Hedon Hedonist Helmet
Tested by: Chris Knight RRP: £299-£500 // Sizes: XS-XXL // Colours: Huge range of colours and designs
The first time I ever went on a motorcycle was in 1976 I was almost nine years old. Our neighbours consisted of a family of three brothers and two sisters plus mum and dad obviously, who had relocated from Newcastle to Lincolnshire.
The brothers were bikers, the oldest, Bret, was 19 and owned an R65 BMW among other bikes. I pestered him for months to take me on the back and he always said no, of course I didn’t realise that it was my mother who was actually saying no and not him. When I finally twigged I pestered my mum and eventually she relented and agreed, to say I was excited was a total understatement. This was a seminal moment for me, it was not a long ride, maybe 10 miles and it was not the most comfortable ride as I didn’t have any goggles or glasses but it was the most important ride of my life because it was the moment I became a biker.
So what has this got to do with Hedon helmets and why am I telling you this story?
The ride on the back of Bret’s BMW was the first time I ever wore a helmet, and surprise, surprise, it was an old open face lid – it was very heavy and obviously too big for me. It was noisy too, and had a distinctive smell which I can still recall to this day, a pungent combination of sweat and Brut.
Those early experiences shaped my opinion of open face lids, and I haven’t been able to shake it for years – and then I got my hands on a handcrafted Hedon Hedonist, and all was forgotten.
The British-made Hedon helmet has set a new standard for me – offering a superb mixture of function and form. The attention to detail is really impressive, from the alcantara-like calf leather lining to the perfect paint finish, right through to the chin strap with a leather tab. But what impresses me most about this helmet is its functionality. It’s lightweight, comfortable and somehow manages to reduce wind noise, which for an open face helmet with such a narrow profile is unusual and should be lauded as a real achievement. Of course, it is a very cool looking lid too, with its retro styling harking back to the 1970s – but most importantly it’s equipped with all the necessary technology to keep you safe out on the road.
Of course, there are a lot of open face helmets available on the market and the Hedon Hedonist certainly doesn’t come in cheap – but, if you’re looking to buy a new open face helmet, and you want something retro styled that promises to keep you safe, my advice would be to try a handcrafted Hedon Hedonist on for size.
For more information, visit: www.hedon.com