As we all know, sequels are incredibly hard to pull off, and Icon has their work cut out for them with the new Icon Airframe Pro helmets. The original Airframe helmet punched way above its weight and offered a high quality composite-construction helmet at a reasonable price point. As the flagship helmet in Icon’s line up, the Airframe Pro has some rather large shoes to fill.
For the difficult second album, Icon decided to pull out all the stops and really push the Airframe Pro upmarket. The new helmet still uses a composite construction and meets DOT and ECE 22-05 safety standards just like the outgoing Airframe. The differences end there though with an aggressive shell shape that facilitates riding in a full tuck position. The number of shell sizes available grows by one, and there are now four unique shell sizes that reduce the weight and drag of the helmet. There is also a deep cutout at the back of the neck roll that reduces interference with racing jacket humps. Beyond that, the interior now has a five-piece liner with adjustable components for fine-tuning the fit, and there are 27 combinations with the stock liner.
If all that sounds like a track helmet to you, that’s because it really is. The adjustable interior liner is something we are really only used to seeing on Arai and AGV helmets, while the neck roll cut-out just screams track days! The best part is, it really works! We did some modest in-house testing, and the Airframe Pro was much quieter on an R6 than in an upright riding position on a Tiger.
Icon is launching the Airframe Pro with two graphics, and the first one is the staple Rubatone finish. For those new to Icon helmets, the Rubatone finish is a slightly rubberized take on the traditional matte black paint finish. With this non-reflective finish, the Icon Airframe Rubatone Helmet will be the perfect option for blacked-out bikes on bike nights, or midnight runs.
The second launch graphic is the Icon Airframe Pro Construct Helmet. Another Icon favorite, the Construct graphic allows the helmet to show off the goods. The construction is laid out for all to see, with just a clear coat sprayed on the composite fibers of the shell. The Construct will be available in White (Clear) and Black. With this much precision going into the construction of the Airframe Pro, it would be a shame not to show that off!
When Icon says this helmet is “optimized for the Angle of Attack,” they aren’t kidding. Only time will tell if the Airframe Pro is as popular as its predecessor was, but we have high hopes!
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