Arai Quantic
£499.99 to £599.99
The Quantic is the first helmet to pass the ECE R22-06 standard. Designed as a sports-touring helmet, the Quantic features a 12 port (6 intake, 6 exhaust) ventilation system.
The shell is PB e-cLc (Peripherally Belted e-Complex Laminate Construction), created to glance off and spread impact forces. All vents shear or crush upon impact.
There is no integral sun visor (I wear prescription sunglasses to get round this) and fastens via a double-D ring, a pain on cold days but guarantees secure fastening.
At 1550/1600 grams (depending on shell/size) it’s no lightweight, but so beautifully balanced it doesn’t get tiring; I felt fresh after over two hours in the saddle. Stability is outstanding. At 70 I looked over my shoulder with not a hint of turbulence. Comfort is superb.
Your cheeks are lightly squeezed by the lining but after a moment it is just… right (three previous Arais all stayed comfortable for their working life).
The neat logo vent opens in the opposite direction to the others; the chin vent has a 3-position setting. With everything open (except visor vents; I get a draft between eyes and glasses), and chin vent set to blow air across the visor, at 27 Centigrade my head stayed cool (streams of air running across my head). With multiple vents, noise is a concern, but the Quantic is quiet. At motorway pace I could hear a whisper of wind but at those speeds you should be wearing earplugs.
Visibility is excellent; it felt to me like I could hold my head more upright than my previous Arai’s. Glancing to the side, the visor opening went back beyond my periphery.
Talking visors, it comes with a Pinlock in the box, so time to remove. My wife Laura fits all our Pinlocks, experiencing a wide range of systems. Her verdict? “I really like the side pod release (and securing strap), it’s easy to use.
“The visor release mechanism is fiddly, definitely better than the old system, but still a faff and certainly not as user-friendly as the AGV K6, the best (and easiest) one I’ve ever used.”
The visor lock is my one grump. A lever opens the visor a (small) crack, while keeping it locked.
To unlock, lever pushed up, pull on the (tiny) tab. Eh? With Summer gloves I could get my thumb under to release. Thicker, 3-season ones, I could operate at halt, on the move I couldn’t open it. I use an excellent antimist product (FoggyWipe) for my glasses, but I’d prefer a ‘doublelift’ release system (1st lift for partial, 2nd to disengage the lock). But this won’t bother most people. The Quantic is a brilliant touring helmet. Stable, quiet with effective venting, you can ride for hours (and I did) in comfort without getting tired.