First Look & Launch Video: 2013 Troy Lee Designs A1 Helmet

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It's about time! After more than three years in the making, Troy Lee Designs is excited to launch the A1, TLD's first in-house all-mountain helmet.

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Troy dreamt up the A1 long ago. Today it's a reality with the help of his team.

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To bring the A1 in with style, we headed to TLD's Laguna Beach studio to meet the guys that brought it to life.

Mike David's decades of helmet design experience came into play when crafting the A1.

Bling bling! The all-new A1 in a gold flake finish, true to TLD's style.

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Cam Zink and Brandon Semenuk played an important role during the development process.

Gwinny's new lid. Note the impressive rear coverage for a more secure feeling around the back of your head.

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Remember when Brian Lopes ran this old school TLD helmet? Truth be told, it wasn't a TLD-designed helmet, they simply added the visor to a Shoei and a trick paint job. The A1 is TLD through and through.

This foam prototype helped the crew dial in the look.

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This foam prototype helped the crew dial in the look.

The paint is applied from the inside of the shell, giving the A1 the appearance of a thick clear coat finish.

TLD's MTB designer, Jeremy Kneisly, did a nice job of ensuring that the graphics go well with the Skyline, Ace, and Ruckus ranges of TLD all-mountain gear. That trend will continue.

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A true TLD fan at heart, Craig "Stikman" Glaspell was rocking an Edge helmet in the early 1990s with a TLD sticker kit. Today he's bringing it full circle by pushing this new helmet through to completion.

Sizes range from XS to XXL, and weights from 310 to 330 grams.

Even with 16 large vents, the A1 exceeds CPSC standards and CE EN certifications.

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Ever wish you could wash your helmet liner more easily? This one is removable.

Up front, the visor is super sturdy yet not overbuilt. It doesn't budge and has simple, nice adjustments much like the D3. They're just smaller and no tools are needed.

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The helmet can be adjusted to fit just about any head shape.

TLD's proprietary tension adjustment is clean and simple. We also dig the soft but grippy clear material over the red portion. It helps keep the lid secure without having to crank it down super tight.