Review: Kali Chakra Helmet

Published: 29th July 2013 | By AngusMcIntosh

For the last few months at MoreDirt we’ve been rocking a selection of awesome helmets that are currently on offer from Kali. Check out the full review on the awesome Chakra Plus from Kali.

First Impressions

The Chakra plus is straight out of the same mold as most of the other helmets in the Kali Range which you will hear a little more about in the coming weeks on MoreDirt. It features all the characteristics that we come to expect from a trail helmet with good rear coverage and a simple fit adjuster.

It looks great and tips the scales at a reassuring 334g which stands it in good stead against the established big guns of the helmet world like Bell, Met, Giro and Specialized.

What really seals the deal for us? The price tag. £50

The Details

Kali are renowned for their lightweight and technologically advanced helmets. They are always trying to push the boundaries to improve both safety and comfort.

The Chakra plus features Kali’s composite fusion technology that means during construction the EPS foam (the bit that does the head saving) is molded inside the actual outer shell of the helmet from the very beginning as opposed to being molded externally and then being glued inside the shell which is how most other helmets are created.

Why go to the extra effort to do develop and integrate all this tech? Because Kali have found it to lessen the strength of G-forces measured on impact. The best way to describe it is in this short video below.

Less force transmitted through to your skull should in theory reduce the likelihood of serious injury.

For a helmet to be legally sold in the UK rightly so it has to reach a certain standard of protection, from the £15 special to the flashy £200 carbon fibre number. Helmets for mountain biking all have to reach the EN 1078 standard and undergo the same tests through an independent panel. You’ll be glad to know the Chakra plus with all it's tech passed this with flying colours.

The helmet even features a bug net in the front which is a cool little feature but we aren’t entirely sure what it would catch apart from bees and wasps with holes in the net that big.

The retention system on the helmet is provided by a very lightweight and what could be described as a slightly flimsy feeling cage with the tried and tested wheel adjuster on the rear. Despite initial concerns the cage hasn’t showed any kinds of wear after a few months of use.

In terms of sizing the Kali Chakra plus is available in small that comes in at 50-54cm, Small/Medium that comes in at 52/58cm and Medium/Large that covers 58-62cm. We took the small/medium size for testing and one really great thing I would say about it is the large range of head sizes the helmet would accept. It’s obviously not ideal but it would probably fit somebody whose head is even a touch larger than 58cm which is great to know when trying to decide what size helmet you will need to take.

The Chakra plus comes in at a middle of the road average in terms of competitors at 334g and is available in loads of different loud colour combinations and styles. If your looking for something a little less understated Kali make an even cheaper version of this great little trail lid called the Chakra which fundamentally is the same but is only available in plain colours which makes it even more of a bargain.

The Ride

Out on the trail the Kali Chakra helmet has proved itself to be a great little operator. It’s been out to use across a range of disciplines including cross country, trail and some enduro riding.

The helmet is well ventilated and it does a great job of keeping your head cool even on really hot days. Straight out of the box its sits comfortably on your head despite the thin padding that we find on helmets in this sector these days. The tried and tested wheel adjuster is easy to use and get the size dialed in.

The colour scheme looks pretty cool too and with a price tag of £50 it’s an absolute no brainer!

Conclusion

With brands like Kali producing helmets of this caliber at these prices there is no longer an excuse to see people riding in helmets that look any less than cool wizzing around trail centres.

The Chakra Plus ticks all of our boxes and is yet another fantastic helmet to throw into the mixing pot when it comes to choosing a new lid especially if the purse strings are a bit tighter.

Available in a great selection of colours in styles at a bargain price. There’s no longer an excuse to look any less than fly when smashing out a loop at the trails.

Kali are distributed in the UK by Surf Sales!

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