Saturday 12 June 2010

Kali Protection



The guys at Bullet Distribution sent me some more of the Kali protective gear to test, so far no serious head to the ground testing has happened so will have to comment on the secondary features of the helmets such as comfort and style. The two helmets I have been trying are the Avita Carbon a more XC orientated lid shown above and the Raja 'piss pot.'

Not so much to say about the raja really as with all lids of this type it has a thick layer of foam encased in a hard outer shell with minimal venting to achieve maximum head protection. The fit is good, I like the graphics and the subtle styling features with the 'rail' over the top make it stand out from other equivalent helmets. It comes with a range of padding sizes as to be expected to fine tune the fit.

The Avita is something a bit more special. I guess it is targeted more at the trail rider who wants an all day lid with plenty of venting but also with a good level of protection. It mixes up carbon to keep the weight low, has lots of vents but still seems to be chunky enough to be of use in a decent crash. The helmet has a decent adjustable headband that is easy to use and feels secure and a visor to keep the sun out of the eyes. I think the styling is good with minimal graphics and a not too extreme shape.

i have also been testing some Kali Aazis soft knee pads. These have actually had some proper testing following a fair few crashes up at Harthill. They are similar in concept to the Troy Lee T-Bones which really are the classic when it comes to pads. The Kali pads are really comfortable as the bits in contact with your leg are nice and soft and stretchy and dont seem to get too hot or sweaty. I happily spent a weekend in them and forgot they were there really. Protection is good. The knee has both front and side protection and I can say it definitely works. The only downside to them is the fabric encasing the front of the knee pad isnt as hard wearing as other pads such as the T-Bones. After a weekend there were some noticable scuffs and snags in this outer fabric, they are still perfectly usable but they may be best suited under jeans to get the most life out of them.


More details on all these products can be found here.

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