Why do you need a full-face helmet like the 100% Status Helmet? If you’re racing downhill or suiting up for a chairlift day at an alpine resort it’s a given. Outside of that though, speed on trail and enduro bikes is ever-increasing, increasing the chances of bigger crashes and injuries. Plus the feeling of extra safety if you do come up short can help confidence on the trail and with trying new lines!
Plenty of older helmets may not have compromised rider safety but often weren’t comfortable or ventilated well. Often the result in an Australian summer could be compared with riding with a plastic bag stuck on your head. Lately though it’s refreshing (pun intended) that ventilation and lighter weights have been design goals for helmets while still keeping ahead of the safety standards, always a good thing. While this helmet might not have as many vents and open design as some helmets like the Fox Proframe, all the vents it does have are meshed to prevent dirt/dust entry, and large enough to vent well.
Quality is great at this price point, the buckles are high-quality along with the strap and washable interior lining. A PU coated chin bar interior protects your face in a crash or bump. The screw down adjuster for the visor peak is solid metal which is great to see. The gloss finish of the shell is great, it does look like a far more expensive helmet. Virtually everyone was surprised when I told them the price!
Safety wise with the large coverage offered across the chin area, forehead and sides of the head there is certainly enough protection on offer here. I thankfully didn’t have any crashes, but plenty of runs at Thredbo and some local downhill tracks to test it out it, always feeling solid and comfortable but light weight. To back that up, it complies with the latest standards ASTM F2032, F1952 (DH), CPSC, CE and AS.
The shell of the helmet is designed around two different sizes, made of lightweight fibreglass composite material finished off with a gloss or matte finish. Different size EPS pads inside give the range of sizing from Youth, to XS, MD, LG and XL.
So far the only thing we’ve noticed as a slight negative is the visor peak adjuster rubbing against the shell of the helmet if the adjuster screw is done up tightly and the peak is adjusted, but it’s only minor.
We didn’t have the chance (yet) to test it out in an Aussie summer but so far impressions are that it is fairly cool, coming out of an older Kali helmet it did feel cooler. The helmet incorporates what 100% call the “Active Cooling System” which is airflow from the front to the back of the helmet and also allowing vertical movement of air through the helmet when stationary.
Goggle fit was good, I wore it with both a pair of Smith Fuel goggles and a set of older Oakley Proven goggles, both fitted well into the face area after a bit of strap adjustment with no problem.
If you’re after a good-looking and comfortable full-face helmet that won’t break the bank, definitely give this a look.
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RRP: $289.99
Distributed by Serco Australia and available from Mountain Bikes Direct
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Words: Ben Sykes
Photos: Ben Sykes & Jaime Black