For motocross, enduro, and even mountain bike enthusiasts, the name Leatt will certainly ring a bell. In fact, Leatt has become something of a household name in off-road powersports, protecting riders from head to toe with cutting-edge safety tech.
That being said, Leatt’s looking to broaden its horizons, and it’s doing this by tapping the rapidly growing ADV segment with not one, but two brand-new helmets. Now, these helmets stand as the culmination of all of Leatt’s know-how when it comes to helmets, and so naturally, they’re pretty damn pricey, but judging from these lids' spec sheets, I’d like to think that their premium price tags are justifiable.
And that’s because the new 9.5 Carbon and 8.5 Composite helmets are essentially two helmets in one. They’re lightweight, protective, and perhaps most importantly, very easily adaptable.
In true ADV helmet fashion, both the 8.5 and 9.5 come equipped with a visor, making them suitable for on-road use and long stretches of highway. Given that the entire opening is effectively sealed means that Leatt’s new ADV lid should be decently quiet on the highway. However, when the time comes to take your bike off the beaten path, all you have to do is flip the visor open and slap on a pair of goggles to keep things breezy while ensuring your eyes stay clear of dust and debris.
And on more purpose-driven rides off-road, you can easily detach the visor completely and simply rock a pair of goggles. Leatt’s thrown in a nifty set of covers to hide the helmet’s visor mechanism, too. You know, ‘cause we motorcyclists are all about that seamless, well-polished look, right?
Beneath the surface, Leatt’s new ADV lids are equally impressive. The more premium 9.5 Carbon boasts a six-layer carbon matrix that sheds 60 grams of weight, or so Leatt claims. The lid weighs in at just 1.49 kilos, or about 3.28 pounds. Meanwhile, the 8.5 Composite makes use of a three-layer composite shell, and is a tad heavier at a claimed 1.57 kilograms (approx. 3.46 pounds). For reference, both helmets are certified to the latest ECE 22.06 safety standard.
Complementing the impressive outer shell constructions is Leatt’s 360-degree Turbine Technology. Similar in principle to the Mips system we find on other helmets, this tech is meant to reduce rotational forces on a rider’s noggin in the event of a crash. This force dissipation is meant to lower the risk of traumatic brain injuries. So yeah, you essentially have three layers of protection—the carbon or composite shell, the multi-density EPS foam, and the Turbine Tech that takes some of that rotational force away from your head.
With all that tech out of the way, let’s now talk about price. In exchange for your $599 USD, you can take home the Leatt 8.5 Composite, and choose from fancy colorways like Hi-Viz and Royal. But if you throw an extra 200 bucks into the mix, you could get yourself the 9.5 Carbon. Finished in sleek ghosted carbon finishes, you can flex to all your buddies that you’re rocking the best ADV helmet in Leatt’s roster.
But regardless of which you choose, Leatt provides you with the full kit—a polychromatic shield, a clear shield, a Pinlock 120XLT lens, and Leatt’s 4.5 goggles. Does all this give the new Leatt helmets even better value? Well, that’s for you to decide.
And while Leatt’s 8.5 Composite and 9.5 Carbon represent some of the very best when it comes to helmet tech, it’s important to remember that you don’t necessarily need to spend $800 on a shiny new helmet. There are tons of other helmets in the market priced at a fraction of these lids, offering similar if not equal levels of protection. So if Leatt’s new ADV helmets are way over your budget, there’s no need to worry, as there’s surely a more affordable ADV helmet with your name on it.
