We won’t beat around the bush with this one – its looks have split everyone’s opinions. Is it a beautiful piece of art disguised as a helmet, or simply an aesthetic mistake? Well, it’s really grown on us, and the more we wear it the more we like it. Plus it looks great in photos.
The first thing you notice when you don the Down-O-Matic is the fit – it’s snug and comfortable, and the shell wraps around the top of your head and forehead a lot more than those on other full-face lids do. It feels relatively light on your head too.
The round vents are all covered with a tough, wiry mesh and work well to keep your head cool, but if you do get too hot the padding is removable for an end-of-summer smelly-helmet wash. The peak is made from some amazingly flexible plastic and actually does seem impossible to snap, just as Urge claim. Trust us on this one – we’ve tried our best to break it!
The only slight downside is that the goggle opening can be snug when used with bigger-framed eyewear. The goggles end up sitting on the outside of the helmet rather than against your face where you want them.