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Klim USA Krios Karbon Adventure Helmet Reviews

Read and compare owner reviews & ratings of Klim USA Krios Karbon Adventure Helmet. Product specs, photos & video, pricing, and more!

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  • Retail Price ~$549.99 Shop Now
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Eric Hall

  

(update with new Krios Pro Karbon helmet)

Seven months into my trip and have some feedback on this Krios Pro helmet...  

So compared to the original version it has many of the same lightweight benefits as well as the pin-lock and Transitions shield.  The obvious benefits here would be ventilation!  The older one had this vent-looking thing on the front but I was always puzzled why it didn't let any air in.  Well, that's now fixed!  You can open or close that vent depending on rain and/or temps.

(Original Krios Karbon) It's important to understand that an ADV helmet is a compromise between dirt and street so it will be heavier than a dirt helmet and doesn’t ventilate as well.

Some say this particular helmet doesn't ventilate as well as others but I have no complaints there.

Extremely light at about 3 lbs 4 oz.  This reduces fatigue on longer rides and makes it feel much more like a dirt helmet; especially if worn with goggles (goggle-friendly).

Intermediate oval (perfect for me)

This Transitions face shield is a new feature that I absolutely love!  No more getting caught after dark with a dark shield.

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Very aerodynamic; smooth, no head pull.  The peak is well designed not to lift and the rear spoiler contributes to a smoother experience.

Sena 10U compatible with is a specific unit designed just for this (and a few other) helmets that is very sleek, streamlined although I've fitted this one with my Sena 10C.

Visibility is fantastic and much better than I was used to before for situations like where you’re looking over your shoulder to change lanes.

Goggle-friendly which is how I’d go off road, especially when warmer.

The chin strap is long to enable you to take the helmet off just by loosening it enough but not disconnecting it but that's not something I do normally.

Chin curtain is NOT removable which makes drinking from a hydration tube interesting but I’d just tilt the helmet up so my chin kinds of pokes down and then I can drink.  It keeps the helmet quieter but then again it also reduces airflow so it would be nice to be able to remove it.

Cheek pads are hook and loop not snaps so easy to get in and out; washable too anti-microbial/bacterial with adaptive smart foam technology to mold to your face.

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onewheelwheatley

   2 of 2 members found this review helpful 2 / 2 members

I've been wearing the Krios for a month straight and have to this helmet is the real deal for adventure riding.

The main draw to this helmet is the incredibly light weight at just under 3lbs which is noticeable both in your hands and on your head. It is lighter than any of my helmets, including my dirt lid (Fox Pilot V2), and feels like nothing when you wear it. I was surprised to find that the helmet's interior is of Arai level quality and plushness, and although a bit snug at first, broke in quickly with no hotspots. The fit is more towards an oval shape - more oval than my Shoei RF1200 but not as oval as some Icon lids I've tried. I am a medium in every helmet I've owned but I had to go with a small as the Krios sizing runs large. It is Sena compatible and was easy to fit a 10S unit.

The Krios comes with two pinlock ready shields - a clear and smoked - and one pinlock insert. Changing shields and helmet configurations is easy and both the peak and shield are held on by the same 1/4 turn latches. Be careful that you have everything lined up correctly and the latches completely seated and closed; if you don't have it seated correctly flipping the visor up could turn and pop the latch out ( I had this happen twice).  I used the pinlock on my clear visor and it works excellent. My tinted visor (without pinlock) fogs easily with a little heavy breathing, but also clears the fog away very quickly. The visor fits over goggles although you do have to make sure your goggle strap is position correctly to allow the visor to close over it. One annoyance is that with the visor in its furthest raised position it is still within your field of view more than I'd prefer. Fortunately it is easy to completely remove the shield and run goggle only, although I would prefer a slightly bigger eye port to allow for more google positioning adjustment.

On the highway the helmet is stable and the peak doesn't cause much drag, even as speeds touch triple digits. I've found it perfectly suitable for the several hour long stints of highway I've found myself on and was pleasantly surprised by how quiet the helmet is, even when I'm wearing goggles with the shield up. The helmet vents fine for adventure riding but is not enough when it comes to riding tight single track and slow, technical trails. The helmet has only two intake vents, one at the chin and one at the brow, with only the brow vent being closeable. Most confusing is that the vent on the snout seems to only vent to the cheek exhaust vent, as the interior of the snout is covered with EPS foam. I understand that they want to channel the air but the exhaust vent is very far forward to the point that is at the front of your cheek pads. The chin curtain is a nice touch but it is not removable and only adds to the ventilation issue.

In short, this is nearly a perfect adventure helmet but don't expect it to replace your dirt lid for real off-roading and aggressive dual sport riding.

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michnus

   2 of 2 members found this review helpful 2 / 2 members

Review KLIM Krios Karbon

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Many of you will remember the KRIOS as the old Uvex helmet shell sold a few years ago. It was a damn great helmet and being manufactured from Carbon fibre made it a light weight affordable alternative to the likes of the more expensive Arai at the time. I acquired my first Uvex around 2008 and used it extensively through Africa, I also had a nasty accident when I went down and my head hit a guard rail at 60mph. Luckily the helmet did the job and I only sustained a heavy concussion. The Doctor at the time told my wife to get the same helmet he had never seen such an impact with such a light head injury. 

