Need an Awesome Helmet? Arai Has You Covered
Arai announced new graphics for three helmets and a new anti-fog shield that should be a helpful addition to the XD-4 helmet. The graphics provide a unique, new look for the VX-Pro4, Quantum-X, and Defiant-X lids. Each one is dramatically different from the other, giving riders plenty of options.
While the graphics are new, the helmets are unchanged. It’s just a fancy new skin for the same quality products. If you already have a VX-Pro4, Quantum-X, or Defiant-X helmet, then it wouldn’t make much sense for you to pony up the money for the new look unless you have plenty of cash to burn.
XD-4 Anti-Fog Shield
The XD-4 anti-fog shield is the product I’m most excited about. Anything that’s going to reduce the likelihood of my visor fogging up, I’m all about. Arai put a special kind of laminate on the inside of the shield to help keep it from fogging up. Additionally, the visor itself features brow vents to help keep airflow high and assist with the anti-fogging measures.
Arai suggests wearing the helmet with the vents open to ensure there’s still some airflow to the helmet. The company also says the shield is not designed for extremely cold weather. That means it will likely fog up when the snow flies. Still, the anti-fogging features would be a nice addition for the XD-4 helmet. Hopefully, we’ll get to test this out at some point soon.
New Graphics
Like I said above, the new helmet graphics come for the VX-Pro4, the Quantum-X, and Defiant-X lids. They’re cool designs, but I’m more of a solid color kind of guy. If these cut the mustard from a styling standpoint and you need a new helmet, all three of them are excellent choices.
The VX-Pro4 gets a graphic called Barcia-2. It’s a busy design with tons of colors. It almost looks kind of science fiction to me. The layered patterns and colors lend the helmet a wild and somewhat futuristic quality. Of course, maybe I’m just a weirdo. It’s not a graphic I’d go for, but the flashier rider might find it attractive.
The Quantum-X helmet is the next one to get a new set of graphics. This helmet gets one graphic in three different colors. Called the Drone, the graphic gives it a kind of robot quality, I think. It’s not a bad looking design, though, and the fact that it comes in three color schemes is nice. You get your choice of Red, Black Frost, and Florescent Yellow Frost.
The final helmet to get new graphics is the Defiant-X. It gets a graphic called Dragon. It’s appropriately named. There’s a dragon on it and some Japanese characters on the side. Personally, I stay away from characters on my helmet that I can’t read, but for the right rider, this graphic might scratch them right where they itch. It’s not unattractive, just not my style.
When Arai starts making modular helmets with drop down sun visors, I might consider them. Just give riders what they want, not all of us will only buy a helmet with a Snell rating. I find it ironic that they’ll make a Snell rated 3/4 helmet, but not a modular helmet which has to be safer just because they don’t qualify for a Snell rating.