Open helmets season
Best open helmets
It is summer, it is warm and airflow on your face is very welcome. Or may be you have the dials down low, so you need a better view without the full-face helmet obscuring the speed readout. Whatever the reason is, an open (also called “jet”) helmet may be a good option!
I am a very big proponent of the system helments, as they can be converted “on the fly” from full face to an open configuration, but some have the chin part open vertically, which creates additional turbulence and you always would carry extra weight of the “chin protector” on the helmet without even if not actually used. This is when an open helmet may provide the necessary comfort and better visibility. But not all helments made in the same way.
After doing some research, hereby the top three open helments that are recommended by experts. Feel free to add your top picks in the comments below. All of them have the ECE 22/06 ceritifation required by EU as of 2023, so they provide superb protection in case you need it (but I hope you will never need it!).
A general recommendation from manufacturers state that you should replace your helmet after about 3 to 5 years, although some studies point that 5 to 10 years for a reasonable use will still provide good protection and even after 25 helmets still can provide reasonable protection. But all under one simple condition – helmets shall be absolutely replaced after a crash. They are designed to protect you well, but only once…
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- Shoei J-Cruise 3
- Schuberth J2
- LS2 Infinity 2 Carbon
- Honorable mention
3. Shoei J-Cruise 3
Ranked as third best helmet, Shoei J-Cruise 3 is praised to have a very comfortable “plush” fit, it has a built-in dark visor, and overall a good build quality. Shoei provides 5 years warranty on its helmets. It has a rather average weight, so would be comfrotable on long rides. As a downside it is rather noisy compared to the other two and does come with a hefty price tag of about 550 eur.
2. Schuberth J2
Ranked as second, the Schuberth J2 helmet provides very good sound isolation, (best out of all!). It also has a very comfortable interior, a built-in dark visor, but weights more than other helments to accomodate all the features and noise protection. It also comes with a premium price tag around 500 eur. If having a 100+ gramms extra on your neck is not an issue Schuberth may be definitely a good option to look at.
1. LS2 Infinity 2 Carbon
The top choice may come as a surprise, but the LS2 Infinity 2 Carbon helmet came as a most “rounded” option. Very lightweight around 1300 g, cheaper than the other two, it has silver lining to minimize build-up of germs and integrated dark visor combined with very good overall ventilation. The helmet comes with only 2 years warranty though, but in case you change helmets regularly, this may be a very interesting option considering a low price tag of around 260 eur.
Honorable mention
To be fair, there are many good helmets out there. For a reasonable price around 300 eur, the Shark RS Jet Carbon helmet is an interesting option, providing pinlock out of box, integrated dark visor and boasting large field view. It is not as comfortable as other options though, but it also may be rather subjective. All in all a good contender worth considering especially if you’re after short rides e.g. on busy city streets where visibility may weight above some extra noise getting through (you’re wearing earplugs anyway, don’t you?).
Closing thoughts
Each manufacturer tend to “cater” certain head shapes, so do try helmets before you buy online, etc. E.g. I am long time user of Shoei and they fit me well, but Arai does not seem to fit me comfortably. This will be very much depending on your “geometry” and overall feeling in the helmet.
Good luck making your choice and ride safely!
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