I waited with anticipation some weeks ago, knowing that a new VOZZ helmet was coming my way.
I’d seen the helmet at a PR day in the northern NSW town of Uki where Nathan James, Business Development Manager for VOZZ Helmets, had given me a couple of hours of his time to go over the features and benefits of the revolutionary helmet, and some of the background behind its creation.
I’d read and even written so much about it, but putting a sample helmet on my head that day let me see and feel for the first time what the helmet was really like.
We ran a story back then with plenty of details about the helmet but had to wait for the new shipment to arrive in Australia before I could get to test one.
VOZZ had fine-tuned the design of the helmet from the original shipment earlier in the year based on further testing and feedback from customers.
The updated model has a small change in the design around the release locks which has helped to reduce wind noise, and the liner is now made from a more luxurious fabric that doesn’t tend to catch on hair, especially men’s facial hair.
The helmet supplied to me is from the new updated stock.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
When the parcel arrived by courier the first thing I noticed was how good the packaging was. It sounds a little petty but we are talking about a significant investment in a precious piece of kit, and we all know how “gentle” the couriers are!
The helmet was contained in two boxes – an outer one for shipping that fitted perfectly around the actual helmet box itself.
It would be pretty hard for the courier to damage the precious cargo, and it’s a reflection of the attention to detail VOZZ goes to with its product.
Opening the boxes revealed the helmet and spare tinted visor in a high quality carry bag with an extra pocket on the side and even a shoulder strap.
All this sets an expectation of quality, and the look and feel of the helmet certainly lives up to that expectation.
A DIFFERENT DESIGN – A DIFFERENT APPROACH
The VOZZ RS 1.0 helmet is radically different to any other helmet design – a rear access hinged design that eliminates the need for a chin strap.
Instead, the helmet is secured to the rider’s head by wrapping around more than any other design we’ve ever seen before, and then with an adjustable chin cup.
The hinged design allows the access opening, once the helmet is closed, to be much smaller than the pull on / pull off design that we’ve all been used to since day dot.
The chin bar that has to be mostly straight on a traditional helmet design is rolled under on the VOZZ helmet, and that gives a few benefits.
Firstly, it is far more aerodynamic. Being rolled under also reduces the risk of the helmet snagging on something if the rider is involved in a slide. It also gives greater clearance to the rider’s shoulder and that allows the rider to turn their head more easily to do a shoulder check.
That greater distance from the chin bar to the shoulder could also be a saving grace in a crash, since many collar bones have been broken over the years from the chin bar impacting the body.
The rolled chin bar and smaller opening give another benefit too – it significantly reduces the amount of wind that gets inside the helmet while riding. Some brands offer a chin curtain to help with this but I’ve never found them to be very effective and more a nuisance than anything.
ADJUSTMENT AND FIT
We all have different sized and shaped heads, so not every helmet is going to fit us well.
If you can wear a Shoei, AGV or Bell then the VOZZ will probably fit you well. My Shoei is a small but the medium sized VOZZ turned out to be the best size for me.
Adjusting the helmet to fit is a simple process but may require a little trial and error for the uninitiated. Remove the cheek pads and loosen the screws that hold the chin cup in place and it can be moved to fit comfortably around your chin.
Once that’s done, welcome to simplicity!
Putting the helmet on is as easy as opening it up, popping over your head and locking the front section to the back section. The two latches close with a solid click, leaving no doubt the helmet is secured to your head.
To remove the helmet, simply release the two catches and slide the helmet off over your head – EASY. Both processes can be done easily with both glasses (that’s me) and gloves on.
VISORS
The VOZZ RS 1.0 comes with two visors – a clear and an 80% tinted visor for daytime use. They are treated with an anti-fog coating and that should be a blessing in colder months.
Changing a visor is a really simple and easy process. Undoing the latch on the visor mount releases it, and to re-attach you just have to line up the lugs and click it into place.
VOZZ even supply a neat protective bag for the spare visor.
COMFORT
Honestly, the moment you put a VOZZ helmet on your head you will be changed forever.
It fits so firmly and securely it feels like it’s actually a part of your body. You can feel immediately that the helmet is far more in contact with your head than other designs, and the plush inner lining is very comfortable on your skin.
I felt no pressure points anywhere, in fact it feels consistently firm right across my head, and wearing the helmet for long rides didn’t create any discomfort at all.
The weight of the helmet, which is only marginally more than similar top end models, actually feels less than other helmets because it’s so firmly attached and moves perfectly with your head movements.
ON THE ROAD
One of the first things I noticed about riding with the VOZZ helmet is that the visor port is large and consequently you’re peripheral vision is fantastic. Add the fact that the helmet can’t move around on your head like other brands and there’s a big plus already.
I quickly realised something else was very different too – the buffeting and turbulence I’ve become used to with other brands was missing! Inside the helmet, even at motorway speeds, was almost still.
There’s still noise from the outside but it’s a different sensation and actually quite a good one once you realise what is going on.
There is no helmet that will eliminate all wind noise from the outside. Some are better than others, and we all perceive the level of noise differently. With multiple long runs up and down a major motorway I found it hard to pick the difference in noise levels between the VOZZ helmet and my trusty old Shoei XR-1100.
Ventilation is very good, even at lower speeds around town there’s enough air flow to not have to worry about popping the visor open except maybe if you’re sitting in heavy traffic, and you’d do that with any helmet.
I often find that I have to fit and remove a helmet many times a day when I’m training riders. With the VOZZ helmet, that’s actually become a simple process. It’s faster, and I don’t have to remove gloves or glasses to do so.
ON THE TRACK
I had the pleasure of taking the bike for an outing to Brisbane’s Lakeside Raceway recently which gave me a chance to test the VOZZ helmet at higher speeds than we can do on the road.
The experience didn’t show me anything I didn’t already know, but it confirmed the decisions I’d made from riding around town and on motorways even more.
SUMMARY
We’ve documented the features and benefits, especially the superior safety aspects, of the VOZZ helmet here on Motorcycle Life for some time. Having now had the chance to fully test the helmet the obvious question would be “Does it live upon to the expectations we had?”
The answer to that is a resounding YES.
The VOZZ RS 1.0 is a quality product, finished well, and has all the features you’d expect from a helmet in this price range. But this helmet goes way beyond any competitor product of a similar price as far as practicality and safety are concerned.
VOZZ set out to revolutionise the helmet market, to make helmets safer and easier to remove in the case of a crash and it seems they’ve achieved that.
The VOZZ RS 1.0 helmet is priced at $888 and is available through the company’s network of distributors, or through the online shop at www.vozzhelmets.com.