One of the most important safety gear to have if you’re a motorcycle rider is a protective motorcycle helmet. Wearing a high-quality helmet can spell the difference between leveling up on your road trip and “game over.”

Because of the passage of the Motorcycle Helmet Act at the start of the year, all riders are now required to wear helmets that have passed the standards of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and have ICC stickers. There are a handful of brands that are certified, including Spyder, a major sporting brand in the
country that specializes in high-performance athletic gear. Spyder helmets bear the marks of excellence and safety, so they’re a very good investment.

They promise safety above all, but they don’t scrimp on convenience, functionality and style either.

Spyder has some really awesome designed helmets including the geeky cool Team Unite series that I’ve been lusting over. Wearing any of the models [Phoenix Unite: White/Blue/Red, Recon Unite: Red/Gold and Xcelerate 2.0] will make anyone feel like a bad-ass superhero. They also have a special edition Bushido design under the Recon line that will make you want to unleash your inner road warrior.

I really loved all of those helmets. Unfortunately, the ones I tried at a Spyder stall in a mall were way too big for me 🙁 They’re also full-faced helmets, and I prefer using open faced ones since it doesn’t get as hot in city traffic. I’m also afraid that if I had a helmet as cool as those, someone would eventually steal it.

One of Spyder’s latest helmet lines to come out is called Reboot, one of three open-faced helmet lines (the others are Tyro and Sage). Based on looks alone, Reboot is a sleek helmet that can be used for errands around town, casual city rides, and leisurely day trips out of town. The design is somewhat flashy, which is a good thing in helmets, because it adds to your visibility on the road. Here are a few of the features that make the helmet stand out:

PRODUCT FEATURES:

1) Designed for safety

It’s no secret that many motorcycle accidents in the country come from riders not wearing helmets or wearing substandard ones. Spyder helmets were designed with safety in mind, and come with an ABS Composite Shell. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is an advanced high impact polymer and fast becoming the preferred material for helmets, because of its ability to withstand impact. The material is less rigid than fiberglass, giving it better shock absorption qualities.

2) Made from high quality materials

The Spyder Reboot helmet also comes with a Dual Density EPS liner, a soft but firm layer of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) that rests just beneath the fabric inner liner. This layer absorbs most of the energy in a crash and also provides channels to direct airflow inside the helmet.

3) Scratch resistant visor

The visor is Polycarbonate Scratch resistant, making it thinner and lighter than traditional plastic helmet lenses. The visors also offer 100 percent ultraviolet (UV) protection and are up to ten times more impact-resistant than regular plastic lenses.

4) Removable inner lining

The lining of the helmet is completely removable and washable, and is said to dry faster than other polyester liners. The lining is made of an ultra-absorbent, quick-dry inner liners wicks moisture away from your head and into the interior of the helmet, where the ventilation system at the back of the helmet blows it dry.

5) Rapid release buckles

The helmet comes equipped with rapid-release buckles that can quickly and easily be fastened and unfastened with one hand. This quick release retention system eliminates the need to re-adjust the strap every time the helmet is worn. My problem with the buckle is that it kind of grated against my skin. This was remedied by wearing headware as a dustmask which covered my chin and the part where the strap goes on.

DESIGN:

Anyone can see that this is one cool looking helmet. The graphic lightning bolt pattern makes it look really tough and gives riders an added stat boost of +10 astig points just by wearing it alone. It sure beats the boring plain black helmet that I purchased in Caloocan last year just to fulfill the ICC sticker requirement, and is definitely way, way cooler than the cheapo half-shell type helmet with cartoon characters and flowers on the side that I had to cover with stickers. (True story)

The Spyder Reboot helmet comes in a set of cool colors that may remind you of a certain superhero team that transforms to fight giant robots and kaijus. Of the color choices, I immediately gravitated towards the Black/Red helmet, since they’re my favorite colors. Plus, the helmet matches my scooter Chocobo. Sweet!

FIELD TEST NOTES:

The helmet size I got isn’t really a perfect fit. I got M, when I really think I should be using an S, but the size wasn’t available. It felt a bit loose during my solo test ride to Sierra Madre and back a couple of weeks ago. Again, headware came to the rescue. I folded one over, stuffed it inside and readjusted the straps so it
fits better.

It seems to fit my husband (OutsideSlacker) more. He keeps stealing it anyway (as well as my scooter, since his motorcycle needs to undergo a major overhaul). At least we both can use it.

So, who do you think wore it better?

PRICE: The Spyder Reboot helmet costs P1,795.00

WHERE TO BUY IT: Spyder helmets are available in Spyder branches and outlets in malls nationwide. To search for your nearest dealer or store branch, select your area/city here: http://www.teamspyder.com/dealer. Some helmet models are also available for online purchase through Zalora.

HELMET CARE: Check out this article on 10 Useful tips in taking care of your Spyder Helmet.

For more information on Spyder products, visit the following:

• Website: http://www.teamspyder.com/
• Facebook page: Team Spyder PH
• Twitter: @teamspyder
• Instagram: @teamspyderPH