Vega Altura Full Face Helmet

Very nice helmet for the $$. I would recommend getting one size larger than you need or usually have. They run small. Lightweight & comfortable. My favorite helmet so far. Visor is easy to change out. I purchased a smoke/mirror visor & it fits & looks great. First 2 helmets I ordered were damaged but amazons return policy is excellent. No hassle & free shipping back when items are damaged.

I purchased this helmet for doing the MSF course at a local Tech College. I wear a size 7 1/4" hat (22 1/2" head diameter) . . . I thought a Large would fit . . . BUT - - - - - - - NOTE: Sizes run small as others have said. I was going to order a Large, but went with the X-Large. Glad I did. It fits perfect. I can get it it on and it is snug. I tried other more expensive helmets in size Large at motor sports shops and a Large usually fir fine. So if you are ordering I suggest you go one size larger than you think. Otherwise a very nice helmet, well made for the price, plenty of inside trim and padding and the all important shock absorbing foam. Also, I like that the shield locks in several positions. In the rain, I can lift the shield up one notch so that it is open at the bottom and it lets air in but no rain. This eliminates fogging and keeps you cooler also. Note ALSO. . . This helmet needs the Vega Type A shield if you want to order an extra. Not the one shown in the "Customers Also Ordered" list in this Altura item listing. See the Vega Helmet website for a download of helmet parts.

The first time this helmet was delivered, the plastic around the bottom of the helmet was cracked and starting to pull off the helmet. Amazon exchanged it for me, but the second helmet had the exact same problem. It seems sort of a trivial issue, because that piece of plastic isn't there to offer protection. But shouldn't a brand new helmet come intact? Especially if you try twice? Amazon , was very helpful in getting the helmet returned, but customer service at Vega could have cared less about my issue. Certainly wont be buying Vega again.

The other reviews said this helmet fits small, so I ordered a size up after referring to Vega's sizing chart. Unfortunately, this helmet is still too small. The chin bar sits almost flush against my chin and the top squeezes the tip for my forehead. In addition, the helmet sits so high on my head such that my chin and jaw line peek out about 1/2 inch below the chin bar and my eyes are situated well below the center of the visor. On the positive side, the helmet is fairly well ventilated, though it tends to fog up even when stopped at a traffic light, changing the visor is pretty easy, and the price is fantastic (unless you have to send it back though). If you have a short and roundish head, this might be the helmet for you.

I order this helmet to fit my big melon because all of the modern helmets seem to have changed their base design since my last KBC helmet purchase back in the late 90's. All new helmets won't fit over my head enough to get my head inside My KBC was only a 1XL and fit perfectly, but it's old and I can get shields for it anymore. So I needed a new one. Not one store in all of Seattle metro area had a helmet that I could even get on. Internet research found a couple of companies that made BIG sizes. I tried the Magnums, and they were too small, SO I tried this Vega Altura in 5XL, the biggest they make. I was able to get it on, and it was actually probably one size larger than I needed. A 4XL probably would have been just right. However, for whatever reason, they make the chin strap with a snap built into the strap near the end, I guess to cut down on flapping maybe? The problem is the D-rings aren't "D" shaped, they and square "[ ]" shaped ones that made getting that stupid snap through them without slipping back out. I absolutely hated that aspect of this helmet. It literally took me almost 5 minutes of messing with it witch cold hands to get it strapped on. With my Old helmet, less than 10 seconds. The finish seemed fine (gloss black). The venting was odd however, as it seemed to blow air into my right eye. The chin section of the shell had a rubber lining / insert on the inside that did not fit well which I could not correct. This caused the chin section to rest on my chin which is not what you want. The internal padding had no real padding for the very top of my head which put my head against the hard Styrofoam inner shell. It did not hurt, but it needs padding there to protect from any impact. Essentially, it's a usable helmet, but I found the build quality and design to be below what I want, and that chin strap snap made it unusable for me. My search goes on.

I am a female scooterist, and this is a pretty good helmet. I do have to take my glasses off, then put my helmet on, then close the face guard, but it's well worth it. I recommend keeping your mouth closed before putting the helmet on, or you might bite your cheek when once it's on and you try to close your mouth. This might seem inconvenient, but a tight fit means that my face is protected, and I like that.

For a budget helmet, I'm very happy with this one so far. It's comfortable and not too noisy. The visor stays put in whatever position I open and close it in and the venting isn't great but does allow enough air flow so far. Granted, I've not used it in the heat of a Texas summer yet but so far, so good. I've had to reinsert the vent cover at the mouth and have read reviews that it's common for that piece to fail. Otherwise the covers and such are holding up well and it's a pretty decent looking helmet imho. Safety wise, I hope I never have to put it to the test and it is DOT certified of course but also ECE certed which I hear is a bit more strenuous than DOT but not as high as Snell rating.

Cool helmet! Fit nice and snug with good ventilation...it even has a pocket area for a blue tooth headphones. On the first day, got caught in a typical East Big Island downpour - no fogging issues. I typically wear an XL, and fortunately the XL I purchased fits perfectly, plus it matches my Honda Shadow Phantom...