Review of the Shark S600 full face crash helmet

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Shark’s entry-level thermoplastic full face helmet – the Shark S600

The S600 is Shark’s current entry-level helmet. But even though it can be had for under £100, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to compromise. As we show in our cheapest crash helmets section, there’s plenty of choice and great performing helmets to be had for well under £150.

The S600 might look a bit plain in comparison to some of the latest top end releases, but with a quick release visor, removable lining – and a Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box – as well as very good SHARP safety rating, the Shark S600 is shaping up to be a real contender – and not just against other entry-level helmets.

  • Shark’s entry-level full face
  • Thermoplastic shell
  • SHARP 4 Star rated for safety
  • Pinlock anti-fog insert included
  • Sizes XS-XXL
  • 5 year Shark warranty
  • Expect to pay £89-£99

Note: the S600 is no longer available. Check out our other Shark helmet reviews or visit our Top 10 helmets pages to find a cracking alternative.

Safety

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S600 in solid gloss white

Even though the S600 is the cheapest of Shark’s current range, it’s received four stars in the SHARP safety test which is a fantastic performance and only one star off the maximum five stars. It’s also been ECE 22/05 tested/approved so you can be confident the S600 will offer a good level of accident protection, should the worst happen.

Other features that contribute to overall safety levels are the fact that it comes with a Pinlock anti fog insert in the box (see visor section below) that means you shouldn’t be scrabbling around to see when things get misty, and it has the well-regarded micrometric locking mechanism to keep the strap locked closed.

Shark are our current joint second best rated crash helmet brand for safety and the S600 continues their trend for producing well made and safe helmets.

All in all, we reckon the Shark S600 is almost as safe as they come (though check our SHARP 5 star helmet section for the absolute safest helmets on sale).

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Shark S600 in Exit graphics showing single chin and forehead vents

Helmet Noise

Of the feedback that’s available, owners say the Shark S600 is very quiet. That’s possibly down to a few factors.

Firstly, the S600 has limited inlet and exhaust vents cut into the shell. If you have lots of vents (and some helmets have six or more) then they can let quite a bit of noise into a helmet, along with the fresh air. Because the S600 only has a couple of vents and therefore holes cut into the shell, it could mean less noise can get in.

Secondly, the bottom of the liner is quite a snug fit. That could keep out a fair bit of noise from coming into the helmet from below.

Finally, many of the owners of the S600 are new to motorcycling and this is typically one of their first helmets. As we know, helmet noise is very subjective so if you don’t have many other helmets to compare it to, it could give a slightly false impression.

That said, most owners were adamant the S600 is quiet so we’ve reflected that in our ratings below.

Ventilation

The S600 has just two vents in the helmet – one chin and one forehead vent. Both are operated by a toggle switch that works a bit like a light switch; so to open, you press the switch one way, and the other to close. They’re simple to operate – even in gloves – and there’s no complaints from owners.

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Rear view. No spoilers or exhausts.

The forehead vent routes air through channels in the EPS polystyrene lining through to the scalp and the warm/stale air exits the helmet via the exhaust vent that’s around the rear collar area at the base of the helmet – so no rear vents cut into the helmet shell that you find in more expensive models.

However, according to some owners, it seems these two small vents can struggle to feed all the air needed into the helmet.

In cold weather, the visor steams up easily because the single chin vent can’t pull enough air into the front of the helmet. Of course, fit the included Pinlock anti-fog insert and that problem will disappear. And of course in cold weather you’re probably more interested in reducing air flow around your scalp to keep your head warm rather than getting ventilation into the helmet.

But, as we say, if you ride in colder weather, then get the Pinlock fitted and you should be fine.

However, the lack of ventilation can be a bit of an issue in hotter weather when plenty of cool air flowing around the helmet is more useful.

Visor

The Shark S600’s visor works well. It ticks all the important boxes and though there’s nothing massively fancy about it, it has some of the most important features – namely it’s quick release, reasonably optically correct and comes with a Pinlock in the box. Job done.

