Airoh recently entered the US market and its first helmet to arrive in the States was the Aviator 2.1 Carbon. It’s an off-road lid designed with premium-spec components that features sleek, aggressive styling and comes with a handful of extra goodies to make it adaptable to nearly any condition an off-road rider will face.
An Italian brand, Airoh has been around since 1997 and subsequent years saw it sponsor European champions such as Toni Cairoli, Antoine Meo, Jeffrey Herlings and others. Stateside riders like Blake Wharton, Jason Anderson and Taddy Blazusiak all sport Airoh lids as well.
The outer shell is made of Kevlar and carbon composite fibers, and with the Carbon 2.0 you can clearly see the fiber weave incorporated into the aesthetics of the helmet. The top-spec components equate to a feather-light lid that I honestly, at times, forgot was even on. When we put the Aviator Carbon on the scale is weighed a scant 2.85 pounds, or 1292 grams.
Field of vision is wide and the visor is also adjustable via easy-to-turn quick-release screws.
Airoh includes a GoPro mount and has incorporated a built-in mounting point at the crown of the lid. There is also a visor extender and protective covers for the top vents that screw on with the aid of the included tool Airoh has connected to a lanyard, in case a mid-trail adjustment is necessary.
All-in-all the fit and finish of the Aviator 2.1 DOT Carbon helmet is top-notch and the premium components are conspicuous and functional.
The difficult issue with the Airoh lid is its cost. As tested, the Aviator has a premium price-tag of $659.99. That isn’t the base line, however, and there are two solid-color options, matte black and pear white, that still feature the carbon fiber and Kevlar construction and are priced at $499.99. The Airoh Aviator 2.1 also seems to elicit a love-it or hate-it response in terms of its styling, though for me the angular design was one of my favorite features.
Unfortunately I only had one day to ride with the Airoh Aviator 2.1 Carbon; I got a little banged up in an off a week later and had to sit most of the winter out. Long term testing this coming riding season will help to confirm or deny whether my initial, positive impressions will hold true. Stay tuned for more in the coming months.
