This is the best helmet I’ve ever owned, and for the price, it better be!

My friend Sean has been a modular helmet guy for years, and raved about his Schuberth. I was indifferent to the flip-up design, and harbored concerns about safety – would it come loose on impact?

But when my beloved Shoei started to show her age, and I began to shop, I kept going back to the Schuberth claims of quiet, lightweight protection with great air flow. Does it deliver?

YES, it does! I have totally become a modular convert, for the convenience of increased air and comfort – not to mention making it easier to talk to people! – when at a short stop, like for gas. I feel secure in the audible CLICK when the lid shuts closed. Luckily I’ve never had to test the impact resistance, but it certainly feels solid. The C4 is definitely lighter than my previous helmets, which is impressive given the additional features, and makes a significant difference at highway speeds (I usually ride with no windshield.) Air flow is great, with vents that are actually noticeable when open, unlike previous helmets I’ve owned. I like the easy clip chin closure, which I can even operate in gloves. In all ways, the Schuberth C4 feels like a premium, highly engineered product.

The C4 was VERY tight when it first arrived, but I know that’s the correct fit, as the foam is designed to eventually mold to the wearers’ face. The lining is extremely soft and comfortable, and soon enough it became still snug but more comfortable. I also like the generous space for my ears, making wearing ear plugs no problem.

My only criticism, which is technically minor but does affect my enjoyment of the helmet — the position options of the face shield. It gets HOT here in Georgia, and I often want as much air flow as possible. So at low speeds, I like to keep the shield cracked open on the last notch. But the position of the last notch on this helmet is too high – TOO much air gets in (cue eyes watering!), and because of the angle, once you hit a certain speed, the wind snaps it shut. If I could make one design recommendation, it would be to add one more notch position lower to the bottom.

I also splurged and got the Bluetooth setup. I have ZERO interest in talking to my riding companions 🙂 not because I don’t love them, but part of my enjoyment of motorcycling is being alone with my own thoughts. I thought I’d enjoy listening to music, but I actually use this feature less than I expected. It’s great on monotonous highway rides, but I prefer no distractions on most rides. And at highway speeds, with wind noise and earplugs in, the volume of the helmet audio doesn’t get loud enough. At top volume, I can only hear the melody slightly. So this is a bit of a disappointment.

I’ve had this helmet now for 2 years, and I see they now have a C4 Pro, C4 Pro Carbon, and a C4 Pro Women (!?) One upgrade I’m interested in is the new “integrated grooves for glasses.” While I like the flip-down visor, I’d like the option to ride with it open for more airflow while wearing sunglasses, but my current model doesn’t even have enough give at the temples to accommodate.

And while I’m skeptical of a women’s model helmet, I’d love to try the C4 Pro Woman, which claims to be “designed to fit the more slender shape of the female face.” As I’ve mentioned, my current C4 is VERY snug, so I’m curious if this would be comfortable.

In all, I highly recommend Schuberth helmets, and I support making your helmet purchase your biggest gear splurge. I always tell people that I’m quite fond of my brain and face, and my parents spent too much on orthodontia for me to skimp!