Summary The 2010 Caberg Konda is one of the most stylish flip-up helmets available.
It has an outstanding finish and excellent overall quality with generous sizing.
It is also ready for and can be fitted with the Caberg "Just Speak" Bluetooth
2.0 wireless communication system.
Background
The Caberg Konda is new for 2010 and it replaces the
much-beloved Caberg Trip (review).
Flip-up helmets generally have "Is that your Grand-Dad's helmet?" styling, but the Konda is definitely on the leading edge.
A healthy debate could be had deciding between the Konda and the just-as-futuristic
Caberg
Sintesi (review) for the 2010 style champ.
But my first question was "What's a Konda?" A bit of research coughed up
a tale of Konda, a mysterious Russian kingdom that lasted until the 18th Century,
complete with a Prince and his Court.
While that would be a romantic but rather obscure reference to name a
motorcycle helmet, the reality is more prosaic; Konda is what might be called a
corrupted diminutive of the word "Anaconda". "Conda"
didn't sound quite right, so "Konda" it was, according to Caberg.
Caberg claims to be the first Italian motorcycle helmet manufacturer to make
a flip-up, so they have a lot of experience in this arena and indeed the
Caberg Justissimo (review) has
to be the longest-lived flip-up -- or any helmet, for that matter -- still in
production. This says something about the importance of quality and styling; in fact, even
today, we get emails from first-time Justissimo owners with praise for the
helmet.
The Konda is also a good value for a flip-up helmet -- an important factor for a descendant of
the Caberg Trip, which offered a lot of helmet for the money. The Konda has a
list price of £149.99 in the UK and around €170 on the Continent and I've seen a
street price as low as £115, which translates to only about $140.00 USD in
today's exchange rates.
Note, however, that the Konda is not imported into the North American market
and it is not certified to meet DOT standards and there are no plans to do so.
It does, of course, meet ECE 22.05 safety standards where it's homologated as a
full-face helmet.
Caberg Konda Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality The Konda comes in a limited array of colors, including white, black (and
variations thereof) and the very nice silver shown here. The paint on this
example is outstanding, with a perfectly applied finish with tiny little
metallic flakes that can be seen in the video close-ups (below).
Caberg also uses what we can only term as a "hard" clearcoat finish.
This finish has been mentioned
before in webBikeWorld reviews -- something about the clearcoat used by Caberg
and a few other European helmet manufacturers seems different from the "softer"
clearcoat formula used on other
helmets we've reviewed.
The clearcoat protecting the helmet's surface doesn't necessarily look thicker
than average, but it has a different
feel. I can tap my fingernails on it and it just feels hard to me and,
based on my experience with other Caberg helmets, it should protect the helmet better than the surface
finished on other helmets I've owned.
One of the best compliments I can give the Konda is that I don't feel like
I'm wearing a flip-up when riding -- at least not after I lower and secure the hatch, so to speak. The moving bits and pieces on the Konda
feel nice and firm, without a lot of the squeaking and groaning noises
heard on other brands of flip-ups I've worn.
The rotating visor has a quality feel when it's raised and lowered with the
soft-touch button located right in the middle of the chin bar where it's easy to
find. The visor also has a strong detent at the top, so it should remain
firmly in the raised position during those fuel and Mars bar (aka Snickers in
Yank-ese) stops.
The liner in the Konda may not be as plush as a £600 Arai RX-7, but it's
nicely made and assembled into the helmet. Finally, the vents and other
parts all work as expected with no flaws to report.
The large and unique-looking clear face shield fits snugly against the eye
port gasket, although there are slight gaps at either side that will allow some
water to enter. That should be a rare occurrence though, as the shield has
molded-in guards at the top and the gaps in the gasket are at the farthest end
of each side.
Score: The Caberg Konda gets an "Outstanding" rating
from me for overall
for quality. See the Summary Table at the end of this page for a
description of our rating system.
Caberg Konda Helmet Fit, Comfort and Internal Shape The Konda has what I might call a generous fit that is actually very similar
to the most recent Schuberth C3 (here's
a review of original C3). The reason I know this is that
we're currently also evaluating a pair of C3's complete with the Schuberth
Bluetooth communication system and that review will be published soon.
The big difference though is that a size large for the Caberg Konda is listed
as 59-60 cm, while the size large for the Schuberth is listed as 58-59.
I'd guess that Schuberth tried to squeeze a large into a medium shell size,
because it has to be the smallest-feeling size large I think I've ever tried.
On the other hand, the Konda with its 59-60 cm fit feels generous and I think
a 61 cm head should also be able to fit. The helmet does feel slightly top
heavy, as do most flip-ups in my experience. This is minimized somewhat
when the rotating visor is lowered and locked, but the dramatic cut of the eye
port (description to follow) also adds to the feeling that the helmet is sitting
a bit high.
The shape is just to the round side of neutral, so I'll call it a "Slight
Round", but it should fit the widest majority of head shapes with no problems,
as long as the potential owner's head profile isn't too far from average.
