Kingfish
100 MW
Review.
Begin...
After opening the Amazon packaging I found the box inside containing the helmet; this box was cheaply constructed and party opened. The helmet inside is wrapped in a cheap helmet bag (with a draw-string) material of which resembling recycled paper and polyester; something that wouldn’t last a week or two in the full light of day.
Profile:
Construction – Shell:
The exterior looks sharp and clean. It is much larger than I had anticipated, though fits my head OK. The visor is thinner than expected. The shield assembly has detents upon rotation that provide partial to full face retraction. When the shield is pulled down completely, breathing heavy slightly fogs the lower portion without labored effort, though seems well-ventilated by design that it may not pose a problem: If the fogging becomes too much the visor could be pulled part-way up and retain shielding while not greatly reducing visibility and utility. The nose-molding is pointless as my face, or more keenly - my nasal beak simply isn’t that protrusive to require the cutout, nor does it even reach, and is in fact an eye-catching distraction. I suppose that an extra-large head sporting an epic olfactory proboscis though might be satisfactorily obliged by the down-snout clearance. On the exterior are the DOT markings. Overall – the inspection goes well and I’d give it 4 stars out of 5: Detractors being that the size is unexpectantly large, and is heavier as well.
Construction – Lining:
Where to begin… The side pads apparently unclip and have size indication stitched in, meaning that these are swapped out to facilitate fit. The materials for construction are cheap and likely not last for more than two years tops (optimistic) – if that long, and possibly abraded within 3 months; except for the side panels - the internals cannot be removed for washing. By far the glaring weak point of the design is the chin strap: Had I seen this product before purchase I wouldn’t have solely upon the lack of thought given to the fixture; it is the cheapest-afterthought imaginable and should be completely replaced if one considered using the device with any modicum of frequency resembling commuting. Inside shell padding and materials - 3 Stars. Chin Strap - 1 Star: I would hesitate to send this as a gift to my enemies, though might be perfect as a one-time use for my ex-mother-in-law.
Compare-Contrast:
Positive Traits:
Fits well enough (sans chin-strap issues), sharp-looking, low-end motorcycle-grade protection at commuter-speeds; good match for moped protection. Slightly lighter than an off-road racing helmet.
Negative Traits:
Cheap (derogative) materials. Inferior chin-strap quality, stitching, associated clasp, snaps, and side-strapping. Motorcycle-size; far larger than expected. Not remotely bike-stealthy. Heavy relative to bike helmets at > 3 lbs.
Recommendation:
Though I am stuck with mine, I shall keep looking: I suggest you do the same as well. Quality hounds: Do not buy. Thrifty daredevils: What are you waiting for, long life?
Actually, I am quite tempted to send it back; seems like I need to spend at least $50 more to get any quality. :|
ADDENDUM: I have sent the product back to Amazon for a refund. Shoddy quality should not be rewarded; we can do better.
~KF
- Bought from Amazon on 11/1/2010; query
- Manufacturer website: http://www.vcansports.com/milano.html
- Color: Silver
- Size: Small
- Cost: $73.45 USD before shipping & Tax.
- Shipping: I used the SuperSaver and paid nothing for shipping. It arrived on 11/8/2010 about 3:30 PM well within the 8-12 day estimate. Product boxed well by Amazon.
- Related ES Thread: what kind of helmets do you guys wear?
Begin...
After opening the Amazon packaging I found the box inside containing the helmet; this box was cheaply constructed and party opened. The helmet inside is wrapped in a cheap helmet bag (with a draw-string) material of which resembling recycled paper and polyester; something that wouldn’t last a week or two in the full light of day.
Profile:
Construction – Shell:
The exterior looks sharp and clean. It is much larger than I had anticipated, though fits my head OK. The visor is thinner than expected. The shield assembly has detents upon rotation that provide partial to full face retraction. When the shield is pulled down completely, breathing heavy slightly fogs the lower portion without labored effort, though seems well-ventilated by design that it may not pose a problem: If the fogging becomes too much the visor could be pulled part-way up and retain shielding while not greatly reducing visibility and utility. The nose-molding is pointless as my face, or more keenly - my nasal beak simply isn’t that protrusive to require the cutout, nor does it even reach, and is in fact an eye-catching distraction. I suppose that an extra-large head sporting an epic olfactory proboscis though might be satisfactorily obliged by the down-snout clearance. On the exterior are the DOT markings. Overall – the inspection goes well and I’d give it 4 stars out of 5: Detractors being that the size is unexpectantly large, and is heavier as well.
Construction – Lining:
Where to begin… The side pads apparently unclip and have size indication stitched in, meaning that these are swapped out to facilitate fit. The materials for construction are cheap and likely not last for more than two years tops (optimistic) – if that long, and possibly abraded within 3 months; except for the side panels - the internals cannot be removed for washing. By far the glaring weak point of the design is the chin strap: Had I seen this product before purchase I wouldn’t have solely upon the lack of thought given to the fixture; it is the cheapest-afterthought imaginable and should be completely replaced if one considered using the device with any modicum of frequency resembling commuting. Inside shell padding and materials - 3 Stars. Chin Strap - 1 Star: I would hesitate to send this as a gift to my enemies, though might be perfect as a one-time use for my ex-mother-in-law.
Compare-Contrast:
Positive Traits:
Fits well enough (sans chin-strap issues), sharp-looking, low-end motorcycle-grade protection at commuter-speeds; good match for moped protection. Slightly lighter than an off-road racing helmet.
Negative Traits:
Cheap (derogative) materials. Inferior chin-strap quality, stitching, associated clasp, snaps, and side-strapping. Motorcycle-size; far larger than expected. Not remotely bike-stealthy. Heavy relative to bike helmets at > 3 lbs.
Recommendation:
Though I am stuck with mine, I shall keep looking: I suggest you do the same as well. Quality hounds: Do not buy. Thrifty daredevils: What are you waiting for, long life?
Actually, I am quite tempted to send it back; seems like I need to spend at least $50 more to get any quality. :|
ADDENDUM: I have sent the product back to Amazon for a refund. Shoddy quality should not be rewarded; we can do better.
~KF
:lol: 