Besides the fact that the old Uvex visor/face shield was excellent and the padding and ventilation in the helmet absolutely first class, what was really important to me was the weight of the helmet. Doing 8 hours a day in heat is no fun if you still must carry a 1.7kg lid on your head. That helmet weighed around 1.2 kg, it doesn’t sound like much but try and carry a kilogram on your head all day long and see how it feels. Weight matters! As well as making for a more comfortable, enjoyable ride. The KRIOS are still under 1.5kg and I think, the only one on the market in that weight category. 

We really looked after our old Uvex helmets as the newer options were just not appealing to us. We owned the Arai XD, for the price, the visors and face shield was nothing short of shit, they were heavy and just felt expensive for what you got. There were the cheaper options that although complied to DOT/ECE standards did not came over as the type of lid I was willing to trust when hitting the tar. Definitely not prepared to wager my life on a lid that is that cheap!

When we saw KLIM had launched the KRIOS and it looked like the UVEX I tried to get information from KLIM as to what the story was behind it. I was really excited at the prospect of owning a helmet that I knew performed well. Essentially, the shape and mould was the same as KLIM had acquired the mould from the company manufacturing for Uvex and another German motorcycle brand. At some stage it was also made for BMW. 

What was important according to KLIM was that the shell was reinforced and many small new design changes had been made. What they felt was important, was that this helmet was not a brand-new design but had rather evolved over time and most of the design issues were ironed out with the older versions. Essentially, they released a helmet that could offer their customers a proven history but with new and updated research and design added to the current version. 

We purchased two of them when they were launched, we got ours in Sept 2016 and have had them now for 9 months and 13000km. Out of the box we received two face shields, one dark and one clear and a Pinlock to use for fogging when riding in rain, the helmet also came with a 5-year guarantee. 

The fittings and finish was a definite improvement over the old and it only weighed a few hundred gram more. The reason for this according to KLIM was that they made the shell thicker and reinforced it. The KRIOS Karbon is a three-in-one helmet concept, street (face shield, no visor), dual-sport/ADV (face shield, visor), or off-road (no face shield, visor, use goggles). Easy to interchange with the simple quick-release fittings that remove the visor and face shield. Just simply lock/unlock with a quarter-turn on the outside of the visor. It is a much easier system than many other brands when wanting to quickly clean the face shield.

All the padding and cheek pads are stiff and there are no pressure points.  Although the helmet fits snugly and tight it still feels very comfortable and we could ride our 8 hours a day. I understand there are different head shapes, but I am sure this one will fit the majority of people comfortably. There is also a cheek screen to stop wind entering from the front bottom of the helmet which is great when it is cold. 

 

I am not sure about all the technical talk, but I can vouch that it works. KLIM - “Klimatek™ Fabric liner systems utilise adaptive smart foam technology and anti-microbial/bacterial fast-wicking textiles.” I sweat a lot and we have been riding from Mexico to Colombia since getting them, and I’m happy to say that in all the heat and humidity they never got that greenish ripe smell. We washed them a couple of times and it is very easy to remove and refit the padding back into the KRIOS.

The thing we appreciate most about this helmet is the ventilation. Even in very hot and humid conditions there is always enough airflow through the helmet. Our wind screens on the bikes are quite short and effective sitting in clean air. Head buffeting only became noticeable at very high speeds and was much less than our Arai and other adventure helmets we have owned in the past. I guess it must do with the shape and the large spoiler that goes across the back of the lid as well as the aerodynamic design of the visor. Saying that, wind noise is at acceptable levels. We fitted the Sena S20 and a Sena C10 to the second helmet and it was a quick, easy, hassle free installation. In addition, we use Alpine Hearing Protection ear plugs and we never have to talk loud or scream to be heard over the intercom system. There is enough space with large pockets for the speakers to fit into and not press against the ears. 

Pinlock is a separate plastic shield insert on the inside of the face shield which alleviates the problem of fogging. We had some issues with the first Pinlock inserts but it turned out the securing pins were adjustable. RTFM - Read the %&#'ing Manual! Correct, I did not, it would have helped if I had. Since then, we have ridden high altitudes in Colombia in cold wet weather and experienced the humidity of the Caribbean, so far, the fogging hasn’t been an issue at all. The KRIOS has excellent venting and is even better than our old helmets. There is a huge amount of airflow through the chin bar vent as well as having a closable top vent. Even with goggles there is still enough airflow.

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The LEATT neck braces and the KRIOS seemed to be made for each other. I use the STX ROAD and Elsebie uses the GPX5.5, yes, my neck is thicker and more like a log. There is no interference or hindrance between the KRIOS and the LEATT, in fact they allow enough overall free movement. About two weeks ago I had an off on a muddy mountain road in the highlands of Colombia. The combination of the LEATT and KRIOS minimized the whiplash on my head and although I got hammered properly in the ribs, I had no neck injury or stiffness.

It is clear that KLIM as with their other products have put in a considerable amount of research and thought into the KRIOS Karbon. Along with their amazing backup, service and quality that they offer with all their motorcycle products this is a seriously good quality item, worth considering when looking into a new adventure/dual sport helmet. 

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