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This here is my review of the SMK Twister helmet:
(Note: This post here is borrowed from my post in the Helmets thread/poll under Universal Threads section. I have carried out some modifications and added information as deemed fit after using the helmet for almost a month. I have gone through most the points in my original post and hence refrained from writing it all again from scratch. Cheers!)
I have the SMK Twister Skull in Gloss white from Karol Bagh. Not sure about which shop as my brother bought it. He checked out some other brands of helmets and went ahead with this one. I was leaning towards the MT revenge, but after inspecting it up close, I say this is a pretty good helmet. It has speaker pockets for intercom devices, inner sun visor, ECE certification and a pinlock ready visor. Came with the pinlock 30 antifog insert lens and a soft cover for the helmet.
Here are some eye candy.
Riding back from Karol bagh gave us an idea about the effectiveness of the pinlock insert lens, notice the moisture outside the insert lens.
That is just a smudge, probably from an oily finger used for shoving gujiyas into the mouth due to holi. [emoji12]
Notice the slot for bluetooth intercom/communicator devices.
#1: Fit
I was kind of skeptical of the fit earlier on as the helmet moves or you can say jiggles around when I shake my head sideways vigorously. I'm a metalhead and I'm good with my headbanging skills.
I tried some really weird movements(weird for non-metalheads
) to see if they helmet can slide or tilt, but it stays firm. It just jiggles round. but doesn't actually move left or right. The cheek pads press firmly on the cheeks, making you pout like a fish. Felt a little weird, since I have been using open face or half face helmets for a long time. but I'm quite sure that it is the right size. A size lower would have been tough if not impossible to put my head into and might be abrasive on the facial skin.
Another key point to note is that I can wear my spectacles inside the helmet. And the best part is that the inner sun visor does not interfere with my glasses. I have 3 layers, 4 if you count the pinlock visor as well between my eyes and the road, during the day, when it's sunny obviously. The inner sun visor is smoky in color and not jet black, which is very nice as it does not reduce visibility.
#2: Stability
With a good fit, it is assured that the helmet is going to be stable at high speeds or any speed. This is the case with this helmet and my head. The helmet feels very secure and locked in on the head, even at speeds like 120kph. Doing side and rear checks for any traffic in the blind spots is comfortable and it never wobbled on the expressway. It gives you good amounts of confidence and security while riding.
#3: Wind Noise
There is some wind noise in this helmet. It has two main vents that can be closed, one on the chin and the other on the forehead. During my ride I had them closed, because who wants to eat dust, right?
The wind noise starts with a whistling on the forehead kind of sound from the 60-80kph mark and then builds up to a distant sounding howl above the 100kph mark. Frankly, it is not loud at all, but it sure is windy. The kind you can hear, but not feel. I think it is the right amount, otherwise it would be difficult hearing the horns of other vehicles and/or the sound your own vehicle is making. I always prefer being able to hear what the engine is doing.
On a side note: It is quite soundproof from the inside and just opening the vent on the chin won't allow you to talk to people. I don't know how it will fare up in scenarios where you are using a GoPro for Motoblogging as I'm not into that. Primarily because I don't have a GoPro. You will need to raise the visor in order to talk to people or take a phone call, in speaker mode obviously. And don't forget to pull over before you do so.
#4: Visibility
The visibility is very good, especially due to the pinlock 30 visor which cuts down on the fogging. The only thing that gets fogged up is my glasses, but that's only when I'm stationary and the visor is closed all the way. Having the inner sun visor down speeds up that fogging, but then again it goes away the moment you start moving. Currently the visor is a clear one and looks like it is going to be that way, thanks to the inner sun visor. Also that I don't want to carry around another visor and then change them according to the time of the day. There is little to no distortion due to the visor and there aren't any changes in the perception of depth or distance. Spare visors are quite cheap, so that is a good thing. 300 bucks for the mirror finished visor! Who wants a Bell transition shield? Not me!
#5: Ventilation
The ventilation is good, even with the vents closed. The only part sweating was my forehead and the temples. A slight more ventilation will be appreciated. The padding feels nice and does not irritate the facial skin. The padding is removable and washable, obviously. I do however feel a bit suffocated inside the helmet after some time. Maybe it is so because I have been using half face helmets for the past 6 years. Not a big deal and will most likely go away with time as I get used to the helmet.
#6: Quality
I'm quite surprised that SMK turned out to be such a nice investment. Technically it is a Studds helmet as they have the trademark, but it is the only Indian brand(if it is Indian made) that was mentioned on the website of Pinlock. That really narrowed it down. There are so many features that you are getting at the price point, although a D-ring strap retention system would have been a lot better. There is a slot for bluetooth communication devices which you ususally find on helmets beyond the INR 10k mark. The overall finish is pretty good and it fares up well against brands like SOL and MT. The only drawback, if you compare it with MT is that they have more certifications like DOT and Sharp ratings, but at a much higher price.
#7: Weight
The helmet weighs 1450 gms which to me feels alright. Very comfortable when worn and easy to carry around. Does not feel heavy but you know the weight is there. I don't have any issues with the weight despite being a slim, 5'9" build guy.
I hope that I have covered most of the points that should be addressed in a review and I also hope that this review is helpful for anyone who has been wondering about SMK helmets. I have been in that same spot and since no reviews were available, I was not able to make the decision earlier on. But as they say, better late than never.
