Atlas Riot Hellfire 2.0 Helmet by RuRoc - A First Look Product Review

When I first got this helmet by UPS, I was a tad shocked by how fast it arrived. 5 days from across the pond!

I opened the box to find a second box inside that when I opened it up , it’s all padded and all sleek looking. 

In the box - stickers, a poster/instruction book, a second visor, helmet bag and visor bag!

I took out the bagged helmet and opened it up.

My first impression was what a bad assed looking helmet.

Do you remember the Movie and TV Series from the Eighties called “V”? It was all about an alien species that lands on earth with what appears to be good intent only to reveal their sinister plot.  This Atlas Riot Hellfire 2.0 Helmet makes me think of that movie. 

Now most of you know how I feel about full face helmets, so you can imagine the sense of anxiety I felt looking at this bad boy.

All I could think of is, will I be able to breath? 

Without looking at the instructions or taking of the protective covering on the visor off, I pulled this size medium helmet on and was totally shocked that because of the vent in the chin, you don’t have to breath stale air. This helmet is light, Popcorn light.  IT FITS!!!!!

I truly can’t wait to get this helmet on and go for a ride with it.

Here are some of the finer points of the helmet that I will be looking at when I get to wear it!

A Removable Inner Liner

An emergency pull system allows the ear padding to be removed in case of emergency 

 making helmet removal safer and easier for EMS.

Easy entry liner

Easy to replace liner, Snaps into place

Air Vents  - 6 of them

Open, Close vent in chin/mouth area to keep visor fogless

Anti Fog, Anti Scratch

Tool-less Visor

Visor locks in place to seal the visor from rain.

Multiple Locking Points

Pinlock capable for the visor to be anti fog - the second visor comes with a pinlock insert!

Quick Lock Buckle System, magnetic that is rated as strong as a D Ring System

Lightweight Carbon Fibre

ECE - DOT Rated

Shockwave Communication System Module Area

To check out these bad boys visit: https://www.ruroc.com/en_ca/

• Belt Drive Betty

Voss 303 Helmet Review

 Helmets, they are a controversial piece of riding equipment.

In provinces like BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, many riders are feeling frustrated that they are forced to wear a helmet but those in the Sikh community can ride wearing only a turban. (By many accounts the turban is NOT a mandatory piece of “religious” gear, which fuels the frustration even more.)

Whether you ascribe to wearing a helmet or not, you are required by law to wear one if you are not a Sikh.

I personally have challenges with many helmets that come from the injuries to my neck and low back from a bad car crash.

In the past I had a prescription that was acknowledged by the RCMP to allow me to wear a beanie, it was written by my chiropractor and my medical doctor. The weight of most helmets is too great for my neck to handle when you combine the wind and the weight.

Some helmets are like a sail the way they catch the wind. Full face helmets, no matter how well built make me feel claustrophobic. I can’t breath and I start to panic. The full face helmets with the modular jaw are better, however, I find raising and lowering the helmets jaw distracting. Part of the problem for me when it comes to either style of full face, I drink a lot of water while I am riding, and it’s a pain in the arse drinking with one of those helmets on.

The older I get, the more I think about the vulnerability of riding and I realise that a beanie or half helmet doesn’t protect a person’s face, although that is what I have worn for years. In the past I have basically had to trade off safety for comfort. Lightweight helmets didn’t really exist when I started riding unless it was a beanie and we all know that a beanie only protects against too much sun on the head, and small road debris. The likelihood that a beanie will protect your brain is all but non-existent.

My needs in a helmet?

I want a helmet that is lightweight and aerodynamic.

The road noise needs to be minimal.

It needs good ventilation, and an easy to cinch up chin strap.

Enter the Voss 303 Helmet.

I think I have finally found a helmet I can call my favourite.

The Voss 303 in a size small fits me perfectly. It’s a ¾ helmet and I really, really like it.

It’s comfortable, the visors are substantial and don’t flop around or vibrate.

A pet peeve I have had about many helmets is that to wear my riding glasses, which are prescription, means that I end up with a massive headache as they put too much pressure on the arm of the glasses, just above the ear. Not this helmet, I can wear my glasses comfortably and that increases my safety!

The helmet doesn’t end up riding on the top of my glasses either.

Although the helmet is beefy looking it’s lightweight and aerodynamic, and the air vents on the top of the helmet makes riding on a really hot day much more comfortable.

Noise?

This helmet is reasonably quiet.

Yes there is still some road and wind noise, but compared to some of the full faces I have tried, that is minimal in this helmet.

