Shark Drak Crash Helmet review

The Shark Drak: Shark’s stormtrooper open face crash helmet

Shark launched the Raw crash helmet range in 2013, squarely aimed at the inner urban warrior in all of us.

It then changed the name to the Shark Drak – though it’s the same helmet.

And since then, they’ve played around with the helmet quite a bit, spinning off several different versions and making thermoplastic, fibreglass and carbon fibre versions.

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Original Shark Drak

The Drak looks very mean of course, but it’s actually a souped-up open faced helmet with a pair of goggles and face mask; though I have to admit, as far as open faced helmets go, it rocks.

It’s been on the market a while now, so it’s time to see what you get for your money and what owners think of their Shark Drak helmets.

  • Several versions (see below)
  • Thermoplastic, fibreglass and carbon shells
  • Open face helmet
  • DOT and ECE certified
  • Comes with goggles & face mask
  • Double-glazed Zeiss lenses
  • 2 shell sizes
  • Micrometric fastener (D-ring USA)
  • 5 year warranty
  • Expect to pay £160-£300 depending on model

Best places to buy a Shark Drak?

Please click below to drop straight onto the Shark Drak 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).

Buy from SportsBikeShopBuy from Ghostbikes UK

Shark Drak Helmet Versions

At the time of writing, there’s 5 main models available, though it wouldn’t be surprising if Shark drop a few more variants as I guess the Drak must be a good seller. The main review below is covering the original Drak though we’ll mention other helmets where appropriate.

Shark Drak (original)

This Drak – originally launched as the Shark Raw – is the thermoplastic helmet. It’s got the removable (non protective) face shield and anti-scratch anti-fog treated goggles. It also has a top vent which was dropped for the S Draks. Later versions had a slightly redesigned mask.

shark-s-drak-2-blank-gloss-grey-helmet-side-view
Fibreglass Shark S Drak 2 in gloss grey

Shark S Drak

The S Drak was launched with a fibreglass shell that made for a slightly lighter weight helmet, weighing in at around 1Kg. The face mask and side panel was reworked too and the visor’s now a pull down internal visor.

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Carbon fibre S Drak

Carbon S Drak

Shark then launched a range of carbon fibre shelled S Draks. Not much changed from the fibreglass version and Shark claims a similar weight too.

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Shark Street Drak in matt green

Shark Street Drak

This helmet’s very similar to the original Drak but targeting the urban rider, with a range of reworked colourways. It’s still a thermoplastic helmet and the same spec as the original helmet though.

shark x drak 1.2 thrust-r in black side view
Shark X Drak

Shark X Drak

The X Drak is a very reworked S Drak. It features a removable peak, ventilation inlets on the top and optimized ear pads, designed to help you hear external sounds better. It’s also got a pull down internal visor like the S Drak. There’s also an ATV Drak that’s a very similar helmet to the X Drak but targeting quad riders.

Safety

Well, the Shark Drak is essentially an open face helmet (3/4 helmet in the US) so it’s never going to provide the same level of all-round protection as a full face helmet.

That face mask is made from a flexible rubber/plastic so while it does give decent protection from road grit and flying nasties, it’s probably not going to give much protection if you have an ‘off’ and your face hits the road. Not only is it not fixed to the helmet, but it’s attached to the bottom of the goggles which are designed to be flipped up onto the top of the helmet if you want them out of the way.

So, if you buy a helmet like the Drak, then you’ve gotta be aware of its limitations.

Limitations aside, the Drak is reasonably well built and whatever shell you go for – thermoplastic, carbon or fibreglass, should give decent protection as far as it goes (Shark lids of all constructions and materials always do well in SHARP tests – read our latest Safest Helmet Brands report for the latest details) and they’re all either ECE (Europe) or DOT (US) certified.

Most Draks are made in two shell sizes and have been designed to have a compact shell form – so it shouldn’t look too big when you wear it.

It mostly comes with a micrometric fastener (some US helmets come with a double D-ring fastener) though both work well – just that the D-ring can be a bit fiddlier if you’re not used to them.

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It looks mean from every angle. This one’s the Drak Tribute

Finally on the subject of safety, those goggles are double-glazed and are great for keeping the fog at bay (see Goggles section below).

All in all, even though we don’t know precisely how well the Drak’ll protect you in an accident (SHARP don’t test open face helmets) it’s an open face and so won’t give you the same facial protection as a full face helmet will. So understand the risks before you buy one.

Looking to buy this Shark?

