Troy Lee Designs initially released their first iteration of the A-series helmet back in 2013, this was then updated to the A2 in 2017 and now we have the all new A3 for 2021. Having a TLD full face helmet I was familiar with their comfort, style and quality and chose to bite the bullet on the new A3 helmet. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the first to reach Australian shores and have been putting in the km’s with it ever since.
What’s In The Box
In the box you will find a spare liner, two spare sweat glides, two spare visor screws, spare Velcro patches and a helmet bag. At a price of $444.95, you’re entitled to expect a little extra and it’s nice to see Troy Lee Designs deliver exactly that.
Comfort
Trying on the A3 in store it felt like my head was made exactly for it. There were no irritating pressure points yet the helmet felt secure and snug on. After hours of riding I’m still of the same opinion with comfort levels as high at the end of a ride as the start.
Features Usability
The Troy Lee Designs A3 does have a stack of design features! But, with so many pieces of equipment these days you only use about 10% of the features while the rest are just gimmicks. Luckily this is not the case with the A3. The ‘Sweat Glide’ at the front of the helmet are one of my favourite. No more sweat dripping onto my eyes / glasses while riding and distorting my view allowing uninterrupted focus on the trail ahead.
The Fidlock buckle will also get a special mention. Although not exclusive to the A3 helmet these are so natural and easy to use that they’re a great addition to any open face helmet. On top of this some of the nice features include the 'X-Static' liner with anti-bacterial properties thanks to silver embedded material, a three piece shell, 16 optimally placed vents and more!
Initial Verdict
The A3 was launched as the pinnacle of open face helmet design for trail / Enduro riders and I have to admit that so far I’m convinced. It’s the most comfortable helmet I’ve ever worn and has the bonus addition of some great features that you can notice every ride. Lucky for me I haven’t had to test out the helmet’s crash capacity just yet but with a 5 star Virginia Tech rating (highest possible) I’m confident in this area as well.
If you’re an Australian trail / Enduro MTB rider looking for the best protection for your head in an exceptionally comfortable and feature rich package then you need to try on the Try Lee Designs A3 helmet.
