Fox Racing Speedframe Pro Helmet

Fox completely overhauled their flagship half-shell helmet range at the beginning of this year, with the all-new Speedframe RS and Speedframe Pro shooting straight to the very top of Virginia Tech’s well-regarded helmet safety rankings at the time. The POC Cularis has since replaced the Speedframe RS in the #1 spot, but the differences are marginal and both aforementioned Fox helmets are still in the top 4, which is not too shabby considering that there are currently 271 helmets on the list. Aside from the excellent safety ratings, we were also very impressed with the overall fit and function of the Speedframe RS that we got to test back in January, so we figured it was high time for us to give the Speedframe Pro a spin as well. Keep reading to find out how we’ve been getting on.

Fox Racing Speedframe Pro Highlights

• Virginia Tech 5-Star helmet rating
• Features Mips® Air Node protection system
• BOA® Fit System for micro-adjustability
• FIDLOCK SNAP helmet buckle provides quick and secure entry and exit while wearing gloves
• Removable, washable Ionic+® liner is antimicrobial and manages odor while wicking moisture away from the head
• Optimized venting with channeled, in-molded EPS provides efficient cooling
• Dual-density EPS provides improved protection by spreading forces of impact across a wider area
• One-hand adjustable visor is compatible with riding glasses and goggles
• Riding glasses-specific storage solution
• MSRP: $219.95 USD

Initial Impressions

The Speedframe Pro shares the same design language as the Speedframe RS, with a distinctly modern look and plenty of vents. The shell is constructed with a dual-density EPS layer (where the RS employs the Mips Integra Split system comprised of two separate EPS layers held together with elastomers), and it came very close to matching the energy transfer score of the higher-end version. There is a non-negligible price difference of $60 USD between the two models, and it’s reassuring to know that the lower-priced Pro is only marginally less able to absorb impact energy.

The new Speedframe features a new visor design which offers proper adjustability as well as the ability to store riding lasses in a dedicated set of slots below the visor. The slots are equipped with rubber tabs that help grip the sunglass temples more securely. The visor can be adjusted to sit higher up than before, and the frontal vents are bigger to provide even more airflow than the previous models.

Looking inside the helmet, we note one of the biggest difference between the Pro and the RS model: the Pro uses the new Mips “Air Node” protection system, which basically integrates the famous slip-plane in the comfort liner itself, allowing it to release and slip against the helmet shell to avoid transmitting rotational impact energy from the helmet shell to the brain in case of an off-axis impact to the head. The Air Node construction allows the comfort liner to be as thick or as thin as the designer wants it to be, and it adds practically no weight nor any extra layers to potentially interfere with other design goals.

Continuing our examination of the Speedframe Pro features, we find a BOA dial to adjust the internal harness, which can also be placed at different heights to accommodate different head shapes – and hair styles! There is a super-convenient Fidlock magnetic buckle, and the chin straps can be easily adjusted to fit around the ears thanks to the “strap bridge” that holds the straps in their intended positions.

On The Trail

Slipping into the new Speedframe Pro, we noticed a slightly “rounder” fit and a more pronounced feeling of being “in” the helmet. We always felt that the previous model was well suited to a slightly more oval headshape, and this new model moves a little bit more in the round direction. It’s still not as round in the feel as a TLD A3, but it’s somewhere in between the that and the old Speedframe now. Adjusting the straps and the harness was easy, and we ended up with a great fit right away.

Another thing that stood out early in testing was the slightly higher front end. We often felt like the old Speedframe could slide down a bit over the forehead with certain head shapes, and this new model really remedies that. Whether it’s the overall balance and fit or the way the helmet is designed around the frontal opening we can’t say, but the result is there.

On the trail, the Speedframe Pro is super stable in use, and provides great ventilation at all times, even when standing still or moving slowly. There are numerous large vents that help move air around, and the new Mips Air Node liner feels light and airy against the head. As stated earlier, this is the biggest difference between the RS and the Pro model, with the lighter and thinner Air Node liner translating to a cooler experience on the trail. When our Tech Editor Jason tested the RS, he noted that the relatively thick comfort liner was capable of releasing fairly impressive amounts of sweat at inopportune times – well, I (Johan, the principle tester and author of this article) probably don’t sweat any less than Jason, and I had way less issues with sweat accumulating in the liner of the Pro model. At $60 less and with only a marginally lower safety score, it feels like the Pro model might well be the sweet spot of the range for most riders, certainly anybody who frequently rides in hot weather.

Other than that, the helmet has held up well to a few months of intensive testing. The sunglass-carry feature is nice to have, as it allows for the storage of riding glasses even when descending if need be (always useful for that descent at the end of the day when the sun suddenly dips below the mountain). It isn’t super easy to locate on the fly and will probably always require the use of two hands, but it’s still a major improvement on the previous model of this helmet.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Hitting the very top echelons of Virginia Tech’s safety rankings with a new helmet model is cool, and points to the fact that Fox takes protection seriously (the old Proframe sits down in the 47th spot already, testament to the progress made over the last few years in helmet design and construction). The Speedframe Pro is also impressively comfortable and very well ventilated, and the addition of a truly adjustable visor and a dedicated solution for storing your riding glasses really completes the package. A contender for the very best performance/value/comfort combo available at present? We’d say so!

More information at: www.foxracing.com.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 52 // Years Riding MTB: 20 // Weight: 190-pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Photos by Johan Hjord and Ingrid Hjord (thanks mom!)