Today, Lazer Helmets unveils its new Impala KinetiCore half-shell mountain bike helmet. Designed in collaboration with professional mountain biker Jono Jones, the brand is calling it “the latest evolution in mountain bike protection.” The Impala includes all the modern touches and is the debut of a new technology for Lazer, which it is calling DualCore.
Both Zach and I have had a chance to try out the new Impala KinetiCore over the past couple of weeks. I’ll start with details on the features and technologies of the helmet, but be sure to read on for my first impressions of this new Lazer lid.
Lazer Impala KinetiCore Details
The new Impala KinetiCore is a half-shell mountain bike helmet with a good level of coverage and a modern aesthetic. It has a total of 16 vents with shallow channels allowing air to pass over the head. It comes in three shell sizes, S, M, and L, which should fit heads between 52 and 61 cm. The claimed weight is 370 grams in a size medium. The printed weight on the tag of my large test sample is 420 grams, although the measured weight on my scale is 408 grams. It comes in numerous colors, including Matte Coral Peach, Matte Black, Matte Black Red, Matte Mahogany, Matte Space Blue, Matte White Mint, Matte Dark Green Mint, and Full White.
KinetiCore
Like the rest of the Lazer bike helmet lineup, the Impala features its namesake KinetiCore design. KinetiCore is Lazer’s approach to rotational impact protection, consisting of raised blocks cut into the EPS foam inside the helmet shell, which are intended to act as “Controlled Crumple Zones.” Upon impact, these foam blocks “strategically deform under pressure to redirect energy away from the head, resulting in a helmet that’s both lighter and stronger while improving ventilation and reducing plastic use.”
DualCore
Lazer is calling its DualCore technology “a groundbreaking advancement that elevates protection and performance to new heights.” DualCore refers to the use of two layers of EPS foam in the shell’s construction. This involves a softer, lower-density layer closer to the head to provide protection against rotational impacts, along with a firmer, higher-density outer layer to absorb direct impact.
The two densities of EPS are clearly visible when looking in the helmet vents. These are bonded together along with an “inner PC cage” for reinforcement and additional structural integrity. If any of this sounds familiar, that’s probably because other brands have been incorporating dual-density EPS in mountain bike helmets for years. Still, Lazer is touting DualCore as “the next generation of impact management.” Presumably, this is because cutting the KinetiCore blocks into the low-density foam should make them even more effective at absorbing rotational impact.
Adjustable Breakaway Visor
The Impala KinetiCore has a three-position adjustable visor with a breakaway design. The visor is adjustable with one hand, and it flips up high to accommodate goggles when not in use, or down low to block the sun at lower angles. With a hard enough impact, the visor is designed to detach with the goal of reducing forces transferred to a rider’s neck.
Eyewear Compatibility
The two outermost vents on the sides of the Impala are intended to accommodate the arms of cycling sunglasses when the visor is in its middle or high position. Likewise, there is plenty of room to stash goggles on the front of the helmet when the visor is flipped up. At the rear of the helmet, a textured rubber pad provides traction for a goggle strap.
Universal Mount
The Impala KinetiCore comes with a removable mount for use with action cameras or lights. It has a relatively universal mounting style that should work with most cameras and lights designed for use with helmets. This plastic mount slots into grooves in one of the helmet’s central vents and is easily installed and removed. It also has a breakaway design and is intended to pop off easily to reduce forces to the head and/or neck.
Other Features
An integrated RECCO reflector is also included and may aid in search and rescue situations. RECCO is more commonly used in winter sports, although some areas also use it for mountain rescue operations in other seasons. The “adjustable floating headband” pulls tension evenly around the entire head and has a large range of vertical adjustment to optimize the fit on your occipital lobe. The adjustment cradle is also compatible with Lazer’s Universal Rechargeable LED Taillight.
The chinstrap offers quite a bit of adjustability for length and is connected with a magnetic buckle under the chin. The strap junction by the ear is sewn in place and is not adjustable. Inside the helmet, the bright orange padding is treated with Polygenie to keep bacteria and odor at bay.
Lazer Impala KinetiCore: First Rides Review
I’ve only been able to get a couple of rides in the new Impala helmet so far, but I believe I’ve had ample time to get an impression of how it fits and performs on the trail.
