Review of LS2’s flip-over polycarbonate modular helmet.

If you’ve ever checked out the Shark Evoline or Shark Evo-one 2 modular helmets, you might find there’s more than a passing resemblance with the LS2 Valiant.

Not only is the design pretty similar, but the Valiant is also a dual-homologated flip-up helmet too – where the chin bar rotates right to the back of the helmet to give more of a proper open faced helmet feeling.

And like the two Sharks, the Valiant has a thermoplastic shell – LS2 calls it a Kinetic Polymer Alloy but don’t be confused – it’s still a polycarbonate shelled helmet.

The Valiant is designed for regular road riders and commuters – so track riders should look elsewhere (like in our sportsbike helmets section).

It took Shark a few goes to make their helmets really work – so we find out if LS2 have got it right first time by discovering what owners think of their Valiants. And we uncover what features you can expect if you decide to buy one.

• Polycarbonate modular helmet
• Dual Homologated
• SHARP 4 Star safety rated
• ECE and DOT certified
• Drop down sun visor
• Class one optical visor
• Pinlock Max Vision antifog included
• Long oval fitment
• 1.7Kg (3.75lbs) – avg weight
• Sizes XS-XXXL
• Expect to pay £250-£300

Best places to buy an LS2 Valiant?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Valiant helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

To cut to the chase, we’d expect the LS2 Valiant to give reasonable protection in an accident.

Looking at SHARP test data, their average score for a tested LS2 polycarbonate helmet is 3 stars out of 5. Which is pretty OK.

Until recently, there was only one LS2 modular helmet tested by SHARP. That’s the LS2 Strobe and that scored 3 stars for safety plus a 100% score for number of times the chin bar stayed locked during testing; which is obviously an excellent score.

Now though, the Valiant has been SHARP tested where it scored an overall 4 stars for safety and its chin bar stayed locked 97% of the time – which is an overall great score for a modular.

The Valiant is both DOT (US) and ECE 22-05 (EU) certified so it’s passed the thorough ECE testing regime, which is good to know. It’s also been both P & J certified meaning that it’s been approved to work as both a full face and open face helmet – so you can ride with the chin bar open and round the back of the helmet legally in ECE countries.

It’s also got a wide, Pinlock Max Vision visor which should keep your vision clear when it’s cold and raining and give decent extra peripheral visibility to spot hazards approaching.

And a drop down sun visor is always a great idea to stop you getting caught out and dazzled by the sun.

And while the Valiant is only made in two shell sizes (which isn’t the best for fitment or, arguably, for safety) it does use a multi-density polystyrene lining to offer more progressive shock absorption during an impact.

Finally on safety, the Valiant is fastened using a micrometric 2 chin strap – that’s a micrometric fastener with a metal ratchet instead of the old plastic version.

All in all, the LS2 Valiant should give very decent impact protection.

For other helmets that have proven they’ll give superior impact protection in the SHARP safety testing labs, you might want to check out our safest helmets pages.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

From owner feedback, it seems like we’re gonna have to score the LS2 Valiant about average quietness for a modular helmet.

Modulars are generally noisier than the equivalent full face helmet – it seems mostly because the mechanism for that articulating chin bar either creates space for turbulence to get in and/or because it means there’s less room for noise-cancelling padding.

That’s what a couple of Valiant owners thought causes the noise in the Valiant too, though a couple also said that opening the vents lets noise in but closing them off makes the Valiant impressively quiet.

But as always, noise is a very subjective thing, and we did find several owners who think their Valiants are really quiet, as well as others saying it’s really noisy.

If you’re coming to a Valiant from a full face helmet, expect it to be a bit noisier than you’re used to, and wear some decent ear plugs. Do that and we reckon that most riders will be fine with noise suppression in the Valiant (and most other modulars).

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a useful chin vent with a 2 way open/close slider covering it that gives venting to the back of the visor. There’s also a crown vent, again with a 2 way slider covering it, that’s designed take air through the helmet shell and push it into channels inside the helmet to cool the top of your head.

At the back, there’s four separate exhaust vents to help pull that warm, stale air out of the helmet, making room to let more fresh air in.

That’s all fine, but looking inside the helmet, there’s not a whole lot of chance for air in the air channels to make its way through the comfort lining and get air to your head. Where most makers put large cut-aways or mesh panels into the lining to allow air through, the Valiant’s liner is much more solid.

Owners of the Valiant reckon the chin vent works well but the head vent less well – with owners rating head ventilation around average. Which is not so much of a problem for those of us riding in Northern Europe, but might be a problem if you’re somewhere hotter.

Though of course, with the Valiant you’ve always got the option of having the chin bar up for a while to cool down!

Visor

(more about visors)

The visor on the Valiant is a class A optically correct visor (meaning it’ll be distortion free). It works on a ratchet and has the opening tab top-centre, which can take a bit of getting used to.

