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The Leatt GPX helmets have caught my attention lately. Who has one and what do you think?
They're not the best looking, but after watching a few videos about the technology and thought behind them (the way the shell is built with an "in-mold" process for example) - I'm impressed and curious to hear if anyone around here is wearing one.
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I asked the same thing a while ago. The answers I got were that it's fit kinda strange and wasn't that comfortable. I ended up getting a 6D instead. For the same price as the Leatt, you can get a poly TLD SE4 and I think that would be hard to beat.
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Tried them on a few days ago and I can also say it didn't fit me great. I think they're pretty ugly looking too. In my opinion nothing can match the feel of Bell, Shoei, and Arai depending on individual preference. I've tried on 6D, Troy Lee and those felt nice but still on the level of the other 3 I mentioned. I tried a Fox V3 which felt horrible on my head. The comfort and build quality on the first 3 brands I mentioned are unmatched. Even the Bell MX-9 with MIPS was comfortable and seemed well put together (though still a step below the moto 9). It's difficult to explain but the VFX-W, Moto 9, and VX-Pro 4 all had a "feel" to them both in my hands and on my head that they were a level above the rest and I don't think I'll ever buy anything except one of these models, or the versions that come after them in the future.
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Yep they're kinda ugly, but I was trying to look past that given the vastly-different direction they are taking. But who knows if that direction is good or bad regardless.
I think Arai has fallen way behind in progress - they're nice, but they need to innovate and not be idle. I've owned one and several Shoei helmets and I know what you're saying, but I think Troy Lee is right up there now and love the TLD Air I've had actually. I just bought the new SE4, but the fit is weird for me - still trying to figure that out.
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Last years or the new one coming out? I had a chance to test the newest Leatt helmet today, and even though the looks are not something I think I could ever enjoy looking at, it was really comfortable and very light. I heard last years was a tad bit heavy?
Worth mentioning; Also looked at the pre-order of BELL Helmets, and I'd get one of the Moto 9 Flex helmets any day of the week over the LEATT one.
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In my mind there are 3 helmet classes - 6D, MIPS and everything else.
If you're in the everything else class, just get a $100 helmet as they are all functionally the same..
I feel the 6D provides superior translation and angular velocity absorption than MIPS. So just get a 6D and be done with it..
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I like what 6D is doing, but I don't believe there will ever be a set of tests available to truly prove that their $700 helmet is better than Troy Lee's SE4 $250 helmet with MIPS. But that's not a topic worth debating...its right here with religion.
But in general I agree - people's logic of "what is your head worth" drives me crazy. There is no sense in that stance.
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You shouldn't comment when you don't know what you're commenting on. The leatt is basically a copy of 6D. It may not be as good as the 6D, I don't know. But it's better than mips.
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Considering the Leatt Turbone technology is actually closer in functionality to to MIPS by the fact that it contacts your skull directly/or through the comfort liner to work with rotational energy...where the 6D technology is in between two separate EPS liners and has more movement within the main shell of the helmet.
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Mips is nothing but a plastic liner that helps the helmet rotate on your head. It's honestly not a great design, because the harder the impact the less the liner is going to work. Doesn't take much effort to dig the liner into the foam and it no longer moves.
6Ds design allows the helmet to rotate with ease regardless of how hard you hit the ground. The bumpers also allow the shell and liner to flex more, which can reduce the acceleration your head receives when hitting the ground.
The leatt does much the same, the bumpers physically touching your head doesn't really matter. Those bumpers both allow the helmet to rotate on your head regardless of impact strength, but also can move in conjuction. Say landing on the top of your head, the bumpers on the top of the helmet can collapse some, absorbing impact. The bumpers on the sides and back can bend allowing your head to push into the liner more. They basically act like ball bearings. Same as 6D. MIPS just doesn't compare.
So yeah, like I said the 6D might be better. I don't know. But the leatt is much closer to a 6D than a mips helmet, except in price...
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Are you tied to any manufacturers and the testing involved to be able to make these statements? Helmet safety is such a controversial topic and even the manufacturers-themselves (like Shoei in regards to the new VFX-Evo) are admitting that there are no standardized tests to validate their proprietary systems (MEDS, 6D, Leatt Turbines, etc).
I feel like now everyone is just trying to make up their own "rotational force" systems, but just for the sake of doing it to attempt to stay "in the race". Don't get me wrong - this is great - competition drives evolution, but in the example of Shoei, I feel like the creation of MEDS (for example) is just then saying "shit, we need to come up with a tech we can own to stay relevant".
This is such a crazy subject. So important, but there really is no authority or method to build something that will be safe for everyone, in every situation. The space was stagnant for so long and thanks to MIPS and 6D, helmets are finally changing.
As far as MIPS - Troy Lee himself said they tried to create their own similar system, but he claimed they could not come up with anything better than MIPS, so they embraced it and brought it in.
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You make a solid point. I've always been curious about how the Turbines work when compared to a solid head form versus human hair...
I've been skeptical of the Leatt helmet, mostly as I've barely ridden in it as the first iteration I tried fit quite...horribly... I couldn't come to grips with it.
