First 3/4 Helmet

[metallyguitarded_imp]

The Biltwell came in yesterday as expected along with the shield. My first impression was that it's very light weight. It slipped easily onto my head and I'm able to put it on and take it off while leaving my eyeglasses on. That's really nice. There's plenty of room for my ears and overall the comfort is good. I feel a slight amount of pressure on my forehead and am hoping that with more use and break-in, that will diminish.

The shield is a very dark smoke. I really like the look. The center snap and one of the snaps on the side feel very secure. The remaining snap, however, doesn't seem to make a good purchase onto the helmet. I snapped the opposite end onto the helmet to see if it was the helmet or the shield that was the issue. It appears to be the shield. They're inexpensive but I decided to ride with it and see how it held up.

I wore the helmet with the shield on this morning's commute. As expected, it's much louder than a full-face helmet but not horribly loud. Ear plugs would likely be a must for long rides. The shield felt secure even on the highway so I won't be buying another shield other than possibly a clear one for riding in the dark. I was behind a large truck moving dirt for a little bit and felt the slight stinging of my face being sandblasted where it was exposed below the shield. Not painful but noticeable. I'll be staying a good distance from those trucks in the future. Also as expected, there is plenty of air flow, even with the shield.

I could still feel the slight pressure on my forehead while riding but did not feel the helmet lifting at all. Overall, it's comfortable. It did, however, leave a slight imprint in a beautiful quilted pattern on my forehead that went away after about 15 minutes. I'm hoping that also becomes less pronounced with break-in. I didn't feel as vulnerable as I thought I might. I think I'll be wearing this helmet a lot.

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