I remember a time when helmet shopping was little more than picking my favorite color. A helmet was a helmet, once upon a time. But not only has head protection evolved significantly in the past two decades, but I’ve also bounced my head off the ground enough times to know, first hand, that there is a substantial difference among helmets out there. Even though I’m quantifiably dumber as a result of too many concussions, I’m at least much smarter now about brain protection.

Shopping for a helmet is a far more complex process than it used to be. It’s not only about style. It’s about safety, first and foremost. Comfort, function, value and versatility are also important factors when investing in a helmet.

Considering the demands of an ADV bike, and the variety of terrain it needs to traverse, ADV gear isn’t far behind in the demands it needs to meet. After all, what even is an “adventure helmet?” That category is still open for interpretation, and gear companies still have their own definitions of it. You can wear a moto helmet with goggles, which is best for the dirt. But this flat out sucks on the highway. You can wear a street helmet with a flip-down face shield for the ultimate aero and a nice quiet ride, but this won’t be very useful in the dirt, especially when dust starts flying. It’s not an easy tradeoff to find a happy medium, but if we’re going to ride it, they’d better build gear for it. 

Leatt ADV 8.5 Helmet Kit

Back to being smarter about brain protection, I’m very particular these days about which helmet I’ll put on my head and will usually say no thank you to budget helmets or fashion helmets. But a new adventure lid from Leatt was something I couldn’t resist trying out. The versatility of the kit alone was intriguing, and there is comfort in knowing Leatt puts safety first and foremost.

The Leatt ADV 8.5 is more than a helmet—it’s a helmet kit. Aside from the aforementioned safety, its versatility is the main appeal, even though it is a plenty good looking helmet, too. All in, there are three different configurations you can run this helmet — street, dirt or ADV. It is equipped with a visor (aka peak), tinted and clear face shields, and a pinlock antifog insert. The face shield is specifically designed to be compatible with goggles as well, with a large eyeport and a channel on the back to keep the strap aligned. 

But the ADV 8.5 lid goes a few steps beyond this by selling the kit with a pair of Leatt goggles. You can flip the face shield up and run the goggles when you get to the dirt, then ditch the goggles and go back to the shield once you’re back on the road. You can ditch the face shield altogether, removing it through the quick release system and then it’s a moto helmet. Conversely, you can pull off the visor, which is actually very simple to remove, and bam, you have a street helmet.

Those are your three configurations, and yes, technically you could have a fourth by running it with goggles and no visor. This isn’t realistically something many people would opt for, but if you want to run the Mike Metzger look, then hey… do you.

Construction and Features

The helmet itself is constructed of a three-layer composite shell (Leatt calls it a “matrix”). Inside you’ll find the 360° Turbine Technology, which is Leatt’s patented rotational impact absorbing system built into the lining. The shell is designed with the wide eye port and generous field of view of an off-road helmet but streamlined for less drag for better road comfort. The tinted face shield is photochromic, which makes it light-sensitive so it can increase tint in bright conditions and run clear at night. The visor is mounted by four metal posts that snap into the shell, allowing airflow in between the visor and the helmet for less drag at higher speeds. Vents are modest, but they get the job done. All three intake ports are closeable and there are seven always-open exhaust vents. The inner lining is removeable, washable and antimicrobial with emergency removable cheek pads. Closure is a standard double D-ring.

The kit also comes with the Velocity 4.5 goggles. Leatt makes a better goggle (the 6.5 and 5.5 models), but the 4.5 goggles that come with the helmet are what I’d consider a price point. Leatt calls them “free” with the helmet, although I’d expect a premium helmet to come equipped with the premium goggle. But I suppose not everyone needs high-end goggles, and perhaps taking on another hundred or so for the upgrade could steer people away from the helmet who don’t plan to use goggles that often. 