The Konda liner is removable, but I'm not sure if Caberg sells different size
cheek pads and liners to make a more custom fit. The helmet is available
in sizes ranging from XS to XL only, so no XXL for the Konda.
I'll give the Konda a "Slight Round" shape
designator in the
Estimator chart above; similar also, by the way, to the
AGV T-2
full-face helmet that was just reviewed also. As
always, note that different head
shapes and different helmet sizes can cause a helmet to fit or feel
differently than I am describing here, depending upon the individual.
More information on helmet fit can be found in the chart that lists the helmet weights of webBikeWorld reviewed helmets
and also by shape on the webBikeWorld
Motorcycle Helmet Shapes page.
The liner material used in the Konda is comfortable but perhaps slightly on
the thin side. There are no specific eyeglass channels molded into the
liner and I did have a bit of trouble hooking a pair of wire-framed sunglasses
over my ears once the helmet was on, but because it's a flip-up, this shouldn't
be an issue as the helmet can be carefully slipped on over the eyeglasses if
necessary.
Score: I'll give the Caberg Konda an "Outstanding"
rating for overall comfort and fit.
Caberg Konda helmet liner and cheek pads are removable.
Line up the two arrows and push in the wedge-shaped button to remove the
face shield.
Caberg Konda Visor and Face Shield
The large rotating flip-up visor is the most distinguishing feature of the Caberg Konda; it
is styled as a cross between a jet fighter pilot helmet and something seen in
the Star Wars film.
Look at the slide show photos above and pause at the side view of the Konda and
take a look at the mouth and I bet you'll agree it looks vaguely like one of the
characters in the movie.
The rest of the helmet has some unique shapes and character lines also, but it's
the visor with its scalloped eye port that makes the big difference here.
I was initially skeptical about how those sculpted eye cutouts would affect the
view once the hatch was secured, and while they were disconcerting at first,
I quickly became used to them and in fact I really don't think they affect the
view any more than an average helmet.
The rotating flip-up visor has metal hooks that latch into plastic receivers in
the helmet shell, and this provides a secure overall feeling once the visor is
clicked shut.
There is one big difference, however. The Konda does have a tight
front-to-back internal fit, so my chin touches the back of the chin bar
inside the helmet. The padding inside the chin bar feels thicker than
average, but the internal dimensions
may be an issue with some riders, depending upon their head or chin shape.
Otherwise, the clear face shield also operates smoothly and it has outstanding
optical qualities. It has 5 detents and the first opening is a bit larger
than I'd like, but it snaps open and closed with a good feel, so I'm pleased.
The lifting tab is located at the center of the face shield, making it easy to
reach with either hand.
The face shield measures 2.05 mm thick with our micrometer. It is rather
easy to remove; just rotate it upwards until the two molded-in arrows meet (see
photo above) and push the release button towards the rear and the shield will
release.
The face shield is coated to help prevent fogging and it's also treated with an
anti-scratch coating. The anti-fog treatment seems to work in the limited
range of warmer temperatures I experienced during the evaluation, but UK owners
may want to secure a bottle of
Clarity Defog It (review)
just in case -- it's the best anti-fog treatment we've used so far.
Internal Sun Shield
The Konda also features an inner rotating sun shield. It operates with a
rather large slider on top of the helmet that is placed as part of the top vent
assembly.
The slider is a friction unit, so the sun shield can be stopped at any position,
which is a definite plus. It doesn't rotate down quite as far as I'd like,
but it is just below my line of sight and the scalloped edge along the bottom is
relatively shallow so it works pretty well.
I like having the ability to stop the sun shield above my eyes, which helps when
the sun is bright and overhead or when riding into the setting sun in the
evening.
Score: Overall, the mechanical system for the rotating visor
and clear face shield on the Caberg Konda I would rate as "Excellent", with the
internal sun visor as a "Neutral".
Top vent has a small slider that uncovers the air channel.
The chin vent on the Caberg Konda is always open for business.
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Caberg Konda Ventilation and Air Flow
The Konda has a basic ventilation system, with that large chin vent flowing
air up on to the back of the clear face shield only, through three channels
along the top of the chin bar. The helmet does not have an on/off slider
switch for the chin vent, so the vent can not be closed.
This isn't much of an issue though, because ventilation is almost always
necessary and since there are no direct air channels through the chin bar
itself, the air flowing in along the top of the chin bar is the only ventilation
available.
The tight front-to-back dimensions inside the helmet and the large and tall chin
bar result in some close quarters around my mouth; this is especially noticeable
at slower speeds in warmer weather, where it can get pretty warm inside.
It would have been nice if there were vent channels directly through the chin
bar, but this is a rare feature on flip-up helmets.
The top vent is covered by a small slider at the front of the assembly that also
houses the slider for the internally rotating sun shade. The entry hole
for the air flow is small and the air must go up and over the lip of the
assembly to enter the helmet. Also, the helmet has no rear exhaust vents,
so there isn't much to pull the air through.
