HJC Furion helmet

HJC has created the Furion using its knowledge of motorcycling race helmets and its very own wind tunnel to perfect the aerodynamics and ventilation. We can't measure one of those and the other isn't all that great, but what I can tell you is that this is one very cleverly made, comfortable skid lid.

• Pros: Comfort, clever internal skeleton, good price for an aero helmet
• Cons: Not the best airflow

First off, I like the look of the Furion – which is probably the main reason any of us choose a helmet in the first place, followed closely by budget, another place where the HJC impresses.

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Aero helmets are inherently expensive, and at £149.99 the Furion could be considered good value for money against the opposition. It's £30 less than the recently tested Abus GameChanger at £179.99, and cheaper still than others: the Smith Overtake at £220, Uvex EDAero (£189.99) and the Giro Vanquish (£239), although you do get a visor with that one.

It's no good being cheapest if that compromises performance, but the Furion delivers in most areas, if not all.

Weight-wise this M/L (57/59cm) model measures 215g on the road.cc Scales of Truth, which is competitive against others in its field. It certainly doesn't feel heavy on the head.

Helmets, like saddles, are very rider-specific. What suits some people can be an absolute bane for others, but I found the Furion to be very comfortable indeed. It's more of an oval shape than round, like some, with the cradle inside starting just back from the temples, so as you adjust it for size you have quite a lot of this matching the shape of your bonce too.

The pads HJC provides are soft without being squishy, so they don't flatten out when you put on the helmet, plus they incorporate silver chloride particles, a natural ingredient which has the capabilities to eliminate bacteria and fungi. I've had quite a few sweaty miles in the Furion and I can safely say it ain't whiffing yet.

The reason for all of those sweaty miles is the fact that the ventilation isn't that great. It's better than wearing a full-on time trial helmet but it is noticeably warmer than my benchmark, the Met Manta, which is still my go-to helmet nearly two years after testing it.

> Read more: Should you buy an aero helmet?

What I like the most about the Manta is its ventilation; it feels like it's literally sucking the air in and you feel just as cool as if you are wearing a normal vented lid. It has a similar number of vents as the HJC too.

I counted 15 vents on the Furion, which includes five at the front – three vertical and two horizontal above the forehead – but you don't really feel much from these even in cold weather. You don't feel the chill against your skin.

For removing the warm air HJC has included two scoops on the sides, one either side above the ears and two above the back of the head, followed by a cluster at the rear.

According to HJC, 'In order to achieve maximum ventilation, a technical adaptation of Bernoulli's principle is applied to aerodynamically enhanced models. In motion, the rate of surface flow in general increases towards the rear progression. Through pressure differences, cool air from the frontal intake is exhausted through the rear vent for internal heat dissipation, giving the cyclist optimum ventilation while riding.'

As the weather has warmed up I haven't felt like I'm in a sweatbox, but I haven't felt exactly cool or refreshed either.

Safely say...

When it comes to safety, the Furion has a CE EN 1078 certificate to allow its sale in Europe, and a KC one for its native country of Korea.

Secondary impacts are always a concern in crashes, and while the EPS (expanded polystyrene) is moulded to the outer shell to try to keep the helmet intact after the initial blow, it can't be guaranteed. HJC has incorporated an internal skeleton which criss-crosses its way around and over the helmet to help keep it all intact.

Overall, I really like the HJC Furion. It's a well-designed helmet with great comfort and weight, at a decent price, but while its venting isn't exactly bad, it's not as good as some of the others out there. It comes in about seven different colours too, if this one doesn't grab you.

Verdict

Awesome looking, very comfortable aero helmet that might be too hot for some