AGV AX-8 Evo

One of the most prominent features of riding gear is the helmet. Some are sleek, some aren’t. Some standout, and some just blend right in. Back in 2010, Gautier Paulin and Davi Millsaps showed up to Anaheim I wearing brand new helmets that undoubtedly stood out: the AGV AX-8. Now that lid has been out for a couple of years, and the Italian company just released an updated version dubbed the AGV AX-8 Evo.

An unusual, angular design helps the AX-8 Evo standout from most other helmets. But looks are not the only highlight of AGV’s newest off-road brain bucket.

Features:

• New internal padding with increased thickness for improved comfort and greater stability in professional use.
• New outer shell shape in chin area plus a wider and softer base edge help reduce neck brace interference while decreasing risk of impact trauma due to the “shock absorber function.”
• Shell: 3 shell sizes; SSL (Super Super Light) shell in fiberglass, Kevlar, Carbon
• IVS (Integrated Ventilation System); 5 front air vents, 2 lateral vents on the chin guard and 2 rear extractors
• Fabric: breathable Dri-Lex with sanitizing treatment
• Fully removable and washable padding
• Sizes XXS-XXXL
• $379.95

The AX-8 Evo is one of those products that you see and just can’t help but wonder how it works and functions. Fortunately we recently got the opportunity to try one out and immediately noticed the weight, or lack thereof. With a claimed 1340 grams (about 2.95 lbs.) for the medium size, the AX-8 Evo is a very light lid.

As for fitment, I typically wear a large helmet but found AGV’s large size to be a little too snug. However, since the helmet uses the same shell sizes for L and XL, all that needed to be done was to change the inner padding. Once that was taken care of, the AX-8 Evo to fit pretty comfortably: snug fitment with no noticeable pressure points.

I almost always wear neck protection and was curious as to how the AGV would interact with a Leatt brace. When first putting on the helmet, the unique chin piece does seem to come in contact with the front plate of the brace a little sooner than other helmets. However, once on the track, I never noticed this issue.

Thanks to the larger than average mouth port and the Integrated Ventilation System in the shell, breathability is pretty good. Even after a full moto in the scorching heat at Milestone MX Ranch, my head remained cool and relatively dry (which is saying a lot since I could probably break a sweat in a tub of ice).

The only issue I noticed with the AX-8 Evo is the eye port. While the port itself is plenty big enough, the design of the EPS foam and liner cause the user’ face to be more recessed within the helmet than average. Since the user’s face is further back, there is less space for goggle movement. The result is slightly decreased breathability and slightly crowded feeling around the near the face. This was my own experience, but a smaller sized goggle frame helped remedy the issue.

Overall, the AGV AX-8 Evo is a great helmet offering. The new lid has all the features of a high-end helmet at a mid-level pricepoint. If you want to standout on the track (in a positive way) without sacrificing functionality, weight, or your wallet, the AX-8 Evo is worth a look.

For more information, visit www.agv.com.

-Bayo