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Brief With all of the available helmets on the market today, picking the right helmet for your head could prove to be an incredibly daunting task. You'll need to think about price, fit, style, looks and safety before you can intelligently make your choice. Cheaper helmets may be as safe as the more expensive models, but usually a higher price brings with it a higher level of safety, style, fit and craftsmanship. Overview Although Suomy has been around for a while now and I've always been a little leery about giving them a try. It seemed that tales of loud helmet nose plagued every conversation I had on the subject. A few years have passed now since they have been introduced here in the states, and after talking to the good people at Helmet Harbor, I decided to give them a try. I found their site to be very informative as they strive to bring as much info to the buyer as possible. I opted for the Spec-1R as Helmet Harbor described the more expensive "Extreme" models to be quite loud. Loud? Isn't that what I was trying to avoid? Details Right out of the box, the Suomy Spec-1R helmet appears to be one of the best looking well made helmets I've ever held in my hands. It is super light and when the UPS guy handed me the box, for a second I actually thought they sent me wrong helmet as it was so light. The finish is incredible and the sticker pack looks as good as if it had been painted on. The gold and silver metal flake really makes this helmet stand out against most of the other wild helmets on the market.  The fit is snug and right on par with my Arai RX7-RR3 it was replacing. Noise level seems similar to the Arai, but I'm thinking it might be a little quieter. There is a definite difference in having a helmet that is quiet and a helmet that is too quiet. I prefer to wear a helmet that reduces as much noise as possible, without making me feel like I'm wearing earmuffs. After all, part of the cycling experience for me is to be able to hear my bike and be able to listen to any problem sounds the thing might produce as well as listening for sounds from my surrounding area. The Spec-1R hits this dead on as I find it meets both my needs and desires when it comes to sound. I've heard a lot of people complaining about the visor removal system of the Spec-1R. For me, the visor switching wasn't as bad as I've heard, but nothing beats the rip off, slide on system of the Arai. This visor uses a free lifting system like the Arai so you can position the shield anywhere rather than the notch style of most other helmets. You do need to remove the side plates with a little device they provide, but I found any instrument with a thin little end like a flat head screw driver will do the trick. After that, it's all pretty simple and the side plates snap back into place with little effort after the change is made. Similar to the Arai and other more expensive models, the inner head lining and check pads are removable and interchangeable. This provides the wearer with the opportunity to get that perfect fit by adjusting the cheek pads to his/her liking. The Spec-1R also utilizes the Venturi system to remove air from the helmet at a faster rate then when it enters. This system speeds the air through and out of the helmet providing a better cooling sensation through the helmet. This system is always open so I don't know how it's going to be in the colder months, I'll have to revise this review when I get some cool weather riding in this helmet. There is also a front chin vent that gets air to you face, and it can be open or closed like most other models. There are so many other features to this helmet; you'll just have to check them out yourself. Suomy exceeds the most stringent testing procedures and surpasses all the US and foreign standards for safety. I would expect nothing else from a high priced helmet but it's nice to know that for a relatively new company, they have such a high focus and rider safety. Hands down, the Suomy Spec-1R helmet is a great helmet. The price may be a bit high for some but if you're looking for a high end. feature rich. sweet looking helmet then you found it! At around $499.00 for the graphic versions of these helmets, they are actually cheaper than the comparable Shoei or Arai that they compete with. Thanks again to Helmet Harbor for providing me with quick and informative information which helped to decide on this very special helmet. Their prices included a tank bag, extra visor and free shipping which made an already great value, even better.
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