For these reasons, I’m not going to ding them too hard on the 4.5 goggles, even though I found them a little lacking. I’ll also add that I’m a goggle snob. Though for most of my casual rides, I left the Leatt goggles stashed in my tail bag, just in case the need struck. That also proved to be a good reason to have modest goggles since premium frames are larger, more rigid and have more face foam layering that can get crushed or disfigured in a tail bag.

The helmet is available from XS to XXL and everything in between. The composite shell comes in three different sizes. Leatt’s Three-Year Helmet Replacement Program means that if you have a crash or sustain damage to the helmet that compromises its safety, they will give you 40% off a new one. It’s always nice to have some element of reassurance like this when investing in a premium helmet.

Moving right along…

The face shield is nothing short of excellent, and completing the kit is also a pinlock system. For anyone who doesn’t know, this system is an inner layer that prevents fogging. It turns your face shield into a dual-pane window, and is one of those things you’ll never run without once you try it. The light-sensitive tinted shield is another thing you’ll wonder how you lived without.

The face shield flips down to meet with the clean, sharp lip of the eyeport lining that does an excellent job of sealing out the elements. It’s not quite as easy to stow the face shield, but with big enough storage, it can be done. Though I opted to simply flip it up rather than remove it. The goggles fit just fine, the shield is out of the way, and it’s not getting smashed or scratched bouncing around in a bag. If you do opt to remove it to run the helmet in a moto setup, you can even seal the pivot mounts with provided caps. This will prevent any dust and dirt from getting in there and crunching up the mechanism. It’s these minor details that really impress me in Leatt products.

The four metal posts that attach the visor to the helmet is a simple, yet effective system that allows you to take the visor on and off with no tools. I won’t say that it’s “easy” to remove, but only because I don’t want to give the impression that it’s going to blow off in the wind or something. It’s firmly affixed, but pulling the four posts out of the helmet is a straightforward affair, as is popping it back on.

Affixing the visor in this way is a simple and sturdy solution, but the drawback here is that it does not allow the visor to articulate at all. This lack of adjustability is always noticeable late in the day for me when I want to run the visor a bit lower to block out the sun. Oh well, small tradeoff.

Performance

Getting started with the helmet began with integrating my Sena. Again, Leatt engineers thought this through very thoroughly, and not only gave you some speaker pockets, but also pre-routed the foam lining to accommodate the wiring. They even went ahead and put felt lining inside the speaker pockets so you can pop your speakers right in without having to dig through drawers to find the extra sets of sticky Velcro tabs you know you saved, somewhere. Getting set up on the comms was a snap. The pinlock was just as simple.

Initial fit was snug, as any helmet should be. Allow some time for break-in and let the helmet settle onto your head and you’ll find a very nice fit. The lining is silky smooth and comfortable. Bonus points for the antimicrobial qualities—always nice to not have a stinky helmet. The lining is easy to remove and throw into the wash, and snaps back in without too much drama. 

My only complaint about fitment is the snap at the end of the chin strap. It was constantly a struggle to get it snapped in. Oftentimes I had to resort to taking my glove off and using the rearview mirror to get the damn thing snapped. It’s worth mentioning that if you upgrade to Leatt’s 9.5 Carbon helmet, it comes with a magnetic clasp that snaps closed and a sheath for the excess strap material.

The only other gripe I’d name about the helmet is that the brow vents are a little stiff. They weren’t easy to open and close. They’ve gotten easier over time, but they could be easier to switch. This is a help when going from cold to warmer temps, and vice versa. Not a dramatic difference, but when you’re trying to seal out the cold, every little bit helps.

Speaking of which, I’ll add that even though it is possible to use the Leatt in a moto setup, I still wear my dedicated motocross helmet for off-road riding. The Leatt is capable, but personally I don’t want to fumble with taking the face shield on and off, and also don’t want the added weight of my Sena. I want the lightest weight and most venting possible, and don’t want to worry about it getting splattered with mud and roost. Not everyone has multiple styles of helmets in the closet though, so it’s nice to have that versatility in one helmet. But the Leatt ADV 8.5 has been my go-to for anything with a license plate, and I’ve worn it in Arizona, South Dakota, California mountains, deserts, and most daunting of all, the freeways.

