Lazer Cameleon helmet review

The Cameleon is Lazer’s cost-effective take on a "pavement, trail or gravel" helmet.

It has a rounded shape and features 13 large vents with substantial strips of hard-shell covered foam between them. The rigid peak is roadie-esque at 25mm deep and gives the Cameleon a cool, urban look, rather than a pseudo-mountain-bike style.

Thick pads separate the helmet from your head. The rear cradle is well-shaped and uses Lazer’s Advanced Rollsys System adjuster – a barrel mounted on the top of the helmet. This cleans up the rear cradle and leaves plenty of space for long-haired riders, so it’s ponytail friendly too.

The knurled barrel is easy to use but it can get a little stiff when tensioning the cradle up. This helmet offers more coverage down at the rear than a standard road lid, but with less channelling internally I did find that it rides a little warmer.

With the Cameleon being a more budget-orientated option, it’s no surprise that its simple construction means a little more weight than some at 344.7g in a size XL (61cm–64cm). It is, however, a good-looking helmet that belies its low price.

Ideally, I’d like to have seen a bit of underside protection against accidental damage but there’s no doubt the Cameleon is a bargain when it comes to protection on dirt roads.

A neat commuter-friendly feature is the helmet's compatibility with Lazer's USB rechargeable LED rear light that integrates into the rear vent.

The Cameleon is available in four sizes (S, M, L, XL) and in Matte Grey Black, Matte White, Matte Dark Green, Matte Black Red and Matte Dark Blue colour options.

I tested the non-MIPS version of the helmet, but MIPS protection is available for an extra £20. MIPS is a protective liner that's designed to help reduce the rotational forces to the head that can be experienced during a crash that results in an angled impact.