Those who wear a MX type helmet know this: having a helmet/goggles combination that fits perfectly is a must for an enjoyable snowmobile ride. After all, who hasn’t seen a friend (or maybe it was you?) open a snowmobile hood to defrost their goggles near the exhaust pipe?
More time in deep snow and less time defrosting your lens with the 509 kit!
This year, 509 sent SledMagazine.com the Altitude helmet with the heated Kingpin Ignite goggles kit. Much to my delight, there are no wires that need to run to my snowsuit interior or the cockpit. The battery is directly on the goggles’ strap. There’s no need to say, the kit is very nice and fits just perfectly with my 509 Allied suit as well!
Photo of my kit at the beginning of the season
The goggles fit effortlessly on the helmet, allowing you to benefit from 509’s expertise in goggles/helmet combinations. The legendary 509 balaclava, with contoured shaping, ensures that it sticks directly over the nose. By applying some pressure on the metal pin, you can mould it to fit the shape of your nose. This way, the air cannot get into the goggles. I would have liked the balaclava to be a little longer as I had to pull it to readjust it to my face every time I put my helmet back on. It’s an effort that is easy to forgive, though.
I tested the Altitude helmet with and without a balaclava. On warmer days, a simple neck gaiter did the job, allowing me to breathe better in the helmet. Even without a balaclava, no air touched my face when I drove my snowmobile. With the balaclava, you can ride in more “normal” temperatures in winter. I would wear the Altitude in relatively cold conditions, especially with the heated goggles. Maybe not at -35 degrees Celcius, but still at cold temperatures! Once well sealed, it’s almost as warm as a modular helmet! I also noticed it has good sound insulation, but not too much, which allowed me to hear my riding companions without removing my helmet every time we stopped.
The helmet with the GoPro clip
When driving off the trail, even when I was very warm, the air vents on the side and top of the helmet always evacuated the heat well. I once ran out of air and had to take the helmet off, but that was after I got someone out of a very nasty mess! I also noticed that condensation builds up in the guard under the chin and forms small icicles. As it’s made of fabric, you need to plan a night near the woodstove if you want it to be dry the next morning.
As for the Kingpin goggles, I like their minimalist style. As mentioned earlier, they sit perfectly on the Altitude helmet. I would have liked a few more degrees to have a better peripheral vision, though. Also, the red lens makes the snowy features more difficult to distinguish. I may opt for a yellow lens as a result of my trial.
On the rare occasions when my goggles fogged up, all I had to do was press a button on the battery attached to the strap! It took only ten seconds before the defrosting started, and I would stop it after about five minutes. The only thing missing from these goggles is a way to hide the wire that can plug into the battery. It should also be noted that I rode without the battery most of the time, as it’s relatively heavy (especially considering that it’s rarely used). As a result, the wire would toss in the wind during all this time.
The battery of the Kingpin Ignite goggles
To conclude, you rarely make a mistake when choosing a 509 helmet. The Altitude is undoubtedly part of this assertion. It’s lightweight, comfortable, stylish and goes well with the Kingpin Ignite goggles. As for the goggles, they’re also an excellent product, which you can use with and without the battery. Once again, thank you very much to 509 for trusting the SledMagazine.com team!
