Fly Racing Freestone Helmet
(discontinued)
Where To Buy | |||
---|---|---|---|
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. |
|||
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. |
by Nick Zuzelski
With today's all-capable, aggressive trail bikes, it is becoming more common to leave the DH bike back at home while getting our adrenaline fix on similar terrain at high speeds with these shorter travel steeds and open face helmets. For your head, this means you should probably be looking to maximize the amount of protection offered by your trail lid, as a simple XC helmet may easily be overwhelmed in case of a big crash. Fly Racing has recently entered the MTB game and have now brought the Freestone helmet to the table. Lightweight and breathable, with a long list of features like extended rear profile cranial protection and patented ConeHead Foam Technology to save your dome in case things go bad, the Freestone is set to be a contender as your next favorite trail helmet.
Freestone Helmet Highlights
- ConeHead Technology crumple foam for impact absorption and energy dissipation featuring dual density foam
- Deep rear EPS profile for extended crash protection
- Adjustable moto inspired visor
- One handed dial fit adjustment
- 19 vents
- Ventilated comfort liner with built in bug screen
- 5 colors, 3 sizes
- Cushy EVA impact foam on sides and back for comfort and protection.
- 6 piece shell construction for a unique style and bold look
- Safety compliance: EN1078-1997 + A1-2005 standards
- Weight: 317g (Med/Large)
- MSRP: $109.95 USD
Initial Impressions
Pulling the Blue/Hi-Viz version of the Freestone out of the box, the design, finish and overall looks were solid - this helmet is poppin' fresh. After throwing it on my head, the medium size fit nicely and seemed true to size compared to other brands. I reached for the rear adjustable dial fit knob and gave it a few clicks to perfectly snug the helmet around my head. After testing a pre-production version of this helmet last fall, the fit and padding on the production unit was more refined and very comfortable. It was also nice to have the adjustable visor to get that perfect angle for max trail swagger.
On The Trail
The Freestone has proven to be comfortable from the very first test fitting to the back-end of 5 hour trail epics. Through many rides with the Freestone, the venting and liner kept my head cool and comfortable, even in the heat of southern Utah and the muggy East Coast. As a good proof point of this I often found myself just keeping the helmet on my head during breaks as it doesn't make me feel I am going to overheat or sweat to death.
The extended rear profile that protects the lower rear part of your skull and the ConeHead Technology of the Freestone both add an element of peace of mind; you know that you are wearing something that has been engineered to protect you that little bit extra if you should take that bad tumble. Fortunately, I have not had the chance to test the crashworthiness of this helmet, but on the evidence of the finish and the amount of R&D put into it, I feel it would surely do its job as well as could be expected of an open face piece of head protection.
While riding with a hydration pack, I do notice occasional contact between the extended rear profile of the helmet and top of the pack, especially while standing during rough sections of trail since your head is tilted back more during this position. While no major interference was caused, there did seem to be the occasional need to push back the helmet as it tips forward over time. This slight contact seems to also sometimes bump the helmet's dial fit adjustment and cause it to loosen, and I sometimes find myself re-adjusting the dial on climbs or during breaks to get that proper secure fit back. This only occurs while riding with a pack, and will of course depend on your riding position and the profile of your pack.
Things That Could Be Improved
As mentioned above, the Freestone's dial fit adjustment knob could probably use more resistance to keep the fit more secure in the event that it makes contact with your hydration pack.
Long Term Durability
So far, the Freestone has stood up to all the riding, traveling and abuse I can throw at it. The liner is removable and washable and seems to be holding up well. I would suggest hand washing the liner as sometimes the washing machine can be a little rough on these. In all, this helmet should be in it for the long haul.
What's The Bottom Line?
Fly has come out swinging with their new Freestone. Packed full of features and style, the Freestone keeps you cool on the trail and protected when things go bad - and the price is right too. If you are in the market for a new trail helmet that raises the bar on the standard open face protection, the Freestone should be on your short list.
Visit www.flyracing.com for more details.
About The Reviewer
Nick Zuzelski began riding motocross at a young age, a sport that would eventually lead him to the world of downhill. As a Colorado native, racing downhill, dual slalom, or a chill dirt jump session was never far away, and he eventually worked his way up the ranks to the Pro level. Now residing in Eastern Pennsylvania, he recently changed it up from the Rocky Mountain dust to East Coast loam, world class dirt jumps, and rocks... lots of rocks. If a trail has fast flow and some fun gaps, he is grinning ear to ear and getting after it. Living by the assumption that basically everything feels better with a short stem and wide bars, you can count on him keeping it real with a laid back attitude and flat pedals most of the time. Mechanical Engineer by trade, rider by heart, he enjoys riding it, finding out how it works, and making it better.
1 member reviews
Good colorways
Light weight
Rear head cover
Adjustable visor
awkward visor adjustment
matte finish scratches easily
No camera mount
I have been looking for a helment with more back of the head coverage and picked this up from Jenson with a great price match, so the price was way cheaper then the average $109 retail.
First impression was right on on. The helmet has lots of vents (19) and is super light. The dial system retention and adjustable chin strap offer lots ofadjustability. I chose the Hi-Viz Blue in a size med/large. While I am not sure about the other colorway's finish, the Hi-Viz blue is more matte than glossy, which I personally really like.
Out of the box the fit was good. Didn't have to do any adjustment with the chin straps, but they were tight under my chin the way I like it. Using the dial to get the helmet snug seemed to take a lot of, 19 clicks to get it feeling good. I chose my helment size based on Fly's fitting chart, but you might want to go down a size. For reference I wear a fitted hat of 7 3/8 and my head circumference is 23", which puts me right at the start of large.
One complaint on the fit of the helmet is the related to the dial. As you dial in you start to get a bit of "float", the helmet lifts a bit as you tighten it up. Almost everytime I ride I find my self dial in and then pull the helmet down and then dialing a couple of more clicks to get it just right. Now a huge issues, but defitinately not perfect.
On the trail the helmet feels great! The vents keep your head super cool and I haven't gotten the sweat dripping down my face like I have with other helmets. The overall lightness also transfers well while riding, the helmet really has a "not really there" feeling to me. One surprise was that the helmet really says put while riding. I was worried with the floating when dial in that on the trail the helmet would slide up and move around, but it no such issue yet.
My complaints on this helmet are small and maybe even knit picky, but here they are.
Adjustment for the visor is really awkward. There is a dial right in the middle and under the front of the visor, but its a super tight fit. You can get at the dial with your fingers, so you need to jab at with a small tool or a finger nail (hope you don't find breaking a nail). The visor is a set and forget and not something that is trial adjustable.
The matte finish shows scuffs and scratches a bit easily. If you like a clean look this finish won't be your cup of tea. I have taken any spills in it, but it does show some marks just from transport.
And my finally little beef, no camera mount. Not a make or break, but would definitely be appreciated as a lot of helments in the this price range are starting to get them.
Overall this is a great helmet with a lot of good features at a good price. I imagine that Fly will keep working on this helmet and fix the rough edges and improving it. If you can get this at retail, or a little bit less, you will be happy with your purchase. I imagine I will be rocking this helmet for a few years to come.
0 comments
Post a reply to: Smooth Looks and Great Function!
Specifications
Adjustable moto inspired visor
One hand dial fit adjustment, dial fit on the fly
Quick adjust chin/cheek strap
Where To Buy | |||
---|---|---|---|
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. |
|||
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. |
2 comments
Post a reply to: Tested: Fly Racing Freestone Helmet