Nevertheless, the helmet seems to have about average air flow anyway, which
probably illustrates that either the other helmets with all their fancy ducting
work are just for show, or the Konda's system has more intelligence than I'm
giving it credit for.
This said, I haven't tried it on a really hot day yet -- our cooler Spring
temperatures can mask the efficiency of a helmet venting system.
Score: The always-on chin vent system on the Caberg Konda gets a score of "Good"
and would probably be better if air was directed through the chin bar itself.
The top vent and lack of a pull-through exhaust system gets lower marks.
Top view of the internal sun shield slider and the top vent.
Caberg Konda Sound Levels The Konda seems to follow what is apparently a new trend in design that
we've noticed lately; the profile has a dropped chin and raised back, which is
more apparent when looking at the helmet from the side.
It's not quite as dramatic on the Konda as on some other helmets I've worn
recently, and this design may be to help keep the
back of the helmet from fouling against jacket collars when in the leaned-over
Sportbike riding position.
This wouldn't be a problem but if this is in fact a new design trend, then it
may be necessary for the manufacturers to consider making the padding at the
bottom of the helmet (the so-called "neck roll") thicker. This could fill
the gap that forms between the rider's head and the inside rear of the helmet.
The rear of the helmet is in the high-turbulence area and any area that isn't
sealed will allow noise to enter.
This seems to be the case with the Konda, although this also depends quite a bit
on the match of the helmet to the rider's head shape -- yet another reason why
finding the perfect fit is so important. I notice an increased volume
around the back of the helmet and the source is quickly identified by placing a
hand back there, and the noise is immediately diminished.
The noise doesn't really diminish even when riding in a more straight-up
sitting position on a bike without a windscreen. So I'd have to say that
in general the Konda seems to transmit more noise than average around the bottom
of the helmet, with the upper portion of the helmet having the average amount of
wind noise that is common with any helmet design.
Note that our helmet evaluations are normally a combined effort
of several riders over time, on different types of motorcycles with and without
windscreens. Evaluators wear correctly fitted, high quality earplugs (even
when evaluating motorcycle intercom systems) and (usually) a helmet liner. It is strongly recommended that hearing protection is used when riding a motorcycle.
See the wBWEarplugs
and Hearing Protection page for more information on choosing and wearing earplugs.
Note also that perceived noise levels will vary, depending on the
individual. Noise can be caused by many factors, including helmet fit; the
type of motorcycle and windscreen; wind speed and direction and even the type of
clothing that is being worn. For more information on helmet noise, visit the
wBW
Motorcycle Helmet Noise page.
Score: Overall, my feeling is that the Caberg Konda is slightly
louder than average but this may depend upon the fit of the rider's head to the
helmet and other factors, so I'll give it a "Neutral" score.
wBWVideo: The Caberg Konda Helmet
Helmet Weight The size L Caberg Konda shown here weighs a comparatively light (for a
flip-up) 1755 grams (3.0 lbs.
13-7/8.0 oz.), which, although heavy compared to a full-face helmet, isn't bad
actually.
For example, the weight compares well to the full-face
Vemar VSREV
(size L) at 1748 grams; the brand-new
Arai Corsair V (XL) at 1758 grams and
the HJC Sy-Max II (Flip-up) in
size large at 1762 grams.
Other than the slight top-heavy feeling described above, the
comfortable fit and tight seal when the visor is closed gives the Konda good
balance for a flip-up helmet.
Score: I'll give the Konda an "Excellent" rating
for its lower than expected weight for a helmet of this type and with an
internal sun shade.
Miscellaneous
The Konda uses the European-style quick release buckle, which works fine but my
preference is for a double D-ring system.
The ear pockets feel slightly smaller than average in their
dimensions, including depth, although the helmet is ready for the Caberg "Just
Listen" Bluetooth communication system.;
The T-2 meets ECE 22.05 safety standards only and ACU Gold
approval (not confirmed) in the UK.
The
wBW
Overall Opinionator - Caberg Konda
Picks...
...and Pans.
Outstanding quality.
Secure-feeling flip-up visor and
locking mechanism.
Generous fit with good internal
shape.
Good value compared to other
flip-ups.
Higher than average noise levels.
Top ventilation is weak.
Would like flow-through vents in
the chin bar.
Shorter than expected internal
front-to-back dimensions.
Conclusion
The Caberg Konda is a great-looking helmet that should satisfy anyone looking
for style and not finding it in most of the flip-up helmets available today.
Is it an improvement over the Trip? We unfortunately no longer have a Trip
for comparison, but if memory serves me correctly, I can say that the Konda has
better overall quality (some Trip owners complained about that issue) but the
Konda isn't as quiet as the trip.
But in the end, the Konda is a worthy replacement for the Trip
and the combination of style
and design and the lower price point compared to other flip-ups makes it a
worthy choice.
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