Me brain fine. Who need helmet?
Written: May 22 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Comfortable and well designed
Cons: A little large and heavy, could be cheaper
The Bottom Line: A good choice for an ATV or motorcycle helmet, but it doesn't change my hatred for helmets.
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| tch7's Full Review: HJC CL-14 MBII Helmet |
I've said it before: I hate hats, and I really hate helmets. So, when I began my new job back in January I wasn’t happy to learn that I’d have to purchase an ATV helmet, and worse, actually wear it. Of course, as most people know, company policy has little to no bearing on what actually happens on the jobsite. Still, sometimes company policy and the safety-conscious employee do come in to play, and for those times I’m fairly happy that I purchased the HJC CL-14 helmet.
In my line of work, I’m normally riding an ATV two or three times a week on cultivated fields and pasture land. Admittedly, very rarely do I wear my HJC CL-14 helmet, simply because it’s a real pain to do anything off of the quad with it (or any helmet) on, and it’s far too annoying to constantly put it on and off. Furthermore, the terrain is typically fairly safe and with all of the equipment that we lug around, aggressive driving doesn’t happen. However, as much as I hate helmets, I strongly advocate using a helmet when utilizing ATVs for recreational purposes.
The Looks Department
The CL-14 is a decent looking helmet, although it does make your head feel rather gigantic. It’s available in a variety of styles, whether you want a solid colour or some pretty graphics. I got the blue and yellow MBII style, simply because it was the only helmet available in my size.
The Fit
To its credit, the CL-14 is one of the most comfortable helmets I’ve ever worn. The removable foam padding provides plenty of cushioning, while still firmly holding the helmet in its place. Even after a full day of wearing the helmet, no pressure points develop, and the only pain comes from my neck from having that extra weight on my head all day. Putting the helmet on and taking it off was just like every other full-face helmet I tried out. It really is a comfortable and well-fitting helmet.
This helmet is one of the cheapest to be both DOT-218 and Snell-M2000 approved, making it just as safe as the helmets that cost two or three times as much. However, the most important factor for having a safe helmet is making sure it properly fits your head.
Ventilation, Face Shield & Noise Levels
The 7 vents let in a decent amount of air, and they are enough to prevent the visor from fogging up when you are riding. However, when at a stop, the only way to prevent the visor from fogging up is to open up the visor. On hot days I need to ride with the visor open, as it gets a little too warm by just relying on the vents by themselves. On days when the temperature was well below freezing, my head never got too cold.
The visor is easy to raise and lower, but since it is such thin plastic, it bends a little and it’s not a bad idea to use both hands, particularly when raising it. The range of view isn’t at all obstructed or distorted by the visor, and in the event that the visor breaks, it can be easily replaced.
The CL-14 does a good job of muffling all noises, from the noisy ATV to the wind rushing past my head. However, it also makes it hard to hear people when they’re talking to you, which is a big part of why I hate wearing it when I’m working.
Price
I always thought bicycle helmets were expensive, but they’re dirt cheap compared to ATV helmets, which have prices ranging from roughly C$100 all the way up to C$1500. I didn’t want to go with the cheapest helmets, since they make you look like Marvin the Martian and don’t provide any chin protection. However, since I was supposed to be sharing the cost of the helmet with my employer, I didn’t want to get anything that’d set me back. At just over C$200, the HJC CL-14 seemed like the best bet, offering chin protection, a visor, good ventilation, and it looked decent. It was only when I found out that my employer covered the entire cost that I wished I had gone with one of the super-expensive helmets.
To Sum it Up
I still don’t like helmets, but for the times that one is necessary, I’m perfectly happy with the HJC CL-14. It’s fairly comfortable, it looks good, its safe, and it is well rounded helmet altogether. It’d be nice if it weren’t so bulky and a little bit lighter so that it’d be easier to work in, but for just riding around on a quad, it’s plenty good. If you’re in the market for a helmet, check out the HJC CL-14.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tch7
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