I had the chance to try the Titan helmet in several conditions. Upon reception, at the beginning of the season, the helmet arrived in trail configuration. I had my machine to break in. So, I was able to try my helmet on the federated trails fully. Since I am mostly an off-trail driver, this allowed me to try it out nicely in colder conditions and at wind exposure that I do not usually experience in my type of outings.
Most off-trail enthusiasts will adopt, like me, a “Snocross” type helmet, to increase ventilation and have glasses to limit the fogging of a standard helmet when you are hot and breathing on the glass.
The disadvantage of a “Snocross” helmet is that yes, ventilation is superior, but when you want to go to our famous mountains, you often must go through the trails.
That’s when I saw the versatility of the CKX star.
I really found that the Titan helmet, with the trail configuration, offered optimal coverage against wind and cold temperatures, I really didn’t feel the cold until I wondered if I didn’t have a full-face helmet. This effectiveness can be explained differently. First, you can see the flap under the helmet that really covers up to the hood, which means there is no air intake from underneath the helmet.
Then, the helmet comes with two pairs of glasses, one for off the trail and one for the trail. The trail only has much less ventilation, as it is not as warm, and thicker cushions for leaning against the face.
Also, there is another layer that covers the upper part of the face between the space between the helmet and the glasses to limit air entry onto the forehead.
Finally, there is a protection on the nose that also covers the space between the glasses and the chin strap. As can be seen, the Titan offers optimal protection against wind and cold in the trail configuration.
Now, under my normal driving conditions, I have to say that the choice of a helmet/glasses configuration is one of the most important things because there is nothing worse than having your favourite glasses freeze during the day and being forced to replace them. It was very important to me that the glasses remained perfect and frankly, I was surprised by the Titan in these conditions. The glasses fit snugly to my face, so the glasses don’t tend to fog up. A small note on my side, even in off-trail configuration, if we remove all the wind protection, the helmet remains very waterproof.
I always have to open the front hatch to get more air when I am stopped. This also limits the risk of the glasses fogging up, as otherwise, the heat remains in the helmet. In motion, we have enough air to breathe easily. I remain cautious though with the helmet and I am careful, there isn’t a magic helmet when it is warm and when you work hard, you have to remove the glasses to avoid them from fogging up.
The way to remove the glasses from the Titan is great, and the principle is really fast. You can put the glasses on the helmet, in addition to being able to put them back on easily with only one hand!
Honestly, at first, it took me a while to find the right configuration to limit the trouble, but then I didn’t have any problems all season and in all situations. It’s warm enough for me, especially with the two glasses and wind protection. It allows you to breathe well. I was surprised by the quality of the product and the versatility of the helmet! Often, “Snocross” helmets are not hot enough, so you need another helmet for those who go more on the trail, but with the Titan, you only have to buy one. That’s why we’re talking about an uncompromising helmet.
For more informations : www.ckxgear.com/en-ca/products/snowmobile/helmets/backcountry-helmets