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Shark S600 in Play black/yellow/blue graphics

The ratchet on the visor is nice and firm and allows you to open it just a crack – something many of us like to do when we’re bimbling through town at low speeds.

It has one of the best quick-release visor removal mechanisms around – press in a button on each side and the visor slides off (check the video to see it in action).

The visor itself has an opening tab front and left – probably the best place for it. And it also comes with a Pinlock insert in the box. Pinlocks are great if you ride in cold weather where your visor can quickly fog-up. And for a helmet at this cheap price point, having a £30+ Pinlock in the box is a real bonus and will make living with the S600 that much easier.

To find other helmets that are either Pinlock-ready or come with a Pinlock in the box, check our Pinlock section (to see helmets with a range of important features, use our feature tags found above on the right sidebar).

Comfort

There’s no problems reported with the comfort of the S600. Like other Sharks, it features a sweat-wicking, fully removable and washable lining which owners say is very comfortable. As always, that’s dependent on getting the right fitting in the first place.

Looks & Graphics

Looks are pretty subjective but the S600 certainly doesn’t disgrace itself. It’s a reasonably basic, uncluttered design that’s available in the usual solid black & white, gloss and matt versions and Shark regularly update the range with other designs.

At the time of writing, the S600 is available in the Swag, Prime, Exit, Volt and Play graphics and you’ll find many of those dotted around this page. For the latest designs, you could visit the Shark website or visit our recommended retailers (see below) who’ll usually have a range that includes both recent and older graphics, often at reduced prices.

Video

A 5 minute look around the Shark S600 from this dude at Bikenation.

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Shark S600 looking moody in solid matt black

Other stuff – weight, fastener, build quality, ACU gold sticker

The S600 weighs in at about 1.45Kg for the medium size which is about average for a full face helmet.

It has a micrometric (ratchet) fastener which are really easy to use and incredibly quick to release.

Build quality is reported to be very good and in the UK it comes with a ACU gold sticker on it which means it’s suitable/approved for track use.

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.

Alternatives to the Shark S600

Even though the S600 represents great value for money, there’s tons of competition at this price point. Take a look at the Caberg Vox – that’s a SHARP 5 star rated helmet that you can pick up for around the same price as the S600 but has a drop down sun visor too. There’s also the 4 star rated Scorpion Exo 410 which features Scorpion’s innovative air pump system as well as an optically-correct visor. For a little more money, you could get an AGV K3 SV too – that’s another SHARP 4 star rated helmet with a drop down sun visor and great ventilation. All those are worthy alternatives to the S600.

Definitely want a Shark?

Here you'll find all our Shark crash helmet reviews and previews including full face, flip-up and open face helmets.

Overall/Summary

The Shark S600 is a great helmet. Sure, it’s a bit basic and low on features, but for the price, you get a great performing helmet that does all the basics well and introduces you to Shark crash helmet ownership at a price that won’t break the bank. Plus it comes with a £30 Pinlock anti-fog which is amazing for a sub-£100 helmet!

It’ll probably appeal more to folks that are new to motorcycling – mainly because of that low price point – but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the rest of us checking out the S600 too because it’s a great helmet full stop.

Star Ratings

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Safety
Comfort
Noise
Features
Value
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review-shark-s600-full-face-crash-helmetShark's quality shines through even in its entry-level budget crash helmets. The S600 is basic yes, but it scores well for safety, comes with a Pinlock in the box and does most things we need from a helmet. Worth a look for new and old-hands alike who don't want to spend too much.

1 COMMENT

  1. Yes, I agree an ok helmet for the price. What I have trouble with is the plastic fastener for the shield/visor. After quite a bit of use the plastic in the mechanism can crack and then the visor won’t hold. You can buy new bits still for this helmet even though it is discontinued but they’re kind of expensive. I wonder if more expensive helmets have better securing systems??

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