Leatt’s mountain bike helmet scheme is simple to understand, the higher the number the higher the helmet sits in their lineup. The DBX 2.0 reviewed here is their most affordable helmet at just $99, but it packs features that make it stand out among helmets costing much more. From the outside, you see niceties like a breakaway visor, extended retention mechanism and oversized vents, the most interesting feature is hiding on the inside…
The DBX 2.0 has 20 large vents and has done a great job of moving air over my head, whether in the dry altitude of Park City, UT, or the sweltering heat and humidity of North Carolina’s summer.
Actual weight for a size Medium is 311 grams, which is a little above the claimed weight from their launch announcement last summer.
The helmet keeps a low profile, which, honestly, is step one in preventing rotational injury. The breakaway visor helps, too, reducing the likelihood that it’ll snag on something and rip your head around.
The rear retention dial sits under the nub at the back of my skull and pulled the helmet snug without ever creating pressure points. The chin straps have a fixed meeting point under the ear, but are split apart to create space using a plastic guide. It works well, and keeps everything where it needs to be for a proper fit.
Inside the in-molded shell lies their washable, anti-odor, and wicking pads, and their Turbine 360º rotational protection system. Turbine 360º is their answer to MIPS, and Leatt says this design is the only rotation mitigation system that also offers compressible impact protection, too.
It works by floating a rubbery disc off the surface of the shell, which connects at the center of the disc with flexible, stretchable fins that resemble a turbine’s blades. It doesn’t take much movement reduction to reduce the forces (twisting or otherwise) that reach the brain, and Leatt’s design might reduce them in more directions than most competing systems. Fortunately, I haven’t taken any fingers in it, but it passes all the same safety tests as their competitors, is comfortable, and fits my head very well.
With a suggested retail (and street price) of $99, and several color options to choose from, it’s worth a look for your next trail/all-mountain helmet.
