We've been using the Shark Spartan Carbon for about three months now covering over 2000 miles. Here's how we got on.
Price: £389.99 | Weight: 1290g | Sharp rating: 5 stars (Very good) | www.nevis.uk.com
THE SHARK SPARTAN PRIONA is a road oriented, stylish looking, lightweight helmet. Its shell has that added cool factor of an instantly recognizable carbon pattern. Features include a quick removal ‘autoseal’ visor locking system, adjustable chin guard and an ‘easy fit’ glasses channel.
The Spartan is available in a multitude of colours to suit all preferences and covers sizes XS (53/54 cm), S (55/56 cm), M (57/58 cm), L (59/60 cm), XL (61/62 cm), XXL (63/64cm). I chose the blingy looking white and gold version, which has perfectly applied decals and a deep glossy carbon fibre finish.
Comfort and fit
Placing the lid on my head revealed a realm of purposeful support structures and quiet comfort. Now, it’s no duck feather pillow but the support is impeccable, with the helmet feeling completely planted on my lollipop shaped head. The snug fit doesn't feel uncomfortable in the slightest, even as it plumps up your cheeks like a hamster.
What stood out was the Spartans lightweight, which massively reduced neck fatigue on my commute through London, with shoulder checks feeling effortless.
Lining
Removal of the lining perhaps isn't as effortless, although it’s far from puzzling. The lower cheek pad linings are interchangeable with other thicknesses, but for me I found the stock 30mm cheek pads felt fine. The lining also remained as fresh as when it came out of the box, due to a clever anti-bacterial lining, even after hours of riding the CBR500R in the 25 degree Tenerife sun.
The lining varies in thickness and shape around your head, and you can feel it grasp your cranium in an ergonomic way. After a few high-speed runs (within the law of course) I didn't experience any buffeting or movement although at higher speeds there was a bit of noise.
Noise
Thanks in part to the snug fit and with the visor closed, acoustically the Spartan is very well insulated and even at motorway speed there is no high-pitched whistling. One niggle with the visor open was a whistle above 40mph, it's not massively distracting and closing the visor solves the problem.
Visor
The visor has a wide field of view, which is important for a road orientated helmet. It’s PinLock ready (and one is in the box ready to install), so no fogging issues once you have it fitted internally. On the outside of the visor, water beading isn't the greatest at slower speeds, but at higher speeds, it’s excellent - likely thanks to the pointed aerodynamic shape of the lid.
Removing the visor did take a quick YouTube tutorial as I couldn't figure out how to unclip it from its ‘Autoseal’ system. Turns out you lift it up fully and pull both sides out, no fiddling around with tabs or levers - which is all good in my book. Tucked away behind the removable visor is an internal sun visor, ideal for blocking glare from the low-lying winter sun. If you prefer sunglasses or wear specs, the shell also accommodates ‘easy fit’ glasses channels. So, no more poking your eye out or slanted spectacles.
It has neat practical features and my only genuine gripe with the visor is its lack of adjustability. I tend to ride with it either fully open or shut for this reason, but I would love to be able to crack it open just a couple of millimeters. Maybe I’m a control freak?
Waterproofing
As is to be expected in England a few of my rides took place as the heavens opened. The Spartan sealed the rain out completely. Small design features such as the front vent being hinged upwards helps to stops any spray from vehicles in front from seeping in. Water protection is also complemented by the adjustable chin shield and non-adjustable nose guard, a neat touch on a helmet of this price.
Racy Features
Practicality aside, like its more race-biased counterparts the Spartan comes with a couple of air spoilers/extractors, designed to smooth airflow through and around the helmet. Now, on my daily commute, I’m not hitting high enough speeds to notice this stabilization, but they look cool as heck.
Fastening
The Spartan has a battle-tested and secure Double-D ring retention system, which in my opinion is the best. Granted, unless you are a magician you aren't going to be able to fasten it with winter gloves on, but this would be the same for all D rings. The strap itself is reinforced and the cushioning does a great job of making it feel snug and secure.
Verdict
The sporty aesthetic was the first thing that drew me to the Spartan, yet it has real-world practical features, is lightweight and sits at a competitive price point. And yes, I do feel like a bit of a boss in it... On the road it’s a delight to wear and I really can't stress enough how its lightweight carbon structure makes shoulder checks and head movement painless, which on my daily commute is a massive plus. As with most helmets, make sure you try before you buy, just so you can be certain that the Shark Spartan is the perfect fit for the shape of your head.
