Review: paul pitchfork - SHARK EVO ONE HELMET
The Evo-One is unique in that it is both an open and
closed-face helmet - not a conventional flip-up,
which should only be used riding when closed. The
fundamental difference is in the chin bar, which can
be locked in place at the rear of the helmet whilst
leaving the visor positioned in front of the eyes.
With the chin bar locked rearwards, the Evo-One is
for all intents and purposes an open-faced helmet,
other than in aesthetics. Furthermore, the Evo-One
is dual homologated - that is, it has been ECE-
certified for use as both an open and closed-face
helmet, unlike most other flip-ups.
integrated sun visor - another big plus. Ventilation
is excellent. The only negative in usability I found
was the need to use both hands to release the chin
bar from the rear of the helmet and more
importantly, to ensure the locking pins on both sides
are properly seated when in the front position.
Whilst it can be opened one-handed on the move, to
close it properly requires a couple of seconds of no-
handed stunt riding - or a frustrating short halt just
after you’ve inadvertently pulled away with the chin
bar up.
Scott Redding MotoGP - Shark operate at the highest level - NOT an Evo One
When I was selecting the helmet I was warned to
test the fit carefully, as the Evo-One fit is not the
same as other Shark Helmets. My Vision X in a
Medium is a very comfortable fit. I selected a
Medium in the Evo-One, but even after a month’s
use it still felt uncomfortably tight around the
forehead. The helmet fit must also be assessed
with the chin bar fixed to the front; as it moves
forward into place, the side sections of the helmet
is squeezed into the jaw. Shark offer cheek pads of
different thicknesses to fine-tune the fit.
In use, I was quickly won over by the Evo-One. The
chin bar and visor mechanism works a treat. Once it
had loosened up a little, it moved between
positions and locked with ease. The ‘Auto Up and
Down’ system on the visor also works seamlessly.
Like other Shark designs, it has an easily-deployed
I was using an intercom system. The helmet has
recesses in the inner shell to seat the ear pieces.
However, in the size Medium I found these to be
quite shallow - the earpieces therefore made a snug
fit even tighter. The Evo-One comes in two shell
sizes, which increases when moving up from
Medium to Large. I suspect, therefore, that the
Medium has the least internal volume to
accommodate intercom earpieces and assume that
helmets in other sizes may provide more space.