Of course I have worn a beanie or half helmet most of my riding career, so anything that is quieter than that is a bonus!

With this helmet I don’t need to wear earplugs. I like that as I find earplugs irritating.

The quick attach and release strap on the helmet is awesome, it makes securing the helmet so much easier than the old “D” ring!!

I have been enjoying the experience of wearing this helmet and look to may more miles wearing it.

Voss has helmets in all shapes and configurations you can imagine! Check them out for all of your helmet needs.

I want to talk about a helmet accessory that anyone with a full face or three quarter helmet may want to look at, especially if you are a commuter.

It’s called the EZ Go Strap.

This strap turns your helmet into a carrying bag, hip purse or at the very least get it out of your hands.

I’m not a commuter, and I don’t generally find myself needing to pack my helmet anywhere, however, if you were a commuter with a briefcase or books etc that need to be taken to work, this strap instantly frees up your hands.

Youtube Video

https://youtu.be/GMdueoqPniM

I like mine and I think you’d like one if you tried it! Check them out.

VOSS 580 Conquest Helmet - A Review

VOSS 580 Conquest Helmet - A Review

Helmets, the greatest debate in the motorcycle community is the one about whether or not to wear a helmet.

For me the debate is more along the lines of - what helmet should I wear?
I'm pro this rider's safety!

I have been riding either my own or as a passenger for over 40 years.

Other than my beanie which fit like a glove and kept the debris and sun off my head, I have only
ever had one helmet that was DOT approved that I truly loved and that was the Bell Pit Boss. Notice though that both are open face style helmets.

I have tendencies towards being claustrophobic that can make a full face helmet a non - starter forme. Breathing in the stale air inside the helmet, not unlike having your head under the blankets,
causes me to panic.

I decided to give a modular helmet another try. My reasoning was that if I was in a crash my chin and face would be spared the inevitable road rash.

Kristina Gould from Voss fitted me for the 580 Conquest, I chose bright yellow with the thought
that looking like a mad wasp might make people notice me.

She sent me home with the helmet and the anti fog liner for the lense, all in under $350.00
Canadian.

The Anti Fog PinLock Lense installs like a dream, took 3 seconds.
Learning how to use the drop down inner sun visor and unlock the jaw another 10 seconds.
Learning to take off and put back on the main visor, a little longer, 30 - 40 seconds.

https://www.vosshelmetsusa.com/products/voss-580-modular-anti-fog-pinlock-face-shield-clear

The helmet fits perfectly, it’s not too tight in the ear area.
There is room for prescription glasses without getting a headache from the pressure.

For the size of it, the helmet is very light, and the way it rests on my motorcycle jacket collar in the back makes it feel like you are also wearing a Hanns device in a race car. Your head doesn’t go
back as far as it does with a beanie, that’s for sure!

Surprisingly good field of view too. I did not feel restricted in the vision department at all.

The drop down inner visor is fabulous.
Unlike some brands out there, this inner lense is not flimsy and does not smack your nose either.

The helmet is easy to do up, and the mechanical jaw lifts relatively easily, however the visor locks down pretty hard, causing that uncomfortable in the stomach feeling that those who lean to
claustrophobia will recognize.

One other thing, and this is nothing against the helmet but rather it is about the style of helmet.
I drink a lot of fluids when I ride, and constantly having to lift the jaw up to have a drink was really distracting.

I don’t want to buy or wear a camelback so that means I will be changing helmets.

I gave it the good old college try, several times over the 1,200 K I rode on the weekend,
but nope, riding with the visor up was way more comfortable than with it down and locked in place.

The noise inside the helmet wasn’t bad at all.
In fact it was much quieter than many of the helmets I have tried in the past, including an older
version of the VOSS Modular.

The anti fog lense did its job exceedingly well, but I just felt like I couldn’t breath.

This is truly a beautiful helmet, well constructed, comfortable and I felt very safe in it, but the two
caveats for me were the inability to drink a beverage without lifting the jaw up and not being able
to breathe comfortably when the visor was down and locked in place.

Neither of those two things has anything to do with the helmet.

I will be looking at getting myself the Voss 303 Dual Lens Open Face in the near future.
I like how the sides of the helmet extend past that of the traditional ¾ helmet and think my face
would feel less exposed to road rash.

I look forward to hopefully the same kind of fit and comfort that the 580 Conquest has.

I'll let you know when I get it and have had the chance to ride in it.

To see what Voss has to offer
http://www.vosshelmetsusa.com

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider.

https://www.vosshelmetsusa.com/collections/open-face-helmets/products/303-dual-lens-gloss-white-open-face-helmet-dot