Review: 100% Aircraft Full Face Tested By VitalMTB.com

With sharp looks and a long list of features, the updated Aircraft offers MIPS and was tested by VitalMTB.com who gave the helmet 4.5 stars out of 5. Read the full review here.

Tested by Vitalmtb.com

Overall: 4.5 Stars out of 5

When 100% first released the Aircraft helmet a couple of years ago, its striking looks and long list of features caught our eye. After testing it, we were happy enough with that first edition, but 100% has since released an updated version which addresses a key issue we had with the original, in addition to now featuring MIPS as well. We've put the latest version to the test, read on to find out how we got along.

STRENGTHS

Comfortable

Offers high levels of protection

Stable in use

Light weight

Finish and quality

Sharp looks

100% Aircraft Highlights

• Carbon / Kevlar composite shell
• Active Cooling System with 25 vents
• Comfort liner - washable, anti-bacterial liner, cheek pads and chin strap covers
• Emergency release cheek pads
• Integrated release system compartment
• MIPS
• Compatible with most popular neck brace systems
• Titanium D-ring buckle
• Adjustable visor
• Light-weight aluminium mounting screws
• Helmet case with integrated goggle pocket included
• Meets ASTM Downhill and BMX standards
• ASTM, CPSC, CE and AS//NZ certified
• Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 1070 grams (size medium, verified)

Initial Impressions

The Aircraft is an impressive piece of kit, its edgy design and sharp graphics scream “shred me” from the first time you pull it out of its bag (a very nice helmet “hangar”). The crisp paint job and the visible carbon weave conspire to give the Aircraft a very exclusive appearance. The style is unmistakably moto-inspired, but the low weight and relatively slim profile make it clear that this is a mountain bike-specific helmet. In fact, at just 1070 grams with MIPS, this is one of the lightest, fully certified DH helmets you can buy today.

Inspecting the helmet in finer detail we discover features like a titanium double-D ring strap closure, an anti-microbial liner, a ton of vents and of course now the MIPS layer, a slip-plane that is designed to allow rotational forces to be dissipated before they can reach the brain in the case of an off-axis impact. The Aircraft shell also features a compartment designed to accept an “Eject” inflatable helmet removal system, as well as removable cheek-pads, both intended to make helmet removal easier and safer after a crash.

Finishing off the initial inspection, we discovered that 100% has addressed one of the small gripes we had with the original version: a visor that did not go up far enough. On this new version, the visor can slip past the stops in the helmet shell to provide another few degrees of upwards rotation. Since the visor is pretty long, this is crucial to being able to position it out of the field of view….

What’s The Bottom Line?

A mountain bike helmet does not have an easy job. It needs to provide great protection, not weigh too much, offer good ventilation and of course, look the part as well. The 100% Aircraft ticks all these boxes, making it a formidable competitor in the full-featured, no-expense-spared fullface helmet category.

Read the full review on Vitalmtb.com here