Fit and Comfort
I’ve got a 59 cm head, so I’m comfortably in the middle of the 58 to 61 cm fit range of the size large. The shape of the helmet fits my oval head just fine, and I don’t have any pressure points or hot spots to mention. The adjustment dial is easy to use with or without gloves on, and it comfortably adds tension all the way around the circumference of my head. The vertical adjustability of the cradle makes it really easy to shift for comfort and stability on my occipital lobe. The shell doesn’t have the deepest fit, but it doesn’t feel too shallow either, and coverage is pretty solid. Overall, I have no issues with the fit of the Impala’s shell.
The straps are another story. The strap junction below the ears is sewn in place, and the fixed angle of the chinstrap doesn’t really work for my head and neck. The fixed position results in the chinstrap hanging against my throat, rather than below my chin. I’ve tried wearing it with the strap tight, medium, and super loose, and it’s pretty much the same no matter the tension. When I tilt my head forward, there’s a bunch of slack in the straps in front of my ears, and if I could adjust that away, this wouldn’t be an issue at all.
Of course, our heads and necks are all shaped slightly differently, and what doesn’t work for me might be just fine for you. That said, Zach has also been testing this helmet, and he experienced a similar issue, but the fit is worse for him with the front strap sitting over his ear. To him, the lack of adjustability for the straps has ruined what otherwise would be a great helmet. I’ve found it to be tolerable, even if it isn’t ideal. Long story short, we recommend trying this helmet on to make sure the strap design works for you.
Update 11/24/25: A few days after this review was posted, we received a comment from a spokesperson from Lazer regarding the strap design. They said, “The decision to move away from adjustable straps came down to a number of reasons. From previous helmets, we noticed that adjustable straps tend to loosen slightly under sweat or vibration. Fixed systems maintain a stable fit during long, high‑intensity rides. It also ensures a consistent fit and reduces some of the hassle. The stitched straps on the Impala KinetiCore also nicely fit into the sleek design we were going for with this helmet. Of course, when making this decision, the helmet design, including length and position of the straps, is adjusted to fit most. We know head shapes differ, which can cause slight discomfort for some. For many, the straps will fit just right and be more comfortable without a plastic part on the side of the face. As the fit and comfort of a helmet are a personal thing, we encourage people to go to a bike shop and try on the helmet.”
Ventilation
My test rides have been relatively cool with temperatures around 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. That makes it pretty difficult to evaluate the ventilation of any helmet. I can say that the front vents are pretty effective in these cool temperatures, but any other assessment of ventilation would just be speculation at this point.
Visor and Eyewear Compatibility
As some of you may already know, I’m picky about helmet visors. Overall, I think Lazer did a decent job with this one. It’s easy to adjust with one hand, and the breakaway design works as advertised. I purposely smacked the visor a few times to cause it to pop off, and it was easy enough to reattach to the helmet. In terms of blocking the sun at low angles, I wouldn’t complain if the low position of the visor were just a little bit lower, but I can work with it as is.
Stashing sunglasses is easy enough by just sliding the arms into the smaller outer vents. I usually leave my glasses on while riding, but I tested this out at home with several different pairs of sunglasses. They all stowed easily and seemed to be relatively secure and stable when I shook my head around.
Universal Mount
The removable camera and light mount is shockingly easy to attach and detach from the helmet. It clicks into and pops out of its slot in the shell so easily that it almost seems too flimsy to hold anything securely on the helmet. This is by design, of course, as it is made to break away in a crash or if snagged on a branch. Still, it was a little disconcerting at first.
I don’t use a helmet cam, and I haven’t taken the Impala on any night rides yet, but I mounted a Lezyne Lite Drive 1200 light to see how it works. I shook the heck out of the helmet with the light on it, and it held on just fine despite its relatively flimsy feel. This came as a pleasant surprise because I fully expected it to pop right off and go flying across my garage.
Lazer Impala KinetiCore: My Takeaway
Overall, I think Lazer did a relatively good job designing the new Impala KinetiCore helmet. It looks alright, provides ample coverage, and the combination of KinetiCore and DualCore technologies promises to provide “a safer system that delivers superior protection where riders need it most.” It ticks all the boxes with features like an adjustable breakaway visor, a removable camera/light mount, eyewear docking, and a mostly crowd-pleasing fit. I think Lazer almost hit a home run with this one.
However, both Zach and I experienced a comfort issue related to the strap design. We’re all shaped differently, so that may not be the case for you. If the straps on the Impala are comfortable for you, this is otherwise an excellent new helmet that’s worthy of consideration.
Lazer Impala KinetiCore: Pricing and Availability
The new Impala KinetiCore is priced at $199 USD or €199, which is a bit less than most brands’ top-tier helmets. It is available starting in December and can be purchased directly from the brand’s website or your favorite Lazer Helmet dealer.
