Kali is moving deeper into the road helmet market with two new models: the Phenom (left) and Loka (right) - James Huang/Future Publishing
The Kali Phenom road helmet features the company's innovative Composite Fusion Plus dual-density foam construction, co-molded memory foam padding, and reinforced vents. Target weight is around 260g for the smaller size and suggested retail price is US$149/£120 - James Huang/Future Publishing
In addition to embedded carbon fiber reinforcements inside the EPS liner, the new Kali Phenom road helmet also features external ABS reinforcing rings around some of the vents to provide some extra structure in case of a crash - James Huang/Future Publishing
The so-called SuperVent ABS plastic vent reinforcements are also used selectively in the rear of the new Kali Phenom - James Huang/Future Publishing
New from Kali on select helmets is a dial-type retention system for easy one-handed adjustments - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali co-molds soft memory foam at key contact points inside the new Phenom road helmet so that your head is never held up against a hard EPS liner - James Huang/Future Publishing
The US$99/£80 Kali Loka road helmet features Composition Fusion Plus dual-density foam construction, co-molded memory foam contact points, and an internal reinforcement cage - James Huang/Future Publishing
Omitting the ABS SuperVent reinforcements makes for slightly smaller vents on the new Kali Loka, but it still looks as though there might be good airflow on tap - James Huang/Future Publishing
While the prototype wasn't so equipped, the production Kali Loka helmet will feature a full lower shell to guard against nicks and dings - James Huang/Future Publishing
The internal reinforcement cage and one of the foam densities are formed together into a single assembly, making final assembly of the new Kali Loka a little easier - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali's Composite Fusion Plus dual-density foam construction uses cone shapes in the outer foam liner that create a sort of 'crush zone' under impact. According to Kali, this helps disperse more impact energy before it can reach your head - James Huang/Future Publishing
The new Kali Shiva DH helmet isn't cheap, at US$449/£400, but its carbon fiber shell and Composite Fusion Three dual-density in-molded foam construction let it pass DOT standards, too. More remarkably, it weighs less than 1,000g - James Huang/Future Publishing
While the Kali Shiva downhill helmet doesn't look particularly cool, the lower section is generously ventilated while a handful of ports up around the upper edge feed air into interior channels - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali builds the new US$59/£40 Viva with a tough ABS shell, an in-molded Composite Fusion Three dual-density EPS foam liner, and co-molded memory foam contact points. Taken in total, Kali says the Viva will be more durable, lower profile, and more protective than similar helmets - James Huang/Future Publishing
The co-molded BumperFit memory foam interior of the new Kali Viva allows for a lower profile without sacrificing comfort - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali's current top-end road and trail helmet - the Maraka - is apparently a bear to build given how many individual pieces are involved. Singletrackworld's Chipps Chippendale approves - James Huang/Future Publishing
A look at Kali's complicated dual-density Composite Fusion Plus EPS foam construction - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali is moving deeper into the road helmet market with two new models: the Phenom (left) and Loka (right) - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali Protectives ventured into the road market last year with the Maraka R, although, in reality, it was just the standard Maraka XC trail lid without the visor. Now the company is adding two new helmets purpose-built for pavement use – the US$149/£120 Phenom and US$99/£80 Loka.
The new Phenom digs deep into Kali's bag of tricks. The Composite Fusion Plus dual-density liner features a harder density of EPS foam in-molded into the polycarbonate shell, for structural integrity, but a softer foam next to your head to absorb more energy.
According to Kali founder Brad Waldron, the unique cone-shaped interface between the two creates a sort of crumple zone in the event of a crash, offering more foam deformation – and, thus, more energy absorption – than the norm for both better protection and a lower profile.
The exterior of the Phenom is appropriately swoopy for the segment, with bits of the carbon fiber internal reinforcement peeking through. The biggest front and rear SuperVents are further bolstered with ABS bezels around their perimeters, which Waldron says provides necessary structural integrity without a need for harder foam.
Finally, Kali's BumperFit feature co-molds a layer of soft memory foam at key contact points inside the helmet. These don't add to the safety of the helmet but do make for a notably soft feel inside, without the bulk of traditional foam pads.
Target weight for the Phenom is around 260g, and Kali expects it to be in production in about three months.
The us$99/£80 kali loka road helmet features composition fusion plus dual-density foam construction, co-molded memory foam contact points, and an internal reinforcement cage: - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali Loka road helmet
The lower-priced Loka ditches the SuperVent external reinforcements and carbon fiber bits but retains all the other features of the more expensive Phenom. The forward-facing vents are notably smaller, as a result, and there's no big central vent as on the Phenom. But it still looks as though it will be reasonably cool in warm temperatures while offering a similarly low profile and the same level of crumple zone protection.
Shiva full-face and Viva half-shell
Kali's innovations in in-molded full-face helmets already made for some of the lightest lids in the segment, but the new Shiva breaks the 1kg barrier with its carbon fiber shell and remarkably thin, dual-density EPS liner. In fact, a large Shiva has a smaller exterior than a medium sample of Kali's current top-end carbon full-face helmet.
The tidy form factor comes courtesy of a new Composite Fusion Three dual-density foam construction. It replaces the Composite Fusion Plus' cone-shaped interface with a three-sided pyramid shape that's supposedly more efficient at redirecting impact force laterally inside the liner.
More impressively, the Shiva is tough enough to not only meet EN and CPSC crash standards for bicycle use but also pass the far more stringent DOT test for motorized vehicles.
The new kali shiva dh helmet isn't cheap, at us$449/£400, but its carbon fiber shell and composite fusion three dual-density in-molded foam construction let it pass dot standards, too. more remarkably, it weighs less than 1,000g: - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali Shiva DH full-face helmet
Not surprisingly, this sort of technology won't come cheaply. Suggested retail price will be US$449/£400 when the Shiva hits stores later this year.
Coming in at a far more reasonable US$59/£40, however, is the new Viva half-shell, with classic skate-inspired styling for cruising around town or hitting the local dirt jumps.
Kali builds the new us$59/£40 viva with a tough abs shell, an in-molded composite fusion three dual-density eps foam liner, and co-molded memory foam contact points. taken in total, kali says the viva will be more durable, lower profile, and more protective than similar helmets: - James Huang/Future Publishing
Kali Viva helmet
Waldron says the ABS shell is more resistant to dings and dents than most current offerings, while the Composite Fusion Three dual-density liner and BumperFit memory foam-enhanced interior yields a far lower profile than typical. Actual weight is around 425g.
James Huang is BikeRadar's former technical editor. After leaving BikeRadar in 2016, he worked at CyclingTips and Escape Collective. He now runs the Substack cycling publication N-1 Bikes.
This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