At speed is where you’ll find many of the advantages of the Leatt ADV 8.5. Close up the vents and flip down the shield for a comfortable, sealed ride. It’s cozy and quiet inside, and stays sealed up even in driving rain. Even after months of use, heat, sweat, dust and dirt to downpours, high winds and many highway miles, it’s still sealing very well, and is easy to keep clean.

The ease of adding and removing the visor without tools is also excellent. At one point I was getting a crosswind on the highway which was blowing my head around more than usual. I pulled off the freeway, took the helmet off, popped the visor off, stowed it in my tail bag, and put the helmet back on. All this without even getting off the bike. Voila, back on the highway for a far much easier ride in a street helmet.

In a moto setup, running goggles instead of the face shield, I mostly left the shield affixed to the helmet, but flipped up. This came in handy particularly in warmer temps, with dust and sweat becoming issues on the ride. Removing the shield is easy though. Simply turn the screw dials on the sides of the helmet downward to unlock them and the face shield pops out. If I was in a big group or riding in close proximity with a lot of roost flying, I probably would have removed the face shield, but didn’t have any challenges with simply leaving it in place. It’s lightweight, out of the way and the goggles fit tight.

The ability to have one single helmet that does it all, and not having to switch between a moto helmet and a street helmet, switch between tinted shield or clear, or even goggles in seconds, is much appreciated. 

Who’s It For

The Leatt Helmet Kit ADV 8.5 is for the demanding rider that is going to take on a range of riding styles. This is for the hardcore guy (or gal) that’s going to ride an hour of highway to get to the gnarly trails, is going to leave before sunrise, or come home after sunset. It’s for the rider that is leaving on a warm day to head up to the snowy mountains. Whatever your range of conditions are, from riding speed, temperatures, time of day, etc., this is one helmet setup that can cover all your bases.

While this feels like a premium helmet, it is, in fact, the midrange option from Leatt. The price is $659—not a budget option, but an impressive bang for your buck considering what it gets you. Leatt also offers the Helmet Kit ADV 9.5 Carbon with 4.5 Iriz Goggle, which is the carbon fiber version of the helmet with a similar feature set that retails for $879.

Our Verdict

I’m a self-professed helmet snob who has found my new go-to for adventure riding. The versatility of this setup and attention to detail with the photochromic shield, easy-to-remove visor, complimentary goggles, ready-made comms cutouts and the cozy, quiet ride that lets me cruise along in comfort while listening to music are nothing short of exceptional. For a lid of this caliber, Leatt really nails it on value. Well done to the South African team.

What We Liked

• Superb versatility – three helmets in one.
• Easy Intercom headset install with good speaker fit.
• Excellent goggle compatibility even with the face shield installed.
•  Plush interior lining that is easy to remove and re-install.
• Three-year Helmet Replacement Program.

What Could Be Improved

• No visor (peak) adjustability.
• A little difficult to open/close brow vents.
• Getting the snap at the end of the chinstrap closed can be difficult.

ADV 8.5 Composite Helmet Specifics

Weight (composite): 3.47 pounds / 1575g (M)
Weight (carbon fiber): 3.28 pounds / 1490g (M)
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Safety Standards: DOT and ECE 22.06 certified
Total Configurations: 3 (Technically, 4. But realistically, 3)
Price: $659 (composite); $879 (carbon fiber)

Shopping Options:

8.5 Composite

9.5 Carbon

Author: Jean Turner

Jean Turner is a freelance journalist/photographer in the powersports industry. She has been riding and racing motocross and enduro for over 18 years, during which she has worked for a number of publications such as Cycle News, Dirt Rider magazine, Dirt Bike magazine, Racer X, Motocross Action Magazine and international publications in Europe, Japan and Australia. Jean grew up riding in the Southern California desert with her family and has traveled the world as a media correspondent covering and shooting motorcycle races, manufacturer intros and off-road/adventure tours.