Troy Lee Designs Air Helmet

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Review by Joe Carlino // Photos by Joe Carlino and Michael Lindsay

In the moto world, Troy Lee Designs is synonymous with style, whether it's their top-of-the-line gear or their smallest little products. At the top of this list is their helmet line, which is known for the SE3. However, this is not their only helmet, as they also offer a lower-priced model, the Air. I've recently been looking for a good mid-range helmet to test out, so I decided to give the Air a few months of attention to see if it lives up to TLD's excellent reputation.

Troy Lee Designs Air Helmet Features:

• Dual-density Shock Pad System and EPS liner.
• Hi-flow intake vents provides increased airflow.
• Meets SNELL M2010, DOT FMVSS .218 and CE 22.05 safety standards.
• Helmet bag included.
• Cheek pads, helmet liner, and chin straps are fully removable for washing.
• MSRP: $330

First impressions

If there’s any helmet on the market that will catch your eye, it will be a TLD. Coming from generations of custom helmet designs, these guys are, in my opinion, the leaders and innovators when it comes to looks in the moto market. The Air helmet itself is lightweight but feels well-built in your hands. The inner pads felt soft, smooth and comfortable as I slipped it over my head. TLD also offers removable cheek pads in many sizes to help accommodate our different shaped and sized heads (unfortunately, they're an additional purchase.) Compared to other helmets on the market, I found the front of the Troy Lee Air Helmet to be quite a bit closer to my face than usual. For some riders, this may be a bit uncomfortable, as it can cause a claustrophobic feeling when geared up.

As for safety, the dual-density EPS liner is designed to protect your head from big impacts, while the softer inner pads are meant to withstand lower-speed impacts. All-in-all, this adds up to a helmet that meets SNELL, DOT, and CE safety standards.

On the Track

While riding with this helmet all summer, it quickly became apparent why TLD dubbed this helmet the Air, due to the heavy amount of airflow throughout the inside of the helmet. It’s a great feeling to be blasting down a straightaway and feel some breeze keeping you cool! The helmet is lightweight, while the snug fit also kept it from moving around during those rough, grueling motos. A major concern with any helmet purchase today is the goggle fitment. Personally, I used Dragon NFXs goggles, but when trying the larger Dragon NFX, I found that they were too big to use with this TLD Air helmet, but most normal-sized goggle frames should work just fine.

Long-Term Durability

After a few months of abuse, the helmet seems up to par. After a few runs through the washing machine, the removable liners have held up with their original comfort and shape. The only thing I found unusual was that the liner was a bit stuck during the first removal from some excessive glue that had reached the edge of the liner.

The Last Word

To me, Troy Lee Designs makes some of the best-looking helmets on the market, hands down. This new Air Helmet offers great airflow, it’s lightweight and stylish. At $330, it’s very hard to go wrong with this purchase. But what you need to understand with that great deal is that you don’t get the advanced safety technology like MIPS, ODS or the emergency cheek pad release system, which is offered in other helmets on the market. In the end, it comes down to what you can afford and what fits you best. Overall, it's a mid-range helmet that does its job.

Vital MX Rating

Check out TroyLeeDesigns.com to check out all the Air's designs and where you can get one.

About the Test Rider

Joe Carlino - is the guy next door. He looks for products with best value and buys them right off the shelf, just like you. He’s gained experience from being on two wheels since he was a kid. He has bought, built, repaired, and ridden everything from BMX bikes to vintage motorcycles to motocross bikes. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, he spends 75 percent of his free time riding the sticky dirt tracks of Washougal and Mountain View and the rest of his time riding the prime single track trails of Tillamook Forest and Hood River. Joe makes a hobby of this when he’s not traveling the world making snowboarding films for Nike SB. With ten years of experience in the action sports industry, he has an honest look at these products from a consumer’s point of view.