Off road helmets?

[Itchy]

Fact or fiction? ,

I was in a bike shop this morning and Ross as per usual was trying to hawk me his most expensive helmet (last time it was the flip front Shark the really expensive one) a Nolan 3 in one helmet.

I said but I'm going off roading in Mongolia.... he said nah you don't want a full on enduro , motocross helmet they let in water , lots and lots of water and first time it rains it will stay wet forever....

Fact or fiction?....

In that a road helmet doesn't seem apt for off roading , but a full motocross helmet doesn't seem great for the sealed roads bit, esp since my shark RSR seems much pointier than any motocross helmet.


Any thoughts?

Ta
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[Charlie]

My Dad commutes (north of Preston to Warrington) with this helmet in pretty much every type of weather:

https://www.shoei-europe.com/uk/products/HORNET-DS

And yet he never (well maybe once a year?) does any sort of off-road riding, so I imagine it is good for the road stuff and will probably be alright for the off-road stuff.

Edit:

Forgot to add my point to the post; he has never complained about it letting water in.
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[G]

My off-road helmet's can easily still be sweaty a day or two after an event.

They will let in water, thanks to the fact there's no visor.
However I don't see any reason they'll dry and slower than any other helmet. Probably quicker because they tend to be designed with more air flow in mind.

I've got an eye on one of those hornet's as they've got pin lock (so you have some chance of seeing when putting a bit more exertion in) and should still be more comfortable getting A to B on the road.

I believe they're designed so they can be used with goggles too if you so desire.

On the exertion thing, a full face helmet probably will see you getting sweatier... I've had enough times (ok, slightly more aggressive off roading) where I've taken my helmet off and haven't even needed to squeeze it for sweat to pour out!

So, my advice... get a cheap motocross helmet, ride to some trails and see how it feels .

[silky666]

Not quite sure what riding you are doing - but assume you will be doing some major 'road' sections, and not just lanes and slow ish off roading.
Mine is a proper off road helmet as below ... and it is:
1) Very noisy at anything above 30mph.
2) Windy = cold face.
3) Rain gets straight through mouth piece of the helmet and stings your face something rotten.

Great for off roading / enduro / mx etc .... but its a relief to hit the trails after getting there by road !

https://www.afterburnermx.com/v/vspfiles/photos/ARAI-VX-PRO3-WINDHAM3-HELMET-2T.jpg
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[cannondale-rider]

i have a motocross helmet for the road and its horrible when it hail stones because they hit your face and hurts.

[L-Jam]

I dont know why, possibly because it was so brash, but i LOL'ed at the last post
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[Nath]

The 18,500 mile Europe trip I did a couple of years back saw me form the opinion that an open face helmet is best for touring. And that was even with encountering some real shitty weather (surprisingly in Spain and Italy, the most terrential rain I've ever ridden in). The following year I took my sidecar outfit to Europe, but hadn't got around to buying an openface helmet. Despite encountering mostly crap weather I really regretted taking a full face helmet.

So last year I did Europe for a fourth time, and finally wore an open face lid. Again encountered a fair bit of rain but didn't experience any problems. Made the touring experience alot more enjoyable, wasn't rushing to pull my helmet off the second I stopped anywhere.


I've been wearing my open face helmet for trail riding in Derbyshire - I'd say the advantages of more airflow and better field of vision outway the increased risks of injury when falling off.

When it rains I wear a goretex overjacket, and I put the hood up inside my helmet - I find even when the helmets piss wet through this makes things comfortable enough.
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[G]

My parents swore by open face helmets - for being more 'friendly' to people you see along the way etc. However, not only was that over thirty years ago, but I know I'd want the extra protection afforded by a decently protective helmet - I suspect I ride faster than my parents did (though my dad did manage to come off, think in Kenya maybe, and give himself a nasty concussion and amnesia, to the point he had to relearn a lot of basic things.

Incidentally, something like the hornet should have very good field of vision as it's designed to have goggles worn underneath it.

[Charlie]

After my off on the motorway (I wasn't hurt at all) I would always wear a full face helmet. If I hadn't have worn a full face helmet my face would be a mess, the chin bar the brunt of force as it was this bit of the helmet that was in contact with road during my slide.

I can see the attraction to an open face helmet though, especially when touring, much more friendly. Maybe a flip up would be better option for non-offroad touring.
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Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Itchy]

This post has left me even more confused, I think it will be a compromise like a Nolan or Caberg which can have the chin bar and flip up bit removed or something.
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[G]

Note that the Caberg's etc are a decent chunk heavier than some others, so may not be great for off-roading (more weight pushing down on your head every bump).
However mine did seem to work quite well when I 'tested' it with a road-interface.
The Shoei Multitec is a bit lighter (no silly sun-visor thingy) but still a fair bit heavier than a decent off-road helmet and still a bit heavier than an 'adventure' helmet like the Hornet. Do get a pinlock, which is nice - they can't be fitted to the Caberg.

[Itchy]

[G]

Non road legal . Ah, maybe the multitec before it was officially imported?
The multitec is listed at 1595g, while my Caberg is listed at 1750g.
The Hornet is listed at 1430g while a Shoei motocross lid comes in at 1270g. though of course you'll have goggles too, but they probably aren't putting so much downwards pressure on your neck etc. All sizes are medium.

First few times I did off-roading I was using some random road lid and did ok with a few crashes thrown in, but it's all worth considering. My upper back's been playing up a bit recently, so not sure I'd want to be using something like the Caberg for off-roading.

[Charlie]

Hmm, I'd have a look round and try a Hornet helmet on. And have a look at some reviews to see if there is an issue with rain coming through the front vent... I can ask my Dad next I speak to him if you want?

I think I'd go for the hornet, a nice big 'peak' to block out the sun when riding into it (although on a normal visor a half strip of duck tape on the top will have the same effect), it is meant to be pretty quiet, big visor with a pin lock, and seems pretty light.
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[tony_d123]

The off-road style helmets with visors are a good compromise, TBM mag did a review of several last year and I bought a HJC CL-XS on the strength of it.

Quite happy with it, you can take off the visor and use goggles if you do any serious off-roading or remove the peak for fast road work. They are around £100.

I wouldn't spend £250 on an Arai Tour-X, coz I would be crying the first time I bounced it off a rock.