Schuberth C3 - webBikeWorld

Summary: The Schuberth C3 combines light weight, a comfortable fit and the most effective noise control system we have experienced in any flip-up (or full-face, for that matter) helmet.

Background
We published a Schuberth C3 "First Look" just three months ago in August of 2008, in which Schuberth claimed that the C3 would be "The world's quietest flip-front helmet" at 84 dB at 60 MPH. Just for good measure, they also claimed that the C3 would be "The world's lightest flip-front helmet" at 1,550 grams (but without specifying a size).

Well, we don't know how they do their noise level testing and as frequent webBikeWorld visitors know, motorcycle helmet noise is highly variable and can change dramatically, with something as minor as a jacket collar making a big difference.

So is Schuberth really on to something here, or are they blowing hot marketing air?

This is the place to find out, because webBikeWorld helmet reviews are where the manufacturers' fanciful marketing claims are put to the test.

And I can tell you this: this Schuberth C3 (which was kindly provided for this review and which is available for purchase from Designer Helmets in the UK with worldwide shipping available) is indeed the quietest flip-up motorcycle helmet we've ever worn. I'll also go as far as saying that it is quieter than any full-face helmet I've ever worn, with the possible exception of its cousin, the Schuberth R1.

That in and of itself is reason to celebrate because it demonstrates that it can be done, and quite easily actually, as I'll explain.

As for weight...let's just say that we haven't found a motorcycle helmet yet that meets the manufacturer's claims.

Each helmet we review is weighed on the same Polder digital scale (104 helmets as of this date on the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Weights Page), which serves as a double-check on any manufacturer's marketing department.

The Schuberth C3 -- at least the helmet shown here in size XL -- does not weigh 1,550 grams, which would make it lighter even than a size large ROOF Boxer, a minimalist flip-up if ever there was one.

But this C3 in size XL is still very light at 1709 grams. This is only 100 grams (3.5 oz.) or so heavier than the size XL Caberg Trip we reviewed in September of 2007, which still holds the torch as the lightest "normal" flip-up helmet we've reviewed to date.

Some readers have taken us to task for obsessing about helmet weight, but reviewing over 100 helmets and wearing many more helps to put a sharp focus on what's important and what isn't. And light weight is important.

OK, so we have an extremely quiet helmet that's also pretty light -- is that enough? Read on!

Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality
It's always hard to draw any conclusions from a solid color helmet, but everything on the C3 looks, feels and works as expected for a Schuberth.

The helmet reminds me a lot of the Schuberth J1 that I wear when the weather is at its hottest. The silver paint looks identical and the fittings are the same quality.

One item of note is that the light weight didn't just magically appear; the C3 does not feel as solid as other Schuberth flip-ups I've worn, and the shell does feel a bit flexy and it gives a hollow sound when the visor is snapped shut or the switches are worked back and forth.

But this brings the helmet back into the realm of the average flip-up, and since it does meet the same ECE 22.05 standards that all other helmets sold in Europe must attain, this shouldn't be a problem. Earlier Schuberth helmets were not known for light weight, so there is a tradeoff here.

Schuberth says the shell of the C3 is made from "S.T.R.O.N.G." fiber, "a special glass fiber reinforced Duroplast matrix", so there. Don't ask me what the acronym means because I don't know.

The helmet is available in two shell sizes, running from XS to L and from XL to XXXL. Since this helmet is an XL, it has the large shell size, probably accounting for at least some of the difference in weight between Schuberth's claims and the reality of the Polder scale.

The overall quality is excellent. The chin vent and top vent work smartly and the liner is very comfortable (more about the fit in a minute). The owner's manual states that the liner is available in several sizes, as are the cheek pads.

The C3 is currently available in a variety of typically subdued flip-up "colors", including Graphic Black, Metallic Silver, Metallic Anthracite, Plain White, Plain Deep Black and Plain Matte Black. I'm so glad that there are 3 different blacks to choose from!

Everything fits nicely, everything operates smoothly (including the rotating visor) and the helmet seems well made, with the exception of the gasket surrounding the bottom of the helmet and the robust chin curtain that fits into the bottom of the chin bar.

There are a few gaps here and the chin curtain has popped out once or twice so far, but I'm going to chalk that up to first-run issues because this C3 is from the initial production batch. I recommend not holding the C3 by the chin bar though, because of the special chin curtain (again, more on this in a minute).

