Arai Contour-X in Snake Red

We?ve all seen the commercials where the Most Interesting Man in the World says, ?I don?t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.? Likewise, Arai doesn?t often release a new helmet, but when it does, it gets it right. More than 70 years of experience went into the development of the new Arai Contour-X. 

As we?ve written about in previous reviews and in our ?The Why Behind Arai Helmets? feature, Arai maintains a steadfast commitment to building helmet shells with a smooth, strong, round shape. As repeated experience among MotoGP, World Superbike, and other racers has shown, Arai helmets are designed to ?glance off? objects, allowing them to maintain sheer integrity, resist deformation, and spread impact energy over the widest possible area. Every exterior feature of an Arai helmet is designed to break away so that the helmet itself will not catch on anything during an impact or slide. 
Arai Contour-X in Snake Red (rear view)

The Contour-X offers excellent protection, comfort, ventilation, and aerodynamics. It features a new Peripherally Belted Complex Laminate Construction (PB-cLc2) shell that?s thinner and lighter thanks to a new fiber material and resin, yet it is just as strong as other Arai shells. The medium-size Contour-X tested here, even with the optional Pro Shade visor and Pinlock anti-fog insert installed, weighs just 3 lb, 9 oz ? the same weight as the top-of-the-line Corsair-X. 

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