Cheers and regards,
Safe riding! [emoji111]
(Note: This post here is borrowed from my post in the Helmets thread/poll under Universal Threads section. I have carried out some modifications and added information as deemed fit after using the helmet for almost a month. I have gone through most the points in my original post and hence refrained from writing it all again from scratch. Cheers!)
I have the SMK Twister Skull in Gloss white from Karol Bagh. Not sure about which shop as my brother bought it. He checked out some other brands of helmets and went ahead with this one. I was leaning towards the MT revenge, but after inspecting it up close, I say this is a pretty good helmet. It has speaker pockets for intercom devices, inner sun visor, ECE certification and a pinlock ready visor. Came with the pinlock 30 antifog insert lens and a soft cover for the helmet.
Here are some eye candy.
Riding back from Karol bagh gave us an idea about the effectiveness of the pinlock insert lens, notice the moisture outside the insert lens.
That is just a smudge, probably from an oily finger used for shoving gujiyas into the mouth due to holi. [emoji12]
Notice the slot for bluetooth intercom/communicator devices.
#1: Fit
I was kind of skeptical of the fit earlier on as the helmet moves or you can say jiggles around when I shake my head sideways vigorously. I'm a metalhead and I'm good with my headbanging skills.
I tried some really weird movements(weird for non-metalheads) to see if they helmet can slide or tilt, but it stays firm. It just jiggles round. but doesn't actually move left or right. The cheek pads press firmly on the cheeks, making you pout like a fish. Felt a little weird, since I have been using open face or half face helmets for a long time. but I'm quite sure that it is the right size. A size lower would have been tough if not impossible to put my head into and might be abrasive on the facial skin.Another key point to note is that I can wear my spectacles inside the helmet. And the best part is that the inner sun visor does not interfere with my glasses. I have 3 layers, 4 if you count the pinlock visor as well between my eyes and the road, during the day, when it's sunny obviously. The inner sun visor is smoky in color and not jet black, which is very nice as it does not reduce visibility.
#2: Stability
With a good fit, it is assured that the helmet is going to be stable at high speeds or any speed. This is the case with this helmet and my head. The helmet feels very secure and locked in on the head, even at speeds like 120kph. Doing side and rear checks for any traffic in the blind spots is comfortable and it never wobbled on the expressway. It gives you good amounts of confidence and security while riding.
#3: Wind Noise
There is some wind noise in this helmet. It has two main vents that can be closed, one on the chin and the other on the forehead. During my ride I had them closed, because who wants to eat dust, right?
The wind noise starts with a whistling on the forehead kind of sound from the 60-80kph mark and then builds up to a distant sounding howl above the 100kph mark. Frankly, it is not loud at all, but it sure is windy. The kind you can hear, but not feel. I think it is the right amount, otherwise it would be difficult hearing the horns of other vehicles and/or the sound your own vehicle is making. I always prefer being able to hear what the engine is doing.On a side note: It is quite soundproof from the inside and just opening the vent on the chin won't allow you to talk to people. I don't know how it will fare up in scenarios where you are using a GoPro for Motoblogging as I'm not into that. Primarily because I don't have a GoPro.
You will need to raise the visor in order to talk to people or take a phone call, in speaker mode obviously. And don't forget to pull over before you do so.#4: Visibility
The visibility is very good, especially due to the pinlock 30 visor which cuts down on the fogging. The only thing that gets fogged up is my glasses, but that's only when I'm stationary and the visor is closed all the way. Having the inner sun visor down speeds up that fogging, but then again it goes away the moment you start moving. Currently the visor is a clear one and looks like it is going to be that way, thanks to the inner sun visor. Also that I don't want to carry around another visor and then change them according to the time of the day.
There is little to no distortion due to the visor and there aren't any changes in the perception of depth or distance. Spare visors are quite cheap, so that is a good thing. 300 bucks for the mirror finished visor! Who wants a Bell transition shield? Not me!#5: Ventilation
The ventilation is good, even with the vents closed. The only part sweating was my forehead and the temples. A slight more ventilation will be appreciated. The padding feels nice and does not irritate the facial skin. The padding is removable and washable, obviously. I do however feel a bit suffocated inside the helmet after some time. Maybe it is so because I have been using half face helmets for the past 6 years. Not a big deal and will most likely go away with time as I get used to the helmet.
#6: Quality
I'm quite surprised that SMK turned out to be such a nice investment. Technically it is a Studds helmet as they have the trademark, but it is the only Indian brand(if it is Indian made) that was mentioned on the website of Pinlock. That really narrowed it down. There are so many features that you are getting at the price point, although a D-ring strap retention system would have been a lot better. There is a slot for bluetooth communication devices which you ususally find on helmets beyond the INR 10k mark. The overall finish is pretty good and it fares up well against brands like SOL and MT. The only drawback, if you compare it with MT is that they have more certifications like DOT and Sharp ratings, but at a much higher price.
#7: Weight
The helmet weighs 1450 gms which to me feels alright. Very comfortable when worn and easy to carry around. Does not feel heavy but you know the weight is there. I don't have any issues with the weight despite being a slim, 5'9" build guy.
I hope that I have covered most of the points that should be addressed in a review and I also hope that this review is helpful for anyone who has been wondering about SMK helmets. I have been in that same spot and since no reviews were available, I was not able to make the decision earlier on. But as they say, better late than never.
Cheers and regards,
Safe riding! [emoji111]
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