Lately I’ve been considering buying a full face helmet for those days when all I want to do is lark about like a kid on jumps and blast a few miles of single track.
What I’ve noticed is a distinct lack of anything that really crosses over the divide of a full-on full face DH helmet and your open All Mountain helmet, I currently use a Xen. Sure there’s the Bell, Urge, Specialized to name a few but with the speed that can be reached on the single track I think there is a really gap in the market for a well designed, vented, full face helmet for general riding that offers the extra protection (substantial chin/face guard) without too much compromise.
The only one that seems to come close is the Specialized Deviant and perhaps the Urge Archi-Enduro but I think there could still be room for improvement.
I’m no XC whippet and I never intend to be riding for hours on end but for my style of riding, and many I ride with, I could actually see a benefit. It’s not hard for most of us to reach 30mph and above offroad whilst also finding yourself 6 foot off the ground.
I think the sport is changing such that riders are more using more and more protection, less worrying what they look like riding and more what they would if they didn’t cover up and came off. If a helmet manufacture could get the balance right I think it’s theres for the taking.
Wha-da-ya-fink? Discuss…