Product Review: Fox F3 Helmet
When it comes to noggin-protectors, there seems to be a wide range of quality from which to choose. Don’t believe us? Head down to your local dealership. It isn’t uncommon to find helmets available from $75 on up to $700. We’re often asked if the really expensive ones are actually 10-times better than the really cheap ones and while there are infinite numbers of factors that separate one helmet from the next, we did have an opportunity to test the $449.95 Fox V3 in attempt to better understand what life is like on the more expensive side of the street. Here’s what we discovered:
Price: While nobody’s going to consider $450 chump change, the fact of the matter is this is actually Fox’s more affordable version of the their F4 (which goes for $589). The difference? The F4’s shell is carbon fiber while the V3 is composite. With that comes a little bit of weight gain (about 1/3 of an ounce) and the other difference is sizing. The V4 has four sized shells to choose from and the V3 has, you guessed it, three.
MIPS: One of the major selling points of the Fox V-series is MIPS but what the heck does that mean? According to the brochure, MIPS stands for Multi-Dimensional-Impact-System. Still not helping any? In short it means there is a slip-plane – or low friction layer between the shell and foam designed to slide during impact. Because it moves to go with inertia, it cuts down on the rotational forces that would transfer directly into your skull. In other words, your head literally slides away from the point of impact rather than simply absorbs it.
Safety: As expected in a helmet for this priepoint, the Fox V3 incorporates both DOT and Snell 2010 certifications.
Flow: With 14 intake and 4 exhaust vents coupled to a Dri Lex liner, the V3 is optimized to keep the head from overheating. The liner is surprisingly thick in person but sliding it onto the head reveals no tight spots or squeezing. As speeds increase, so too does the amount of air flowed through the V3’s interior. It’s a pretty solid recreational-use lid but an excellent race helmet.
Style: What looks good to some may be hideous to others and vise-versa but Fox does their best to offer options for most tastes by serving up the V3 in 10 various schemes including solid colors for those who prefer to keep it simple.
Performance: Almost like the air-bags in your car, some of the absolute best safety features are the ones you never have to put to the test. The same can be said for MIPS. We’ve read the science and enjoy the peace of mind in knowing it’s there but hope never to have to report on its efficiency.
We can say that the helmet looks great, fits well, flows air well, and seems to garner a lot of attention on the trail head.
Penny Pinchers: For those who appreciate the styling and comfort of the V3 but simply can’t justify the $450 price tag, Fox also offers a V2 helmet ($299) and a V1 for $169 that do away with the MIPS system but maintain the DOT and Snell 2010 certifications.
More: Fox’s Official Site.
