In Gear: Arai XD-5 Helmet Review

Asking the street guy to review an adventure helmet, especially one with an Arai badge on it, was a bold move, but I needed something to wear when we toured Northern Ontario for the second time. I needed a helmet I knew would be comfortable for long stints in the saddle, and one that could handle both on-road and off-road duties. Without the benefit of time to try on multiple different brands, I went with what I knew: Arai, and its latest ADV lid, the XD-5. As you can guess, it’s the successor to the XD-4, though comparisons between the two will be virtually non-existent because I haven’t worn the XD-4.

Nonetheless, what you need to know about the XD-5 is this: it still has an intermediate-oval head shape, but the jaw and cheek portions of the chinbar are slightly wider than before to make it easier to put on and take off. An added bonus (or demerit, depending on the conditions. More on that in a minute) is an increase in airflow. Speaking of airflow, ventilation was another focus here, with larger chin vents, a 3D logo duct, and a scoop at the top of the helmet to suck in a large volume of air. Exhaust ports in the rear also help channel air out the back of the helmet.

Then there’s the shield. Arai uses its VAS-A Max Vision shield, that’s now Pinlock ready, and as the name suggests, it’s massive. You’re definitely not lacking in terms of field of vision, and as long as you have something flat like a coin, you can take it off and replace it with goggles (or you can simply flip the shield up and still wear goggles).

As far as the stuff you can’t see, Arai has updated the shell of the XD-5 to make it as round as possible, falling in line with the brand’s philosophy of being able to have your head “glance off” anything it may come in contact with (think of the shape of an egg shell). Because of the eyeport, however, the shape inevitably can’t be perfectly egg-like, but the XD-5 still receives DOT and Snell M2025 approval.

During our time in Canada, and on subsequent rides, I had mixed feelings about the XD-5. My primary reason for picking it was familiarity and comfort for long days in the saddle. In that regard, the XD-5 was great. The shell shape fit my intermediate-oval head perfectly, the touchpoints stood up to Arai’s reputation, and I never felt any hot spots or points of discomfort. We faced some big temperature changes and chilly morning starts, and through it all the Pinlock shield kept the visor crystal clear. Sure, the shield is technically removable without tools, but the process proved to be too time consuming to really be practical, so I never bothered changing mine out once it was set. Second, the cut-outs for communicator speakers were too far away from my ears, and even with the volume set to max it was hard to hear anything. After repositioning the speakers a lot lower, I finally found a happy spot.

In the grand scheme of things, neither of those things are a big deal. My biggest gripe with the XD-5 is how loud it is — and that’s coming from someone who wears ear plugs on every ride. I don’t normally complain about how loud a helmet is, but the XD-5 is the exception. No matter if the bike I was on had a windscreen or not, the helmet flows so much air that a lot of it ends up rushing past the rider’s ears. It was very distracting for me. I thought, since adventure rides can sometimes include long days, that the helmet would be quiet to keep the rider fresher for longer. Apparently, this isn’t the case with the XD-5. It’s loud.

Want to know more about the Arai XD-5 and how I feel about it? Then click on the video to learn more.

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