LS2 Helmets have just released their newest adventure/enduro helmet and I’ve had the pleasure of using it for 600 miles now in varied weather. It’s an important product because it appears to tick all the style and feature boxes for this class of helmet, but at a fraction of the cost of most competitors. There’s the peak, pronounced chin bar, comprehensive chin skirt, drop-down inner visor and the outer visor is Pinlock-ready. Believe it or not, it retails for just £100 (in white or black; colours are another £20).
First impressions are that it is very light weight – 1350g – and a snug fit. It’s difficult to put on, especially with the chin skirt in place, but once achieved it sits well and makes good contact with every part of my head. If you are normally a Shoei wearer you’ll be pleasantly surprised with fit and comfort. I chose an XL which uses the larger of the 3 shell sizes available. The shell is made of KPA (Kinetic Polymer Alloy), said to be very robust while still affording superb impact absorption.
On the road on a crisp December day the quality of the chin skirt becomes immediately apparent, stopping all drafts around the front of the helmet. The downside is that you can no longer open or close the main chin-bar vent, as the adjuster is inside, not outside the helmet. The skirt does have a slit in it to let your fingers get up inside, but if you are wearing anything other than thin motocross gloves it’s not practically possible to adjust the vent. Even in the open position the flow through the main vent isn’t great so at low speeds there’s a need to fit the Pinlock double-glazing, anti-mist system, or keep the visor open. At least that’s the case when riding a big adv bike, like the Honda CrossTourer, which has a fairly efficient fairing and screen. On a completely naked machine – I’m fortunate to have access to some smaller street scramblers – this isn’t nearly as much of a problem as airflow through the vent improves markedly. Other venting on the forehead is limited and unadjustable.
The great news, apart from the light weight, is that the Pioneer Evo is really quiet when on the move. On the faired bike the peak didn’t catch the airflow and cause any buffeting, but the excessively large chin piece did seem to be affected by crosswinds.
Conversely on the naked bikes, although even more quiet, there is a definite whine (not a whistle), which I can’t locate by moving my hand around the visor to vary wind flow, and the upward-curved peak did catch the wind while still requiring me to dip my head to achieve the sun-shielding task it’s designed for.
That said, this is very well-finished budget helmet. At £100 it’s not surprising the Pin-Lock isn’t included in the box, but with it fitted you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
For more information and details of colour options click ls2helmets.com/uk
Review by Paddy Tyson
Colours: 3 graphic types, 10 colours in total
Sizes: 2XS – 3XL
Price: from £100.00