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Gear Checks: One Industries Trooper lid

One Industries’ Trooper helmet has been around since 2004, but every year it continues to sell well, with distributors C&R Imports reporting a steady stream of both the Trooper and less-expensive Kombats leaving their warehouse. So why has it got such a good name, and why are more people opting for the Trooper? To find out, we’ve tested the lid for about eight months and we’re super-impressed with it.

It’s ridiculously comfortable to ride in. Seriously, the Trooper is like a sofa for your head, but it’s also lightweight and has a nice, wide eye port that fits every set of goggles we own. At the same time, the chin guard doesn’t cut down on our vision like other helmets we’ve owned.

The helmet strap is stiff enough to easily manipulate through the D-ring, but not stiff enough to be harsh under the chin, and we’ve washed the liner numerous times without it “sacking out” and feeling like it’s lost its shape.

As for durability, we haven’t got any complaints there, either. The sweet matte paint job still looks as good as new, even after hundreds and hundreds of kilometres on the trails, tracks and road.

What don’t we like? Well it’s pretty picky, but we’re not big fans of the middle visor bolt that allows you to move the peak back and forward – the shortage of space underneath the visor makes it tricky to turn with your fingers.

Apart from that though, the Trooper never fails to impress, and it’s still a pleasure to pull on whenever we want to go riding.

And what’s more, the price of the Trooper has dropped from $469 to a ridiculous $399, thanks to the strong Aussie dollar. If you want to buy moto gear, now’s the time to get in!