HJC Furion 3 road helmet

The HJC Furion 3 is the company’s pro-level road race lid, a semi-aero helmet that does a good job of balancing airflow with an aerodynamic edge. Plush padding and a decent amount of adjustability makes for a comfortable fit, and it’s as well specced as many helmets that cost much more.

As the name suggests, this is the third version of the Furion helmet. I reviewed the original back in 2018, and Ed tested the 2.0 version in 2022. It’s classed by HJC as a semi-aero helmet, so you are getting venting at the front and rear but nothing over the top, central section.

Looking back at Ed’s review, the one thing he criticised it for was a lack of airflow, something I feel HJC has addressed with this newer version. Looking at the pictures, there have been some subtle changes to the layout of the vents on the front, with more noticeable updates to those at the rear.

It also looks like HJC has increased the number of channels inside the helmet to funnel the cold air from the front and exhaust it out of the back, taking any heat with it. It has also developed something it’s calling Coolpath, which it says replaces the inner padding to allow cool air to flow around your head.

All in all, I’d say all of these small changes have worked. Even on the hottest days of the summer I found that the Furion 3 offered sufficient airflow to keep me comfortable. A fully vented helmet will keep you cooler, but this one doesn’t sacrifice a huge amount in the airflow stakes when you want something aero.

The Furion 3 is offered in three sizes, S (51-56cm), M (55-59cm) and L (58-63cm), and you get quite a bit of adjustment via a dial at the rear to tweak circumference. You can also move the cradle fore and aft by way of a pin system at the midway point of the helmet.

There is height adjustment, too, at the rear. Some helmets have a cradle band that travels all the way around the helmet for a really precise fit, but the HJC focuses just on the rear. It worked fine for me, but if you have an odd-shaped noggin you might not be so lucky. It’d be worth a try before you buy, if possible.

Talking of options, you also have a choice of seven colours in each of those sizes, so there should be something to match your kit, bike or whatever else you want to match things to.

Like the majority of helmets, the Furion 3 is constructed of an expanded polystyrene (EPS) body with a polycarbonate shell bonded to the outside. This is not only aesthetically pleasing but also increases the chances of the helmet staying intact in the event of an impact – HJC runs the shell right the way around the bottom of the helmet, which gives the Furion 3 an upmarket look but also protects the EPS from dents and damage if dropped.

It’s quite rare to see a helmet of this price without the Mips system, but HJC has come up with its own take on rotational impact protection in the form of SLID.

SLID stands for Sliding Layer Impact Distribution and allows the helmet liner to slide or rotate a small amount, managing the rotational forces. You can see it in the photo above – the grey section in the middle of the helmet.

Weight & value

This medium size weighs 248g on the road.cc Scales of Truth, which is a 30g increase over the Furion 2.0, but still respectable.

The £269.99 Fizik Kudo I recently reviewed, for instance, weighed 303g, while the Uvex Surge Aero MIPS is even heavier at 338g. The Uvex is a semi-aero helmet too, and Emma was very impressed with it, but as well as being heavier than the Furion 3 it’s also more expensive at £219.99.

The Rudy Project Nytron helmet is another semi-aero option which is slightly heavier than the HJC, but also a bit cheaper at £189.99.

Abus’s GameChanger 2.0 MIPS is another aero lid, but again a touch heavier at 280g, but also more expensive at £260.

Basically, the trend here is showing that the Furion 3 does well on weight and price compared with a lot of the opposition. Check out more options in our guide to the best aero cycling helmets.

Conclusion

Overall, the Furion 3 is a very good choice if you’re after an aero helmet with good airflow. It’s light, comfortable and not as extremely priced as a lot of the competition, and is one I’d definitely recommend.

Verdict

Lightweight semi-aero lid that doesn’t scrimp on airflow

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