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Not at all, I work in a tissue lab. I'm just a guy who's decent with numbers/physics, and has spent way too much time researching helmets and the various tech. I've had more concussions than I care to admit, so I want what's best. IMO the leatt and 6D are the best, no question. I'm not sure which is better, and at this point I don't care. I got the leatt, it's cheaper and I like that the helmet has a smaller shell. If I was a wealthy man I'd probably get the 6D if for no other reason than to support the company that brought us safer helmets and spurred this rush for a safer helmet.
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Someone with hair like you all the helmets likely have more than enough movement lol
I personally think it fits fine, but I don't find many helmets uncomfortable. Except the fox... screw those. My problem with helmets has always been them pushing my goggles down onto my bigass nose. 
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The initial V01 model supposedly had an odd fit, and the fact they come out with a reshaped V16 model fairly quickly is probably in response to that.
I've been keeping an eye on the Kali Protectives helmets, and it's cool seeing them work with Leatt on their helmets.
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Oh ok - thanks for the info and background. So you're basing this off of more than bro-science which is great. I appreciate the input.
Hey that's another thing - I'm noticing V20, V22, V25, etc. Are these just tags for model colors, or updates?
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I have a leatt. The fit is a little snug when first going on. I simply have to tuck my ears a little differently. But other than that I love it. Once it's on I really like the fit. I'm not smart enough to understand the physics behind all the helmets but I have yet to have any issues. Like others have said here, I've had too many concussions in my day and I want what's best. I feel the leatt and 6D offer the best protection. My best advice is try both on and see which fits you best. It's like anything else, it may not fit one person too well but it may fit the next perfectly.
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Ass-u-me. Is what you've done. Making you and ass and me thinking you're an ass hat.
I might have a bit of experience with measuring and understanding angular and linear acceleration; and in the case of helmets deceleration. I might have even spent 8 years building systems to measure acceleration +-150G and angular velocity +- 18,000 degree/sec in very compact form factors that could be applied to helmets and humans alike.
It's all about the materials ability to make the slope of the deceleration line 'flatter' and having a larger space to work in is the advantage that 6D has. Leatt has nice animations, but the construction just don't have enough room, making it more like MIPS than 6Degrees of freedom.
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This.
I like the idea of MIPS and what it has done to the helmet market and reducing the rotational forces etc but I'm more convinced about the stuff that 6D, Bell, Leatt and now Shoei are doing, rather than a plastic liner that looks like someone has cut out of a yogurt package and fitted inside a helmet. I also have a feeling that MIPS has made people a bit blind to the fact that equipping a helmet with MIPS doesn't make a bad helmet good. There isn't much of a point having MIPS if the helmet around it can't take the impact, which is something many seem to forget when they buy some of these helmets with MIPS, as I have actually seen and heard people justify saving some $ and buying a 300$ helmet rather than a 600$ helmet because the cheaper helmet has MIPS so it must be really good. And that is stuff you can read even on this forum.
Again, MIPS isn't bad and has done a lot of good to the helmet market. But for me, manufacturers coming up with these individual solutions to help prevent rotational forces and building a helmet around their own system is more convincing.
And to the original topic, like I said I like the idea of what Leatt is doing with their helmet. But like others have said, the fit of the helmet is not good at all. Can't wait to get my hands on the new Shoei, considering how good the old helmet still is to this day my expectations are really high for the new one.
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Independent testing has actually been done. There were results posted here that included the 6D, the Bell Flex and the rest were conventional helmets. 6D killed it in every test, Bell Flex held its own, but never outperformed the 6D and all the conventional helmets pretty much behaved the same, cheap and expensive. I can't remember who did the testing but IT WAS posted here 1-2 years ago.
6D's tech is patented and very expensive to make because of all of the cuts in the EPS (so they say). Imo it's the only #1 helmet even though the fitment, attention to detail and liner quality are not even in the same zipcode as a Shoei or Arai.
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I have to give it to the brands that use MIPS. They have done a fantastic job with the marketing. I read almost every week where people put MIPS in the same category as with 6D, Bell Flex, Leatt turbines etc.
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I tried a 6D and Leatt on at the dealer. They were both very good helmets with excellent fit, quality and looks. I think 6D may have a slight edge in safety and I can only base it on what I have read. However, every crash and every head is different and no single helmet today can protect you against 100% of the risk. I chose Leatt because I wear 2XL and the 6D uses a really large shell, whereas the Leatt uses a smaller one. The 6D 2XL was HUGE and it was heavy. The Leatt was actually smaller than a typical 2XL and it was super light. It also has the best ventilation of any helmet I have ever used and it cost about $200 less than a 6D. It was an easy choice for me. I can say that it has been a great helmet for me. I have a Fly Carbon F2 (non MIPS) as a backup helmet, which I also think is a great hat before all this new tech arrived. I am also not convinced about MIPS, but then its better than nothing.
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Thanks for all the input from everyone (with minimal arguing, so nice work everyone).
I am going to try to find one to try on this afternoon. I’ll add my my thoughts once I do.
