Best Adventure Helmets for 2019. Our Own Helmets and Some Other Suggestions

Arai Tour X4 vs. Shoei Hornet Hornet X2 vs. Shark Explore-R vs. Klim Krios vs. Schuberth E1 vs. Nexx X.Wed2

Let’s make it clear. The best helmet is the one that fits you the best – only this way it will offer you the right protection and comfort. Just after that, we can start the discussion about things such as ventilation and noise reduction. So, first of all, try it carefully and choose the right one for you. 

I love adventure riding. I tried almost every adventure motorcycle available on the market and traveled in remote places such as the Road of Bones and South America. I own three of the following helmets, and the others come as alternatives – if they fit you. For example, I couldn’t wear any Shoei helmet by now – and it’s because of my head shape. 

These are the adventure helmets I bought: Shark Explore-R, Schuberth E1 and Arai Tour X4. I also selected the Shoei Hornet X2 and Kilm Krios. We'll test the Nexx X.Wed2 soon, and maybe the Klim Krios Pro so we’ll come up with some other riding impressions. But for now, let’s stick to the first ones. 

Shark Explore-R

It’s the first adventure helmet I bought. It’s derived from the Vision R model, which means it’s a full-face touring helmet with a beak. It’s very versatile: you can remove the beak and use it as a touring helmet, or you can put the goggles on and use it as an adventure helmet. It has a wind-stopper tucked in the removable collar and it comes with integrated sunglasses – it has a lot of cool features. What I like about it: good for cold weather, comfortable. What I don’t like: when you put the goggles on you get a very narrow vision field, it’s not vented enough for off-road use and the integrated sunglasses come with poor quality. The price: €299 euro – online [affiliate link]

Schuberth E1

The second adventure helmet I bought and used the most. Just like the Shark Explore-R, this one is derived from a touring helmet. The E1 is a C3 Pro with a beak, a larger air intake in the chin and a more rugged collar. That’s the reason the E1 is a comfortable road touring helmet. And it’s a flip-up – you don’t have to take it off when talking to people in your overland adventure. What I like about it: probably the best liner used for a street helmet – very plush, comfortable and high-quality inner sunglasses. The collar still looks fine. What I hate: the poor quality pinlock, low ventilated for off-road, it feels a bit heavy especially when you open the flip-up. The sunglasses mechanism broke once. The Price: €539.95 – online [affiliate link]

Arai Tour X4 

It the last one I bought – it happened recently, and due to the cold weather, I only managed to use it twice. But I love it: it feels very comfortable, the finish is great, it’s light and ventilated. It has and emergency remove system and different dimension cheek pads. What I don’t like: the visor changing mechanism is still complicated, and I’ll have to change the visor often because it doesn’t come with integrated sunglasses. Not sure about riding in cold weather, yet. The price: €674.90 – online [affiliate link]

For more, watch the video below, in which we’re discussing about these helmets. You can watch it here or directly on our YouTube channel. 

Shoei Hornet X2 – it seems to offer a great balance between the street and off-road use, the build quality is great, and the owner said to me that it’s the most comfortable helmet he ever tried. Unfortunately, the Shoei doesn’t fit me. The price: €588.05 – online [affiliate link]

Klim Krios – it’s the lightest over here because it’s made of carbon. Also, it’s very ventilated. You can't even close the front vent, which might be an issue in cold weather. The guys at Klim just unveiled the Krios Pro – which comes with a lot of updates, including the ventilation thing. We’ll try it soon. The Klim Krios price: €499.00 – online [affiliate link]

In test soon: Nexx X.Wed2 –  a lot of ventilation, emergency strap, action camera supports, sun visor, and intercom-ready. It looks very good and, more than that, it's more affordable than the other ones. We’re eager to try it. The Price: €399.90 – online [affiliate link]