SixSixOne Reset Full Face Helmet

Vital Rating:
Related:
Where To Buy
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
First Ride: 661 Reset Helmet
661 returns to the ring with an excellent, affordable fullface helmet.
Rating:
Vital Review
s1600 ResetA 648777

Back in the day, 661 was pretty much synonymous with sending it. Saying that they revolutionized the knee protection game with the original Kyle Strait pad is not much of a stretch, seeing just how popular that product and (often-copied) design became. As for helmets, 661 made quite a few models that followed the company ethos of making good protection affordable for all, and while they didn’t enjoy the same level of planetary success as the kneepads, they could still be spotted in many a lift line as well. Over the last couple of years, 661 had fallen off the radar a bit, but now under new ownership the brand has been coming back strong with a fresh line-up of protection, looking for a return to form. It was only logical that a new full-face helmet should follow as well, and that’s just what we took delivery of a couple of weeks ago now. Read on to find out what we think of it.

Strengths

 Weaknesses

  • Price
  • Light weight
  • Stability on the trail
  • Fresh looks
  • Large range of sizes
  • Fits any goggle
  • Chin strap too short
  • Not the most ventilated option
  • Chin bar sits close to face
  • Not DH-certified

661 Reset Helmet Highlights

  • Lightweight ABS shell
  • Large angular vents
  • Large sculpted eyeport for vision and goggle fitment
  • Complies to standards: CPSC, CE: 1078, AS/NZS 2064
  • Sizes: XXS-XXL
  • Colors: Red, Black, Orange, White
  • Weight: 1039 grams (size L, verified)
  • MSRP: $99.00 USD

Initial Impressions

When you pay less than $100 for a full face helmet, you’d often expect to end up with a catalogue lid that somebody slapped their brand stickers on. The Reset is anything but that. Designed in-house from the ground up, this helmet is 661’s own, and it certainly looks the part. Featuring bold colors and a distinctly MX-inspired shape, the Reset ticks the first box that any aspiring gravity rider is after, whether they admit it or not: looking the part. 

The construction of the Reset employs a classic ABS shell over an EPS liner, with a removable comfort liner between you and the harder parts. The chin strap features another classic, the double D-ring closure system. The large, adjustable visor is anchored via three bolts. There are ten ports for ventilation, resolutely on the smaller side of the scale.

The finish of the helmet is very good, there are no apparent blemishes and all the graphics have been applied under a clear coat of varnish - impressive stuff at this price point. There are also plenty of flat surfaces to mount your POV cam on, if that’s your jam.

On the scales, our size L sample weighed in at a scant 1039 grams, certainly a very competitive weight in any price class. The helmet is certified for bicycle use on three continents (CSPC, CE: 1078, and AS/NZS 2064), which is reassuring, although we should point out that the Reset has not been certified to the new ASTM F1952 Downhill Mountain Bicycle Racing standard (which involves more stringent requirements).

On The Trail

The Reset fits on the roomy side, not by a half-size but certainly enough to consider if you are typically at either end of a given size range. The interior padding is soft to the touch, but on the thin side, which means that the helmet feels a bit less “luxurious” inside than other, more padded-out options. For example, the cheek pads have a tendency to make themselves known, not to the point of digging in but enough to make you aware that they are there. We also found 661’s implementation of the double D-ring strap to be slightly lacking: the strap is almost too short, which makes it hard to manipulate through the D-rings, and the foam padding that is meant to cover the strap is not attached to it, so it can easily end up off to the side.

Thanks to the low weight and a form-fitting cut, the helmet does not move around at all, even when things get rowdy.

The frontal opening is large, and will work with any goggle. We especially applaud 661 for making the top of the opening quite tall, which means it never gets in the way of your vision. However, the chinbar sits very close to your face, which can end up feeling a bit claustrophobic at first.

On the trail, the Reset is a model of stability. Thanks to the low weight and a form-fitting cut, the helmet does not move around at all, even when things get rowdy. The tall opening not only helps keep your field of vision unrestricted, it also meant we never found the helmet “riding on” the goggles or anything like that. 

When it comes to ventilation, the Reset falls a little bit short of the best. There is enough air flow when you are moving, but we would certainly not consider it a first choice if we had to climb with it on. The proximity of the wide chin bar does not help with this aspect either, you do notice it’s there when breathing hard. On the flip side, even if we have so far managed to avoid crashing with it, we did feel adequately protected wearing this helmet – it wraps around you reassuringly. A great choice for any park rider on a budget.

Things That Could Be Improved

As previously mentioned, there are a few things that 661 could take back to the drawing board if they wanted to make a good product even better:

  • The chin strap needs to be a little bit longer, and the strap should thread through the strap liner to help keep it in place.
  • We would welcome a bit more space between the chin bar and the face.
  • A couple of vents on the front would help the helmet breathe better (it is perfectly fine for DH use, adding vents could make it an option for those who like to wear a full face on general trail rides or for racing enduro as well).

Long Term Durability

This is a First Ride type of review, so we will not speculate on the long-term durability of the Reset here. We have also managed to avoid taking any major dirt samples while testing it, so we will content ourselves with knowing that it passes basic bicycles protection standards which should mean it’s up to the job of keeping your noggin safe. The EPS liner is not designed to be multi-use, so know that your helmet will need to be replaced after any good impact (same as with the vast majority of MTB helmets out there, whether they cost $100 or $400).

What’s The Bottom Line?

If there is one thing nobody should be without, it’s good head protection. Good news here then, because getting into the gravity side of things just got a bit cheaper: the Reset offers all the basic protection and features you would expect from more expensive options, at a fraction of the price tag. It is comfortable and very stable in use, will keep you protected should you go for a dirt nap, and it will definitely leave you with enough in your wallet to go hit the bike park a few more times. A fresh new option well worth considering, especially if you are on a budget.

More information at: www.sixsixone.com.


About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 44 // Years Riding MTB: 12 // Weight: 200-pounds (90.7kg) // 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 Nils Hjord and Johan Hjord

8 comments

Post a reply to: First Ride: 661 Reset Helmet

In reply to by markh

In reply to by Steam Roller

In reply to by Steam Roller

In reply to by Tristan_Mayor

Specifications

Product
SixSixOne Reset Full Face Helmet
Riding Type
Downhill
Freeride / Bike Park
Rider
Unisex
Number of Vents
10+
Construction
ABS shell, EPS liner
Adjustable Padding
No
Certification
CSPC, CE: 1078, AS/NZS 2064
Bag
Yes
Size
XXS-XXL
Colors
Contour Black, Geo Citrus

Discontinued Colors : Matador Red, Midnight Black, Tropic Orange, Tundra White
Weight
2 lb 4.6 oz (1,039 g)
Miscellaneous
Weight: 1039 grams (size L, verified)
Large angular vents increase cold air intake and heat exhaust flow through
Large sculpted eyeport for great vision and goggle fitment
Price
$119.99
What do you think?
Where To Buy
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Full Face Helmets

More Products

The Latest