It’s also a wide visor for extra peripheral vision (good) and in Europe it comes Pinlock-ready with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box (very good).

Note, in the DOT zone (USA) it’ll come with LS2’s Fog Fighter anti fog preparation and not a Pinlock.

So, LS2 ticks lots of boxes with the visor on the Valiant, and that translates to lots of owners saying the visor system works very well.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

There’s a useful drop down sun visor in the Valiant, operated by a slider along the bottom left rim of the helmet – that’s a handy place to locate it and usually the best place to make it easy to find when riding.

Sometimes you find sun visors are a bit light and leave a stripe of bright light at the bottom which some folks find annoying, but the word on the sun visor on the Valiant is that it’s nice and dark and drops down low.

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

Like other helmets where the chin guard rotates round to the back of the helmet, the movement of unlocking and pushing up the chin guard on the Valiant opens the visor and moves it out of the way of the guard.

The chin guard then rotates to the back of the helmet where it stays in place through gravity alone (i.e. it doesn’t lock in place). Owners say the unlocking and rotation of the chin guard is effortless and smooth.

It can be done easily with one hand, though it’s worth saying while it can be done without stopping, you’re always best waiting until you’re stopped to open the chin bar and not obscure your vision or take your eyes off the road. It only takes a slight bit of interference from an intercom mic or bit of grit in the mechanism and you could be toast.

The chin bar locking mechanism has metal clasps too which is usually a feature associated with more secure locking chin bars – so that’s good to see.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Sizing of the Valiant is about right – so follow our fitting guide and order the correct size.

LS2 has designed the Valiant to suit longer oval head shapes – so if you’ve a rounder head, you might find that it’s tight at the sides.

It weighs about 1.7Kg (3.75lbs) which isn’t the lightest helmet, but shouldn’t really cause you any problems because that’s just about bang on the average weight across all modular helmets.

Inside, you’ll find a removable and washable liner padded with lazer cut foam for a more tailored fit to the face. It’s made from a breathable and hypoallergenic material – and crucially, Valiant owners say it makes for a really comfortable helmet.

Looks & Graphics

We try and put as many graphic options as possible on these pages, but for the latest options and deals on LS2 Valiants, please check out the links to our recommended retailers below.

Best places to buy an LS2 Valiant helmet?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Valiant helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

LS2 Valiant Video

Here’s a 5m30s video taking you around a plain matt black Valiant.

Other stuff – audio/bluetooth

The LS2 Valiant is designed to accommodate the Linkin Ride Pal III bluetooth communicator – that’s a bluetooth set designed by well-known intercom maker, Sena, for LS2 helmets. If you’re looking to use a different bluetooth, then be aware that the speaker pockets are pretty slim, so you’ll need to have slim fit speakers otherwise they might well be uncomfortable.

Overall/Summary

With the LS2 Valiant hitting the shelves, there’s now a further option if you’re looking for a modular helmet where the chin guard rotates right to the back of the helmet.

And the Valiant offers good value for money too. For a reasonable price, you get a full-featured helmet that should work well anywhere from a daily commuting helmet to a touring holiday helmet.

Cons? Well the top venting is a bit limited, the speaker pockets are shallow and, like most modular helmets, it’s not the quietest. But on the plus side, it’s good value, has that really practical chin guard that flips back out of the way, has a useful wide visor with Pinlock and drop down sun visor. And it’s rated as really comfortable by most owners.

And the great news now is that when SHARP tested the LS2 Valiant, it scored an excellent four stars for safety (and the chin bar scored a high 97%). So, if you’re after a dual homologated – flip-right-over modular helmet, the LS2 Valiant’s excellent value and well worth a try.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Good Alternatives to the LS2 Valiant?

If you’re after a great performing flip-front helmet, then here’s some beauties to check out.

We’ve gotta mention the two Sharks which are most similar to the LS2 Valiant.

There’s the Shark Evo One 2; that’s a flip-over modular that’s been safety rated by SHARP with an excellent four star rating. It comes with a Pinlock in the box and is a tad lighter than the LS2, though it’s a tad more expensive too.

And there’s Shark’s other flip-over helmet, the Evoline 3. That was safety rated by SHARP as 5 star, has a drop down sun visor and is good for glasses wearers.

Other ways to find the Best Modular Helmet

If you're after a new modular/flip-up helmet, they've never been more popular and there's a ton of choice out there. You can find our latest top 10 modular helmets list here or check out all our modular helmet reviews here. You can also visit our Safest Modular Helmets page or our smart filters page where you can click the flip-up/modular check box then choose a few other features to find the best flip-up helmet for you.

Best places to buy an LS2 Valiant?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Valiant helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Star Ratings