We wore this helmet for several months before we checked the price. The quality of construction, the high number of vents and its low weight – and its general air of quality – led us to think you’d be parting with a significant amount more cash than is actually the case.
Highs: Price, great weight, good quality
Lows: Might not fit larger heads
The most noticeable thing about this modestly priced helmet is its weight. It’s not quite nudging the sub-200g of the very lightest lids out there, but for £50 this Cratoni's 236g is about as light as you’ll get. Frankly it’s hard to notice the 80g or so ‘excess’ it carries over the very lightest road helmets. Indeed, if you are looking to shed riding weight, we’re not sure that head protection would be the best place to start.
Construction quality of this in-moulded lid is – as you might expect from a German company – first rate, with very clean edges to the plastic shell. Fit is easy to achieve via a rear dial you can adjust with gloved hands, and a ratcheted chin buckle.
The chin strap has ample soft padding and there’s anti-bacterial Clean Tex padding inside the shell too. The Blaze also comes with spare pads. The three large forward-facing vents have an insect mesh – reassuring, if you’ve ever had an encounter with a helmet-invading wasp…
Its 21 vents keep your head nicely aired, and we reckon the venting should be fine even for warm summer riding. It was certainly adequate for day-long rides in the first sunny days of English spring. Our largely matt black model has reflectives at the rear, and there’s a much lighter-coloured mainly white model if you prefer.
The one-size-fits-all lid is designed for heads with a circumference of 52-60cm; this means that if you have a very large head the Blaze might not fit – although as with all helmets it’s always a case of try before you buy or checking online retailers’ return policies before parting with your cash.
If you’re looking for a new lightweight lid and don’t want to break the bank, Cratoni’s understated and quite generously priced Blaze might be just the job for your noggin.