Review: paul pitchfork - SHARK EVO ONE HELMET
The helmet is supplied with a Pinlock anti-fog visor.
I didn't try it, but other reviews suggest it functions
very well with this helmet. Without it, I experienced
a lot of misting in wet weather.
protection the helmet offered, but this is mitigated
somewhat by the design of the Evo-One, which
extends further round the cheeks than conventional,
old-school open-faced helmets. I also relished the
ability to get a bit of air on my face when stuck in
With the chin guard forward, the helmet felt like any traffic by flipping up the chin bar. When speeds
other full-faced helmet and you can easily be lulled went back up, though, the chin guard came down.
into thinking you are using one. However,
However, remember my earlier observation about
subsequent research in the internet led me the
the need for two hands to close the chin guard. If
SHARP test results for the Evo-One, which stated
your balance isn’t good, you can’t just flip it up and
that the chin guard remained locked in place in only down as riding conditions change.
33 percent of the the tests conducted. (SHARP is
the motorcycle helmet testing scheme of the UK
This brief excursion into flip-ups has left me with a
Government’s Department for Transport. The
dilemma. I’m now a fan of the Evo-One and could
results of the test are on the previous previous
see it being the helmet of choice for my next big
page, along with a video explaining the SHARP
trip. However, I’m not sure my willpower can resist
testing procedure.) The helmet was nevertheless
the urge to flip up the chin bar and enjoy the full
awarded a SHARP rating of 4/5.
blast of 70mph wind whenever the sun comes out.
For me, that’s the issue here; safety and the integrity
So the helmet is a good one which works as
of my face is still more important than convenience.
advertised; but was it a good choice for two weeks
Whether it’s giving up chocolate or learning a new
of touring and how did I feel about breaking my own skill, only the all-or-nothing approach works for me;
helmet oath? Like so many things in life, you only
I lack the self-discipline for moderation.
realise what you’ve been missing when you
subsequently have it. I had ridden for tens of
But if you have already decided a flip-up is for you,
thousands of miles in a full-faced helmets, doing all or you’re someone who is satisfied with the
the things a rider does when on the road; stopping
protection offered by an open-face helmet, then the
for gas, to eat, to drink, to talk to strangers, to take
Evo One is definitely worth a close look.
photos, to rest. Removing and replacing my helmet
has become a reflex, an action I barely noticed
myself doing. But when I had the chance to do all of
this without