509 Mach III Carbon Helmet Review [Dual Certification]

509 is a Polaris Industries aftermarket model that has targeted on snowmobile and off-road/trail-oriented gear. 509 has now expanded into avenue motorbike merchandise. We have already got reviewed the 509 @One leather jacket. Now, we now have examined the flagship providing within the new Avenue lineup—the Mach III Carbon full-face helmet.

The 509 Mach III Carbon helmet has a carbon fiber and fiberglass composite shell development. With the Blacktop colorway and the clear gel floor that reveals the weave of that carbon fiber shell, the manufacturing high quality is obvious and visual. The payoff of carbon fiber is gentle weight and nice power.

The Mach III design delivers security together with its featherweight development. Weighing in at three kilos even on our scales, it’s exceptionally gentle for an XL full-face helmet. On the technical facet, it additionally delivers America’s DOT FMVSS 218 and Europe’s ECE 22.05 certifications.

That gentle weight pays off in low-fatigue, all-day wearability. The sleek, aerodynamic form slips by way of the turbulence {that a} shorty windshield or speeds generate, making the 509 Mach III a wonderful helmet for touring or monitor days.

Inside local weather management is completed by way of twin closable chin bar vents and twin closable vents above the eyeport. The slide-activated vents could be opened and closed with gloves on. Nevertheless, thick gloves require growing a really feel for the vent shutters, because the tabs on every shutter are very low-profile. The six exhaust vents are mounted open.

In use, there aren’t any whistling or buzzing noises. Positioned immediately above the eyeport, the vents admit perceptible airflow to the brow space and again on the cranium. The vent location additionally signifies that airflow is decreased if the protect is in a raised place. With the vents closed, there isn’t any perceptible stray airflow into the 509 Mach III.

The clear polycarbonate faceshield locks down tight over a neoprene edge gasket. The protect has a big carry tab connected to the decrease left edge, with a small hook that engages securely into the chin bar. Whereas the carry tab is giant sufficient to be simply operated with gloves on, the hook means enterprise, so disengaging it takes some effort. As soon as unlocked, the faceshield lifts simply and stays the place you place it. Though there isn’t any inner sunshield, there are 4 tinted and reflective protect choices from 509.

There are 4 detent positions within the protect hinge system, with the bottom offering a intelligent space of ​​increased resistance to protect motion. This permits inserting the faceshield in a non-locked “demist” opening place starting from simply above the locked-down place to three-quarters-of-an-inch open. The protect stays in no matter place you select, even within the wind.

Closing and locking the protect on the 509 Mach III helmet proves to be a two-handed operation. Decreasing the protect to the cease places it within the barely open place. That is advantageous for me, because it tends to be the place I choose. Nevertheless, I could not get it to the totally locked-down place with only one hand on the massive tab.

Pushing down on the tab causes the protect to flex inward barely, inflicting the underside fringe of the protect’s hook to be blocked by the highest fringe of the hook slot. Pulling out on the tab whereas urgent down did not work, both. To get the tab to permit the protect to achieve the locked-down place, making use of stress downward on the high proper fringe of the protect whereas pushing down on the tab is important. That makes getting the protect to the lock-down place a two-handed operation.

A metallic button within the middle of every hinge is pressed to unlock the faceshield for elimination. Set up is carried out by merely urgent the protect into the hinge, with the tabs on the within of the protect aligned with the slots within the hinge base and the protect within the raised place.

There is no such thing as a chin curtain on the 509 Mach III helmet; that permits important air up-flow to the rider’s face. That, together with the chin bar vents within the open place and the protect in a barely open place, prevents protect fogging. Surprisingly, there is not a perceptible improve in wind noise over most helmets I’ve used which have a chin curtain.

Maybe probably the most attention-grabbing innovation within the 509 Mach III helmet line is utilizing a Fidlock magnetic chin strap buckle. A magnetic hasp causes the catch to snap collectively—say goodbye to the outdated double-D ring buckle.

Whereas the Fidlock is a welcome change from the outdated two-hands-required D-rings and fairly easy to make use of, its operation takes some follow. Sadly, the method is poorly illustrated within the proprietor’s handbook, however I can clarify it.

Unbuckling the strap is a one-hand, pull-the-red-tab-and-its-open operation, with closing the buckle a bit extra concerned.

To shut the buckle, an oblong steel ring should drop into place behind a keeper fabricated from Grivory or Durethan. Then, the magnetic locking tab swings into place on the keeper to shut the buckle.

Initially, I struggled to align the house within the steel ring with the keeper. I concluded there was no solution to get this factor closed with gloves on. After some experimentation, I found the approach.

Grasp the crimson tab used to unbuckle the strap and pull it as much as the keeper facet. When aligned correctly, the magnet normally snaps the buckle closed by itself. Getting the routine down takes a bit follow, but it surely works. After you hear the buckle snap shut, give the strap a stout pull to confirm it’s securely locked. You are all set!

There is no such thing as a strap-end retainer snap or hook-and-loop offered, so if you alter the strap to suit, if it’s worthwhile to comfortable it up fairly a bit, you find yourself with that unfastened strap finish hanging out. It finally ends up flying round within the breeze, which can be bothersome to some riders. In my case, I simply slipped the surplus strap again over the strap itself, lowering the issue.

The polyester mesh consolation liner is well-padded and detachable for laundering. The directions within the proprietor’s handbook for eradicating and putting in the liner are sketchy, at finest.

The 509 Mach III helmet comes with a luggage-quality, padded, ventilated nylon logo-imprinted carrying bag, together with a typical fabric bag with a drawstring closure. The carrying bag is giant sufficient to accommodate your driving gloves and different small objects, in addition to the helmet. The carrying bag additionally has a big, exterior mesh pocket on the top and a full-length zippered pocket on the facet.

If there may be something that is one thing of a disappointment with the Mach III, it is the proprietor’s handbook. It’s lacking fundamental consumer data on a number of operation objects. For instance, the diagram on how one can use the Fidlock buckle is troublesome to see and interpret. Directions on how one can change the protect are sketchy, at finest. Having performed protect modifications many occasions, I labored it out pretty rapidly, however new riders unfamiliar with hinge techniques might have problem. Additionally, the handbook is troublesome to learn, because it makes use of tiny, considerably faint print.

References to avoiding frostbite make me marvel if the handbook was produced utilizing a earlier snow helmet handbook as the premise, because it appears to solely have a obscure connection to the options and operation of the Mach III product. There may be good basic content material about helmet do-and do not objects, however not a lot that’s direct how-to data on this particular helmet.

Two colorways can be found— Blacktop, which is actually the grey/black woven floor of the carbon fiber shell with a transparent gel coat excessive and a advantageous, grey pinstripe graphic, and Zenith, which exhibits the identical carbon fiber view across the chin bar and sweeps up at an angle across the again of the helmet, whereas the remainder of the helmet shell is white.

The 509 Mach III Carbon options glorious match, end, and look. I just like the modern considering with the Fidlock chinstrap buckle. It’s light-weight, snug, and has high-level protecting credentials. These all come at a $400 worth level—spectacular for a carbon fiber helmet. It is a fantastic little bit of package from 509 because it expands from the snow and off-road scene into the road.

509 Mach III Carbon Helmet Quick Info

• Sizes: XS–XXL (53-54cm to 63-64cm)
• Weight: 3.0 kilos (XL shell)
• Shell materials: Carbon fiber/fiber glass composite
• Certifications: DOT FMVSS 218 and ECE 22.05

509 Mach III Carbon Helmet Value: $400 MSRP