've seen a Deviant in the flesh just once, at Rim Cyclery in Moab. It looked interesting, but I decided to go for the full on helmet for when I want one, bases on the trails I described above.


----------



## skidad (May 23, 2005)

schristie11 said:


> My local ike shop said they would sell and ship to another state in the us, maybe they could do the same for you in OZ!!
> 
> I will PM you their contact info.
> 
> ...


Could you PM me the info as well and price paid possibly?

How is the sizing on the Deviant? I now use a S/M Fox Flux which fits perfectly and just a shade over 57cm.

Thanks,
Jeff in MA


----------



## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

I am very pleased with the Deviant II that just came in.
I have not done a trail ride yet, but wearing it for 20 minutes in the hot and mostly stagnant air of my back proved comfortable. 
It has excellent ventilation! (especially with wind)
Many more vents than any of the competitors.
*The primary difference between the competitors is the number of ventilation ports.*

Close interior inspection (with all pads and liners removed) shows it's constructed almost identically to the competitors, TLD, Urge, Giro, Bell, THE, SixSixOne.
They each and all are made with the same standard format of construction:
Using a standard bike helmet Styrofoam cask on the interior with a hardened outer shell bonded around it.
They all use a conventional pad on the interior top and large cheek pads to the side and large pad on the back of the head.

I read that some of the helmets are more round and some are more oval, so choose wisely.
I have a slightly oval head, and it fits the Deviant II perfectly.
I ordered a medium since that's the hat size I wear, and my other helmets are mediums.
The Deviant II medium covers the range from 54cm to 60cm size heads.

The Deviant II face mask section of the outer shell is not removable and is very strong and never bends.
The Deviant II has ample room under in front to fit a fist between my lips and the mesh-mouth-guard at the front.
I can drink from a long neck bottle or a tube with great ease on the fly, but with the bottle I have to lean my head way back and look up at the sky, to get the right angle.
When standing still this is easy to drinking from a bottle, but I will need to use a tube to drink while riding, which is a non-issue really.

I have read some say that this helmet won't last multiple crashes compared to the competitors I listed above.
But I would be surprised if that is a reality after seeing that the interior construction of them all is the same.
Some may have a thicker exterior coating of gloss and paint which resists visible imperfections,.
But the underlying safety Styrofoam materials and interior padding are the same thickness between all the competitors I saw.
I could easily see this helmet lasing for years of use, but with any helmet, if you fall hard enough to crack the Styrofoam it then get a new helmet.

Happily, the chin strap is very easy to use by feel and is intuitive.
The strap sits in just the right place to keep the helmet perfectly aligned in the center, 
and even when whipping head around or using pressure on one side to try and make it tilt/twist off center.

*Only One minor complaint:*
The chin strap (which is really a neck strap) is made to fit in the corner above your Adam's Apple and jawline.
The strap is smooth nylon webbing which slightly chafes my sensitive neck skin.
Even my shirts do that sometimes, I am more sensitive than most people.
I will simply wrap a felt or silk sock around the strap to cure this issue, like wrapping a lizard skin around a chain-stay.

*Additional Note:*
Putting on and removing the helmet while wearing glasses does not work well, the glasses fall off.
This has been true for me with motor cycle helmets also; it's the nature of the shape.
However, removing the Cheek pads gives more ventilation and lets my glasses stay put during insertion or removal.
However, there is a huge reduction in protection without the cheek pads; you could still break your jaw or loose teeth on a serious impact.


----------



## jessers10comp (Feb 25, 2012)

cratoni shake down helmet


----------



## C 73 (Jun 21, 2012)

TLD Carbon all the way


----------



## bone island (Sep 26, 2012)

schristie11 said:


> skidad,
> 
> That's a cool unit but I am looking for a step up in protection from that type of helmet.


I'd think again about this helmet. I ride XC in one of these and they are great. I live in northern England where the weather isnt always great and in the winter i have to wear a road cycling cap under the helmet to keep my head warm because its so well vented. The chin guard comes off (if you should ever need it to) and it comes in some really nice colours.

Just a thought..


----------



## Skeptastic (Mar 31, 2012)

wintersolstice said:


> If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a branch!:thumbsup:


Ha! I love that movie.


----------