So unfortunately none of the very cool graphics that grace the Schuberth S1 or R1, but overall a better-than-average build quality for a flip-up and perfect, if boring, silver paint.

Score: I'll give the Schuberth C3 an "Excellent" for the paint, overall construction, operation and feel. I'll withhold the "Outstanding" rating only because of the slightly misaligned gasket and chin curtain. See the ratings descriptions in the summary table at the end of this page.

Helmet Fit, Internal Shape, Liner and Comfort
OK, here's more good news: apparently, Schuberth has dumped their way-out-there internal shape that apparently fit only Fritz, the Schuberth factory test rider.

Fritz must have retired, allowing Schuberth to finally adopt the same neutral/round-headed internal shape that the rest of the helmet world goes by. You know -- the shape that will work for the 95.4% of the rest of us who live at plus or minus 2 Gaussian St.? Let's hope this C3 is indicative of Schuberth's future plans and not just an aberration.

The size XL shown here has an internal label that reads "61" (the label also curiously has a 'U.S.' section describing fabric care, possibly heralding the return of Schuberth to the U.S. market?).

However, the C3 owner's manual and Schuberth's website state that the C3 in size XL is designed to fit a 60 to 61 cm head. I have a round, somewhat "Earth" shaped head (widest at the temples) and the C3 fits me like it was custom made. I'd say it fits much like a size XL OGK FF-5 (review) or a Shoei RF-1000 (review), if that's any help.

My head measures 60.5 cm, which is an unfortunate dimension that almost always puts me in between a size large and extra-large. I usually opt for the XL to relieve some of the pressure on my temporomandibular joint, but this usually has the effect of making the rest of the helmet feel slightly too loose.

Such is the case here, but in typical flip-up fashion, as soon as the rotating visor is snapped shut and the chin strap is secured, everything snuzzles up pretty nicely. The C3 feels very slightly to the long oval or neutral side of round, like the aforementioned Shoei RF-1000, but this is the best-fitting flip-up I've ever worn. I hope (and I think) that anyone used to the old Schuberth fit will also find the C3 as comfy.

OK, here's the standard mantra: remember that helmet fit is crucial to safety and comfort, so make sure you try the helmet on before buying, and try a variety of sizes. The smallest size that fits comfortably is usually the safest. For more information on choosing and fitting a motorcycle helmet, please see the wBW Motorcycle Helmet FAQ page, which also includes a discussion on head shapes.

The padding and liner fabric helps also; previous Schuberth liners seemed to have a consistent thin spot up on either side of the head where the EPS foam liner pressed against the rider's skull. The C3's liner is well-padded and the material feels like a cross between a broken-in flannel shirt and suede, which is very nice.

Schuberth doesn't say much about the liner features, so I can only assume it has the typical moisture wicking capability. The weather has turned unseasonably cold around here, so I'm not worried about sweat, that's for sure.

By the way, the EPS foam liner may not be; that is, it's unlike any other "foam" helmet liner I've seen. It's gray colored and it feels dense, so either the typical EPS is sealed inside of some type of flocking, or it's a completely new type of crushable helmet liner.

The "foam" crush liner can be seen on either side of a central strip of padding at the upper part of the helmet. There are two large holes molded into the crush liner that are supposed to meet up with corresponding holes in the helmet shell for ventilation, but only about half of the shell holes can be seen, so the crush liner on this one wasn't quite lined up correctly at the factory, although that doesn't seem to hurt the top ventilation any, as you'll see when I get to that section.

Unique Feature: Chin and Neck Curtain
The Schuberth C3 has a unique feature that could or should be replicated by other manufacturers. The helmet has dual chin curtains, which consist of large, thick padded material extending about 60 mm from the back of the chin bar.

The liner or cheek pads have a special attached section of material that acts as what I'll call a "neck curtain". The combination of the dual chin curtains and the neck curtain, which were piloted on the Schuberth S1, combine to block much of the air that usually flows up underneath a motorcycle helmet and causes turbulence, which in turn causes noise.

The end result is that the Schuberth C3 is without doubt the quietest flip-up helmet we've ever reviewed, and at least tied for the quietest full-face helmet we have ever reviewed also. Another benefit of the helmet sealing is that it allows the vents to do their job without back pressure from upward-flowing air.

Score: I'll give the Schuberth C3 an "Outstanding" for a comfortable fit (for me), true XL sizing and a comfortable and nicely made liner.

