✪ TRIED & TESTED ✪ TRIED & TESTED ✪ Nishua Enduro Carbon Helmet
RRP: £232 / www.louis-moto.co.uk / Tested by: Dan Clare
Ok, I’ll go straight in at the deep end on this one… when I first saw this helmet I loved the styling, but when I tried it on, I was very disappointed with the fit. That, however, changed as I put some miles on the lid.
So first of all, the looks and styling were right up my street: sharp, angular chin lines, carbon materials, optional peak… looks good! The claimed weight seemed interesting, the little sticker on the back denoting 1040g without the visor, or 1150g with. I weighed the lid on my digital scales, in both states of (un)dress, and each ‘sticker suggested figure’ seemed around 100g light… but no matter, it is still a very light bit of kit, make no mistake. So it looks good, its light (which means less neck fatigue for fannys like me over long distances), so what’s not to like? Well, the fit. I am a medium in helmet size, absolutely, right in the middle, dead-cert… medium. I popped this lid on and immediately felt an overwhelming sense of trying to fit a pint into a half-pint pot. By that, I don’t mean the usual ‘snug new helmet’ feeling. I used to sell helmets for a living, so no… not that. The whole shell just felt very snug around my noggin, and was in stark contrast to most other lids I’ve worn… but the good news is, I got used to it, and very quickly at that. Once I was over my little drama, rather enjoyed the simplicity of the helmet. It came with an optional peak, which I immediately fitted and learned that the simple twist on/ off side clips which hold on the visor are possibly the simplest I’ve encountered on any helmet. None of this line up x with y, turn the screw half way, then clip out sideways malarkey. I liked it. I also appreciated the included Pinlock anti-fog visor, which I slotted straight in. Out on the road, wind noise was acceptable and on a par with my current
Ishark Explore-R, so I was right at home there, though I did miss simple features… like an option to close the front chin vent which remains constantly open, and a quick-release latch on the strap, rather than the double D-ring system. But what did become immediately apparent was the epic field of vision. This lid has the largest all-round field of vision of any full face helmet I’ve worn. That really added a feeling of additional ‘alertness’ to my senses, in regard to what was going on around me on the road. As I clocked up the miles, the padding predictably bedded in, and the ‘close fit’ of the overall shell became less problematic as I became used to the ‘new normal’. By comparison, after a long ride, I got home and popped on my Shark lid to compare, and couldn’t help but feel like the Shark had a better build quality and felt somehow more ‘substantial’ (the Bentley as opposed to the Morgan, sir?). But, of course, the Shark was nearly twice the price new. So the net result on the Nishua lid is that it looks good, functions well on the road, has a fabulous field of vision, is simple to fit a visor/peak to… though the snug fit can take a bit of getting used to, and the D-ring faster feels a bit old school. On the whole, it grew on me, and I liked it… to the extent that I’m now setting it up as my ‘go to’ MotoVlog lid.
I love these. They’re a sort of hybrid between a lightweight off-road and short summer glove – which means they’re capable of protecting your hands, without sacrificing ‘feel’. That’s important when you’re riding off-road. They’re super comfortable, too, which is why they’ve become my glove of choice when I’m trouncing down trails or nipping to the shops. Top marks RST.