LAS Victory helmet

Our man Dave tested the Las Victory helmet four years ago and liked it. This latest version fits really well, is superbly made, looks great and the new chinstrap buckle is a worthwhile improvement on an already great lid.

The helmet has an in-moulded construction, meaning the outer shell is directly moulded to the foam. The shell also extends down the sides and around the bottom to protect the foam from knocks and scrapes, keeping your helmet looking new and fresh for longer.

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Las have their own in-house testing lab to ensure their helmets meet safety requirements, and as well as looking well made and durable the Victory is certified to CE EN:1078.

To provide the best protection it can, a helmet also needs to fit well. Heads are all shapes and sizes, but the Victory is helped by a micro-dial at the back that lets you fine-tune the girth. There's vertical adjustment as well – 59mm of it – making for a very precise and secure fit. It's available in two sizes: small 53-59cm and large 57-62cm.

The magic number on the road.cc scales says 271g (small). Not the lightest helmet I've tested, and you can certainly get lighter in this price bracket, but it doesn't feel heavy.

The woven nylon chinstrap feels comfortable and has a soft fleecy chin protector thingy that's held in place with a bit of Velcro. The buckle is a new design I haven't seen before, called Fidlock. It's magnetic and clips into place if you hold the two bits near each other. To release, you push a little button and they slide apart. Easy-peasy with one hand, even gloved, and no more pinching of your chin.

The Victory has 25 vents, so plenty of ventilation, and like the other Las helmets we've tested it comes with two sets of liners: a minimal version for the hottest weather, and another with mesh covering the vents, cutting down the airflow and its cooling properties to keep your bonce warmer on colder days; it also keeps insects out of your hair, so useful on hotter days if that ‘bugs’ you.

The Airtex padding is removable and washable, and survives those washes just fine. It's also treated with something called Interpower, which is said to speed up its wicking capability.

At £115.99, it's not cheap, but it is a really good helmet. At the moment, it can be bought for just over £80 if you shop around, and at that price it comes highly recommended.

Verdict

Looks good, fits well and has an innovative chinstrap buckle – the Victory's a winner!