Venting and Air Flow
The functionality of the C3's venting is closely tied to the unique dual chin curtains and neck curtain described above. Many motorcyclists probably don't realize that most of the ventilation in a motorcycle helmet comes from air blowing up under the chin bar and the bottom of the helmet.

This is why it's mostly very difficult to tell if the helmet vents are actually working. Our feeling is that this positive internal air pressure from underneath spoils the functionality of most vents.

This can easily be demonstrated by attaching one of the helmet wind blockers (like the Windjammer we reviewed) that fit around the bottom of a full-face helmet, which are designed to block cold air and turbulence. Most who have tried one of these comment on both the noise reduction and the suddenly increased efficiency of the helmet's venting system.

The chin and neck curtains on the Schuberth C3 serve the same purpose. Seal up the helmet and pop open the what seems like the small chin vent and you'll be amazed at how much air you can feel flowing up through the back of the chin bar and on to your face.

The effect from the three-position top vent isn't as dramatic, but it is noticeable. This is especially interesting considering that the C3 has no rear exhaust vents to help "pull" the air through the helmet and out the back.

As I mentioned above, the efficiency of the top vent on this example may be hampered by the slight misfit of the shell vent holes with the corresponding holes in the helmet crush liner. I may have to do some experimenting next summer to see if I can get the holes to line up.

Schuberth has one more surprise in store that you would only discover if you read the owner's manual. The liner has two fold-down flaps inside that can be arranged to cover the internal top vent holes in winter to prevent cold air from leaking through.

And by the way: the owner's manual also states that the chin vent will always provide a low level of ventilation to prevent any CO2 buildup inside the helmet. I'm not sure this would or could ever happen, as the combination of the dual chin curtains and neck curtains don't seal that tightly, but who knows.

Schuberth also says the top vent is specially designed to prevent water intrusion when riding in the rain. Overall, the helmet seems to seal up pretty well, so although no helmet is perfectly waterproof, the C3 should prove to be better than the average flip-up in this regard.

Score: I'll give the Schuberth C3 an "Outstanding" rating for air flow, which is especially good considering most flip-up helmets are very weak in this regard.

Schuberth claims the visor rotates 180 degrees compared to 135 degrees on the C2.

Helmet Weight
I've already spilled the beans on this one -- the C3 is pretty light for a flip-up at 1709 grams for this size XL. This puts it as about number 9 of 28 flip-ups we've reviewed so far, although 6 of those were size L.

Just for comparison purposes, the AGV Miglia in size XL weighs 1666 grams (3 lbs. 10-3/4 oz.), while the Caberg Convertible in size L weighed in at 1717 grams (3 lbs. 12-5/8 oz.). The Shoei Syncrotec Police Helmet in size XL was 1731 grams (3 lbs. 13 oz.) and the HJC Sy-Max II in size L weighed 1762 grams (3 lbs. 14-1/8 oz.).

The Schuberth C3 in size XL uses the large shell size, and it's a biggie. Between the chin and neck curtain sealing and the large helmet shell, the C3 may give some owners too much of the "astronaut" or "fish bowl" effect.

It doesn't bother me, but it does feel big, I must say. The weight is nicely balanced though and the smooth shape also helps keep things feeling orderly in various types of wind conditions.

Note also that the helmet shell is large enough and tall enough that the bottom edges and the chin and neck curtains can interfere with certain types of thick winter jackets with higher than average necks.

See the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Weights page for charts comparing the weights of all of the open-face, full-face and flip-up helmets we've reviewed.

Score: The Schuberth C3 gets an "Outstanding" rating from me for its light weight and even balance.

Rotating Visor and Face Shield
The C3's rotating visor operates smoothly, but the slightly flexible helmet shell does mean that occasionally one of the latches on the visor doesn't quite catch on the first try. It pays to give the visor a good, strong push to make sure it seals correctly. This usually only happens when I'm closing the rotating visor when not wearing the helmet.

The visor rotates upward 180 degrees, according to Schuberth, compared to 135 degrees for the Schuberth C2 (review). The visor has a detent at the uppermost position that holds it open.

The helmet shell has metal posts on either side to lock the visor in place. I can't tell what type of material the corresponding visor latches are made from, but the owner's manual states that the system is designed to prevent opening in a crash.

The button to release the rotating visor is located under the center of the chin bar. It's nearly flush and it must be pushed up for the visor to rotate.

