ZOX Brigade SVS Solid Hands-On Review

The Brigade SVS Solid is a modular helmet. A modular helmet is defined as being a hybrid between an open face helmet and a full face helmet. They are sometimes referred to as convertible or flip face helmets.

I tested this helmet using my 2007 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic. Please keep an eye out for an article on this wonderful touring bike in the near future.

I enjoy wearing a modular helmet when I am riding my touring bike. I go between a ¾ helmet and a modular depending on where I am going. I enjoy the modular for longer rides when I will be on the highway for prolonged periods.

I find that a modular helmet provides me with the extra protection with a chin bar while riding, with the convenience of an open face helmet when fueling or having a conversation with other riders when stopped.

Appearance and Finishing

This is a very sleek, very good looking helmet. The finish is clean and the lines of the helmet flow smoothly.

The helmet has three adjustable vents with molded rubber tabs in the front, two on the top and one in the rear of the helmet. The helmet features a control on the side of the helmet for the integrated sun visor and a one hand opening lever at the front to lift the chin bar.

The inside of the helmet is very nice. The material used was very good at keeping my head relatively dry. I also liked that the chin strap is equipped with a micrometric buckle that makes donning and doffing the helmet very easy, even with gloves.

The interior liner is removable for cleaning. I removed the interior and reinstalled it easily without any issues.

The helmet I reviewed was gloss black. The colors available are Gloss Black, Matte Black, Silver, White, Titanium, and Wine Red.

Fit and Comfort

I found it to be very comfortable. ZOX’s patented conehead technology assures that the helmet provides excellent support around the head without having downward pressure from the top of the helmet. I found that once the helmet was on, it wanted to naturally stay on my head, and once I was riding, in town as well as at highway speeds, the helmet did not feel like it was moving around at all.

This helmet weighs 1650 g (3.6 lbs). It’s not the lightest helmet I have worn; however, because of the conehead technology, it was comfortable and did not feel like a weight on my head.

The Micrometric buckle was very convenient. I really like that this feature allows for easy on and off. I tried using the buckle with my gloves while donning and doffing the helmet. In both cases, the process was easy.

The inside of the helmet has communication ready EPS ear pockets. These pockets give your ear a bit more space for added comfort.

Airflow and Venting

The helmet has several vents and all have molded rubber tabs that make it easy to use, even while wearing gloves. The helmet has three vents on the chin bar. One in front of the mouth area and two on either side. Two vents are located at the top of the helmet and finally, there is one vent at the very back of the helmet.

I tried the helmet with the vents both open and closed. It was approximately 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) at the time of this review. The vents worked wonderfully at keeping my head cool.

One-handed Opening Lever

I was quite impressed with how smooth it was to raise the chin bar on this helmet. The lever is located dead center below the front vent. Even with gloves, it was easy to find and operate the lever. The chin bar raises easily and stays in place when up.

Lowering the chin bar is equally smooth and the mechanism that locks the chin bar in place is very tactile. There is no mistaking that the chin bar is latched.

Noise

The helmet worked very well at keeping road noise at a low level. I have a Vance and Hines aftermarket exhaust on my Ultra Classic and while the tone is quite pleasant, it is not by any means quiet. A seal between the visor and jaw as well as enhanced interior materials did a great job at protecting my ears from the road and wind noise.

Visibility

The visibility is excellent. I tried the helmet with the visor up and the visor down. The visor is clear and scratch resistant. I found that my peripheral vision was not affected by the side of the helmet. The design of the chin bar is such that you can still see your instruments without having to lower your head.

My only complaint is that when you lower the sun shield, the glare between the two shields can be a bit distracting, especially on a touring motorcycle with a tall windscreen.

The Exterior Visor

The exterior visor is very well constructed. It is scratch resistant on the outside and fog resistant on the inside. I was able to remove the exterior visor and reinstall it without difficulty. This is very handy should I need to replace it in the future.

The functionality of the exterior visor is excellent with solid clicks as you lift or lower the visor from one position to another. The rubber gasket does a great job at sealing the visor to the helmet. Even with all of the vents closed on the helmet, the visor did not fog up.

The Solar Visor System

In terms of functionality, the Solar Visor System works well. It has a good sturdy button on the side of the helmet that allows moving the visor up and down easily even while wearing gloves without having to lift the exterior visor. Removing and reinstalling the visor for cleaning is simple and requires no tools.

The visor itself leaves to be desired. The tint level is good; however, I feel that it would do a great job were just a little bit lower, or if the bottom of the solar visor was not cut at the angle that it is. I found that the way it is cut, it lets in too much light and I also find the shape of the cut to be distracting.

Also, as mentioned previously, I found that with a touring bike like mine with a tall windscreen, if the exterior visor and the sun solar visor are down at the same time, it created a glare that I was not comfortable with. I tried the solar visor out for a bit but reverted back to my sunglasses.

Conclusion

The ZOX Brigade SVS Solid is a very well-built helmet offered at a very affordable price.

If a good quality, fair priced modular is what you are after, I recommend this one. I find that a modular helmet is one of those pieces of kit that will get good use. If you are planning on doing any highway riding, the added protection and reduced noise will be greatly appreciated.

If you are riding in cooler weather, a modular helmet will keep you warmer; furthermore, this particular helmet will give you all of that at a price that won’t break the bank.

In the box, the helmet is shipped in a protective fleece helmet bag and includes the instruction manual and two ZOX stickers. The finish of this helmet in gloss black is quite sleek. It will go well with your leathers or with your Kevlar Jacket.

I was really impressed with the micrometric buckle. It was easy to adjust and very easy to use even with gloves.

As far as the Solar Visor is concerned, even though it did not go low enough for my needs, it might work well for individuals with different facial features. I would not let this one thing discourage me from buying this helmet. After all, I rarely leave the house without my sunglasses anyway.

This helmet is very well priced at $149.99 USD

*disclosure: ZOX helmets provided the Brigade SVS Solid at no charge for the purposes of this review.

ZOX Brigade SVS Solid Image Gallery