KYT NZ-Race Long Term Review
Mason Leuck - March 27, 2025
Last season, I entered a sponsorship agreement with KYT helmets and committed myself to representing them for the duration of the season. This was a huge step for me and I welcomed it, I was hugely excited to have my first helmet sponsorship and very curious to try out the brand, some friends of mine had used their flagship helmet and had good things to say about it so I was excited for it to be my turn. My initial impression of the helmet was very good, and I enjoyed using it for the whole season. Now that I have had plenty of time in the seat with this helmet, I can confidently say that the NZ-Race is a very good helmet.
Firstly, the helmet is very light - weighing in at around 3lb, it does not create strain on the neck while in use.
The aerodynamics are good, the helmet is very comfortable in the wind even at high speeds. I have noticed an improvement when I am endurance racing, there is noticeably less strain on my neck after prolonged riding.
The ventilation keeps the helmet cool, which is especially important with the black shell on the carbon fiber. I own a white colored one that stays a little cooler - its surprising how much the color makes a difference.
The padding inside the helmet is comfortable, it has maintained its form well and hasn’t compressed very much so the fit is similar to out of the box. It fits true to size, my head is 60cm in diameter and I fit a large very well.
I have heard that the visor can be challenging to change out, I have not had any problems with doing it myself - I can switch from the smoke visor to a clear visor in under 30 seconds. The tactile feel of the visor when inside the helmet is good, it has a clicky feel and stays open well, it also closes itself quite well and snaps shut. It does not have a locking mechanism, but the tension it uses to hold itself closed is plenty. My experience using helmet locking mechanisms has proven it doesn’t make a large difference in a crash - your visor can detach regardless of the lock.
Given the attention my initial review got - I will be providing a list of the most common questions I am asked about the helmet by viewers and in person interactions I have had with it.
Is it really that light? - Typically, I let the person handle the helmet if it is in person. Yes, it is light. Putting it into a number doesn’t communicate that as well as seeing it in person
How is road/wind noise? - I would suggest wearing earplugs regardless of the helmet you are wearing. The helmet does allow some noise to pass through, and it definitely isn’t the quietest in the world, but it isn’t an outlier for helmets of this style. I would say it is comparable to any Arai in terms of noise.
Does it work well with glasses? - Yes it does! it actually has specific adaptation to use glasses inside of it. This helps with comfort if you are wearing the helmet for a long time and this is one of the few helmets I have been able to wear comfortably for a long duration of time with glasses under it.
Does it have issues with fogging? - It can have issues with fogging depending on temperature and climate if you do not use the pinlock insert with it. KYT has a very affordable pinlock insert and I suggest using it if you are riding in the rain or humid, hot areas. I do not have any fog when I am using the pinlock insert.
Can you use it as a street helmet? - The NZ-Race is marketed as a track/racing style helmet, and many track riders have begun using it due to its value and performance, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use it on the street. It works fine as a street helmet but the aero fairing on the back can make it a little long for some lockers (at the gym for example) forcing you to store it vertically.
at $550 for the helmet, it delivers good value and performance. Overall, I recommend it if you are at all interested in the helmet. They can be challenging to find at times directly from KYT as the preferred designs sell out quickly, if you are looking for a cool, track-oriented helmet this is definitely a great one!