The clear visor or face shield has excellent optical qualities. I measured it at a relatively thick 2.22 mm. It is very easy to remove by pushing the levers forward on both sides of the helmet simultaneously, which then allow the visor to be rotated all the way back, where it pops out of the side holders. To replace it, simply push both sides back in and rotate forward. This is illustrated in the video below.

The face shield has 7 detents, with the first two or three feeling weak but the remainder feel stiff. The visor has lifting tabs on both the right and left side.

The face shield also has a unique "city" opening. It can be cracked open a couple of millimeters for ventilation, and there's a small tab built in to the chin bar to hold the visor open. To overcome the friction of this tab, the visor must be smartly closed or it won't snap past the tab to close completely.

The first time I wore the helmet, I rode for about 1/2 hour feeling a lot of air flow, wondering how it could possibly bypass the chin and neck curtains, until I realized the visor was in the city position.

Schuberth also includes a Pinlock anti-fog visor insert (review) with the C3. It works beautifully to prevent fogging in the cold 4 degree Celsius temperatures I've been riding in lately.

Internal Rotating Sun Visor
I almost forgot: the C3 also has an internally rotating sun visor. This time, it rotates via a slider switch on the lower left edge of the helmet, at the bottom of the helmet shell.

The visor rotates very smoothly and almost too easily; it would have been better if Schuberth put a detent at one end to keep the slider in place when the visor is rotated back up into the helmet, because the visor on this helmet does slip down occasionally when I hit certain types of bumps in the road.

It would be nice to think that Schuberth took our criticism of their earlier rotating sun visors to heart, because this one not only rotates down farther than average, it has a very small cutout for the rider's nose, and the end result is a sun visor that pretty much remains out of the rider's line of sight.

It's also relatively dark; I believe the ECE standard calls for no less than 50% light transmission, but I thought I read in the owner's manual that this one transmits 20% of visible light. It also has excellent optical properties with no waviness or imperfections, and the owner's manual claims that it blocks UV light.

The horizontal visibility of the eye port is excellent; I can not see either side of the helmet in my peripheral vision. Vertical visibility is average to above average. I can see half the instruments on the GT1000 at the lower edge, which is very good, but the thick helmet shell makes the top part of the helmet and padding protrude slightly into my line of sight.

Score: I'll rate the visor rotating mechanism operation and the operation and visibility of the face shield and the internal sun visor on the Schuberth C3 as "Outstanding".

Noise Levels
Schuberth made some dramatic claims for the C3 when it was announced, and they have delivered. The C3 is one of the quietest helmets I've ever worn, flip-up or full-face. If memory serves me correctly, it rivals the Schuberth R1 in this regard.

This proves two things: first, Schuberth has done an outstanding job in both the aerodynamics and noise control with the dual chin curtains and neck curtain; the fit and construction of the liner; and the smooth, narrow and tight-fitting gaps between the rotating visor and the helmet shell.

Second, it demonstrates to other helmet manufacturers that it doesn't take advanced physics to get it right. Pay attention to the details and work on that neck roll area, which is the leading cause of helmet noise, and you should be able to get the same results.

Miscellaneous
The C3 uses a European style chin strap buckle. The chin curtains on either side attach via a section of hook-and-loop in the center that also forms the padding underneath the chin strap. This makes the chin strap thicker than most, which can cause some interference with thick winter jacket neck lines.

The Schuberth C3 is currently built to meet ECE 22.05 helmet safety standards only.

Conclusion
No doubt about it, Schuberth has a winner on their hands with the C3. It's very quiet, it's comfortable, everything works efficiently and it has some unique features that make a big difference. You'll pay for it though -- the Schuberth C3 is expensive.

Product Review: Schuberth C3 Motorcycle Helmet
Available From: Designer Helmets in the UK with worldwide shipping available. Manufacturer: Schuberth Helme GmbH.	Suggested Retail Price: £429.99 to £499.99
Colors: Graphic Black; Metallic Silver; Metallic Anthracite; Plain White; Plain Deep Black; Plain Matte Black.	Made in: Germany (unconfirmed; no country of origin label on this helmet).
Sizes: XS to XXXL	Certifications: ECE 22-05
Ratings Scale: For reference, our ratings scale is subjective and ranges from unacceptable to poor, good, very good, excellent and outstanding. Note: Helmet for this review was provided by Designer Helmets.

Note: For informational use only. All material and photographs are Copyright © webWorld International, LLC - 2000-2008. All rights reserved. Read the Terms and Conditions. See the webBikeWorld® Site Info page.