We recommend SportsBikeShop (UK) for competitive prices, free delivery and 365 day returns backed by outstanding reviews, and Ghostbikes (UK) for amazing ratings, free delivery & free 30 day returns. Or you can click through to the Shark helmets pages at Amazon if you prefer to buy from there. If you like to buy in Euros, Motoin (Ger) are a quality German operation with decent prices and great review scores.

Helmet Noise

The Shark Drak is noisier than most full faces but quieter that most open-face helmets – at least according to most owners.

That face mask and the googles seem to smooth the airflow a bit and reduce the amount of turbulence made by the wind.

Most owners reckon it’s fine around town and for cruising – but things can get really noisy when you hit the motorway. But stick to A-roads and cruising around town in it and it’s not too bad.

shark-drak-soyoiuz-mat-black-silver-motorcycle-crash-helmet-side-view
Drak Soyouz comes in three colour schemes

Don’t forget, if you buy the Drak S or X-Drak

Ventilation

Ventilation on the Drak is provided by holes in the face mask and a single large forehead vent that’s stoppered up with a removable rubber bung.

The top vent provides air into the helmet and channels it around the head and through the vented lining, giving reasonable levels of ventilation to the scalp.

Of course, it’s an open face helmet so you can remove the goggles and face mask if you want – and get as much face ventilation as you want!

But assuming you’re wearing the Drak with the goggles and facemask down, most owners say the ventilation is still surprisingly good.

You’d expect it to be decent when you’re riding along but even when stopped, there’s a surprising amount of fresh air gets in there – so you’re not breathing stale air back in. If you live somewhere hot though, it can get pretty hot behind there if you’re stationary for long.

It’s also worth noting the goggles have vent holes underneath and that helps with keeping your eyes fresh and the inside of the goggles fog free.

shark streetfighter raw helmet
Goggles and facemask lift up in one piece

Goggles & Face Mask

The face mask attaches straight to the bottom of the goggles but can be unclipped if you want to use the helmet without the mask.

You can even remove the side pods and pull off the goggles entirely if you want – to use it like a proper open face helmet.

Again, assuming you keep both goggles and mask attached for the full stormtrooper effect, the goggles and mask can be pulled up and positioned at the top of the helmet as a unit, which is quite a good feature and makes the lid easier to use. The face mask is mostly there to catch flies and road muck rather than give protection in a crash.

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There’s a range of goggles available after-market

In fact all versions of the Shark Drak areonly approved for use as open faced helmets rather than full face too (called dual-homologation) so don’t get lulled into thinking it’s safer than it actually is. Neither have they been SHARP safety tested, though they are ECE 22.05 approved, like all motorcycle crash helmets legally sold in Europe.

shark-drak-goggles and mask camo
There’s also a range of after-market customised masks and goggles available

The goggles are double glazed, anti-scratch and have an anti-fog coating on the rear too. The lenses are by Cark Zeiss and owners reckon they’re good quality. And it appears that the double-glazing, ventilation and anti-fog coating all conspire to make for goggles that don’t fog up. At least no-one in the reviews we found could get them to fog up – so if you know different, please comment below and tell us!

Of course, there’s quite a bit of goggle and frame there, and it does have some impact on peripheral vision. A few owners say they do find themselves doing lots more head movements to check their blind spots than in their full face helmets.

Comfort and Sizing

The inside of the Shark Drak is moisture wicking and hypoallergenic and it’s made of natural fibres. It’s also removable and washable and has a glasses groove in the lining so the stems of glasses shouldn’t dig in to your head.

The sizing can run a smidge small – though owners who bought one that was a tad on the small size did say it will wear-in, so as long as it’s not too small, you might be OK.

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It looks especially cool in camo. The range is called Kurtz

If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth set, the Drak is Shark’s Sharktooth communicator-ready and there are speaker pockets in there so it may work for 3rd party bluetooths too, depending on which one you have.

Looks & Graphics

There’s no doubt the Drak is a striking helmet. And because it looks so menacing and cool is the number one reason most of us seem to buy one. You see it and just have to have it.

That’s helped by the stack of suitably moody, urban and militaristic graphics available. From the straight forward Blank range of plain blacks and whites through to the Tributes, 72s, Sanctus, Dogtags and Sououz – we’ve put a only a fraction of the designs and colour options available up and down the page. So, as usual, if you want to see the very latest designs for the Shark Drak, then please click the links through to our recommended retailers. The links will drop you onto their Shark pages – though you might need to use their site search to quickly find the Draks.

Best places to buy a Shark Drak helmet?

Please click below to drop straight onto the Shark Drak 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).

