Review

Review | The Kali MAYA Open-face Helmet

27.09.2015
by

As we’ve been wondering just what’s so special about the MAYA, Kali’s latest open-face helmet, we decided testing had to be on the cards. An all-new design that retains all the essentials such as a low-sunken shell for increased protection and a camera or headlamp mount, the MAYA is purportedly heads above the competition. Here’s our verdict.

Coming in three colours (black, blue, and black/white), the Kali MAYA’s more bucketed design offers a vast area of protection. The helmet’s design is pretty distinctive given its long visor and deep shell. Using the composite fusion plus technology, Kali layered foam of various thicknesses to ensure a high rate of impact absorption and, essentially, better head injury protection when compared to other helmets.

Der Kali MAYA in klassischem Schwarz.
In Size S/M, the Kali MAYA weighs in at 357 g with an RRP of 99 €

First glances said it all: the helmet doesn’t just look big – it is big. With a test helmet in size S/M for head circumferences of between 55-61cm, it proved a decent fit for each relevant tester. For riders with even smaller heads, the XS will be a wiser choice otherwise it’ll be too roomy.

Die allgemeine Verarbeitung des MAYA ist hochwertig.
In general, the MAYA displays a very high level of production.
Der Verschluss erfüllt zwar seine Aufgabe, die Bedienung könnte jedoch instinktiver ausfallen.
The adjustment strap works, but could be a bit more intuitive.

While many of the current helmets on the market are kitted out with a central adjustment system for their fit, the less-intuitive MAYA has two rear ratchets that have to be adjusted independently of each other. Ensuring that the two sides are equal is a laborious task, and we repeatedly had to put the helmet on and off to tweak the perfect fit.

Nicht zuletzt dank der Polster sitzt der MAYA bequem und sicher auf dem Kopf.
Largely thanks to the cushioning, the MAYA is a comfy fit.

Ventilation is one factor where the MAYA scores highly, as it features a legion of well-placed air vents to ensure that air flows unhindered through the helmet. Once you’ve settled on the right fit for the helmet, the MAYA is a stable and satisfying piece of kit. As the adjustment system is fitted so low down the neck, the head is nicely encircled, retaining a reliable position no matter how bumpy the trail gets. This, in turn, increases the subjective feeling of safety.

Einmal eingestellt, fixiert das Verstellsystem den Helm zuverlässig am Kopf.
Once you’ve stopped faffing and decided you’re happy with the fit, the helmet is satisfyingly comfy.

As the visor comes fitted with a mount for either a helmet cam or a headlight for night riding, we gave it a try for both. While the mount proved more than sufficient for a headlight, it was on the shaky side for a helmet cam – a situation that was unfortunately undeniable in the unstable recordings we took.

Die Helmkamera-Aufnahme ist auf dem Visier leider nicht optimal platziert.
The helmet cam mount on the visor isn’t necessarily in the most sensible spot.

Conclusion

Winning us over with its cool look, deep fit and great value for money, we can overlook the not-so-intuitive adjustment system and the shaky camera mount when it comes to the 99.90 € Kali MAYA and cite it as one to consider.

More Information

Price: 99,90 €
Weight: 357 g (Size S/M)
Sizes: S/M, L/XL
Homepage: kaliprotectives.com

Words: Martin Stöckl Pictures: Ross Bell

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