Buy from SportsBikeShopBuy from Ghostbikes UK

Shark Drak Video

First off, a 5 minute look over the Drak, then a 2 minute unboxing video…

Overall/Summary

shark-drak-72-mat-black-orange-crash-helmet-rear-view
Rear of the Drak 72

If you’re interested in a Shark Drak, then you’re going to be wanting one because of its looks. Pretty much all of us who want one (me included) like it because it’ll make us look mean and scary on the bike.

And while it’s not the best made helmet on the market, at this price it’s really not bad either. Those Carl Zeiss non-fog goggles; a mask that keeps off the worst of what the outside wants to throw at you; and even the thermoplastic helmet should give a decent amount of protection – as long as you don’t scrape your face! That facemask isn’t going to offer any protection so don’t fool yourself it will.

But if you can live with that and only intend to use it for low-speed urban cruising – and understand the limits of open-face helmets – then the Shark Drak is rated highly by owners and is surprisingly easy to live with.

Best places to buy a Shark Drak?

Please click below to drop straight onto the Shark Drak 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).

Buy from SportsBikeShopBuy from Ghostbikes UK

Star Ratings

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Safety
Comfort
Noise
Features
Value
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Next articleLS2 FF390 Breaker full face motorcycle helmet review
shark-raw-drak-motorcycle-crash-helmet-reviewAs an open face helmet, the Shark Raw/Drak (same helmet) is pretty special. Most owners buy it because they want to look like someone out of Judge Dredd - but it actually works surprisingly well as a helmet too. We've given it a really low score for safety - hey, it's an open face helmet - but with good ventilation, a great goggle/mask combo and comfortable liner, it's easy to live with too. Provided you're not going too far and too fast that is. If you can live with its foibles and want to look like a Storm Trooper, then a Shark Drak is waiting for you.

7 COMMENTS

  1. I’ve found this kid to be very comfy with plenty of air getting round my head, the slots for the Bluetooth headset speakers are perfect. The noise isn’t that bad apart from when you have the vent open Which then rattles. As for the fogging up, the inside of it doesn’t fog up but I’ve just found out that it does fog up between the two lenses, I’ve put the lens in my airing cupboard to try and dry it out

  2. Not sure how many people on here actually own this helmet as some of the criticisms are a bit odd to say the least 😂 The one fault of this helmet which is clearly substandard is the wind noise. How Shark see this as acceptable is beyond me, is there no R&D?? I’ve dealt with this issue myself so now it’s OK.

  3. Agree with Brechtje, looks great but does let rain in everywhere, very noisy and if you look over your shoulder at speed before overtaking traffic, the goggles pull away from your face. Now on 3rd set of elastics. Going to buy a Roof Boxer next I think.

  4. trust me when I say I tried it in a crash and well it was the cause of my broken face with the google flip’n’hit not the best experience but still a nice looking helmet

  5. I have this helmet for about 3 years. I’m a lady driver from the Netherlands. I ride in summer & winter with this helmet, about 10 times a month for an hour, highway included.
    The only advantages of this helmet are the looks and the light weight.
    Disadvantages:
    1. The mask leaves red marks on my face, because the mask is pushed against my face while driving. When I arrive at work I get funny faces from people, because I look quite strange for the first half an hour.
    2. Rain comes in, in between the goggles and the helmet. On the highway that aches! It feels like hail straight on the skin of my forehead.
    3. The elastic becomes slack through the years. More quickly, when you put the goggles on top of the helmet, so don’t do that. It’s a hell of a job to tighten the elastic. After 3 years I cannot tighten it more, so I will have to replace the elastic.
    4. Because of the elastic, you will need two hands to put the goggles on top of the helmet. A quick talk at the traffic light is difficult with this helmet.
    5. In winter, the air that comes into the helmet can be very cold.
    6. It’s a noisy helmet.

    I wouldn’t recommend this helmet. I got lots of compliments because of the looks, but safety and comfort are much more important!

  6. Bought one of these Helmets. It’s lightweight probably not the best if you come off. I find it really noisy with the air vent bung out. I’ve also had a safety issue with it, the strap clip spring will not keep the buckle in place. So potentially it could let the strap come undone. I have returned it to Shark for a fix. It does have a 5 year warranty.

  7. One of the best looking helmets, and yet the shittiest ones.. Too many pieces to assemble, quite unsafe and poor materials,,and the best surprise it is also one of the most expensive out there for this weird category.
    The dynamic looks of it make it use with really powerful bikes, and this is not a safe helmet to try and be aggressive with. Wind makes every component to move independently and eventually they could come up, if not fixed properly. I wish there was a better solution for this as it’s really cool looking, but probably for less than half what is currently asked for.

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