Been wearing Kali Protective helmets for some time. This past Saturday was the first time I “used” one. I had my first road crash after 30 years and I made up for all the lost action. 44mph tire failure. I remember hitting my head on the pavement but it didn’t feel hard. Definitely had a small bump on my head after. When I went later to check the helmet I found it absorbed quite a bit of impact. Overall I was very lucky and used my MTB tuck and roll techniques. Left shoulder is sore and some road rash but no concussion at all. Will be sending it back for crash replacement. Consider this post an endorsement!
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Kali Helmets
Tinshield
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Been wearing Kali Protective helmets for some time. This past Saturday was the first time I “used” one. I had my first road crash after 30 years and I made up for all the lost action. 44mph tire failure. I remember hitting my head on the pavement but it didn’t feel hard. Definitely had a small bump on my head after. When I went later to check the helmet I found it absorbed quite a bit of impact. Overall I was very lucky and used my MTB tuck and roll techniques. Left shoulder is sore and some road rash but no concussion at all. Will be sending it back for crash replacement. Consider this post an endorsement!
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I crashed on my Maya 2.0 a few weeks ago and slammed the right side of my head pretty hard, slid out a corner on loose over hard-pack trail at about 20mph. Made an awful sound. Walked around for about 5 minutes expecting to get a headache or dizziness, but nothing manifested there. I did have minor concussion symptoms over the following few days: headache (mild), some fog, but mostly just fatigue. Overall happy with the outcome given what happened.
No visible damage to helmet either actually, but I retired it. Replaced with a Spec Tactic due to sale and safety test results.
No visible damage to helmet either actually, but I retired it. Replaced with a Spec Tactic due to sale and safety test results.
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8,890 Posts
I'd retire it too, but mostly because I'm not sure you can see all damage. As an aside, Kali would replace it for free ya know.
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I have a Maya 3.0 as well. They definitely fit my head well which is important.
I’m on my 3rd Kali Helmet, Maraka. I love them. 1st one I cracked after a year by hitting a “new” low hanging branch on a trail I’ve ridden for 30 years. Wet season tree leaner. This 3rd one is way overdo, 2 years no hard crashes, it’s probably being held together by Sweat Salt particles. I do wash it weekly. The 2nd Maraka, is a goner, I crashed in the Safeway Parking lot, totally wasted, riding my Schwinn World Tourist home from fishing all day, had 6-8 IPA’s. My pedal hit a curbside right in front of front door near 10 witnesses, yard sale, fishing gear everywhere, me sprawled on to asphalt, totally embarrassing (except that I was wasted, so It wasn’t really embarrassing until following day). Kali Protectives saved my Melon !
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Same here. It fit my wife though and she liked it.unfortunately their largest helmet couldnt even get half way onto my head
Thanks for the heads up, submitted an LCR claim.
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There are reviews out there, they just don't market and saturate like the larger companies. I've had a couple and liked them. They've sponsored Nicholi Rogatkin for a number of years too.
All the one's PB has reviewed... https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tags/kali-protectives/
A simple Google search....all in the last year....
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A friend who rides with a Kali Protectives road helmet took a fall on flat ground - so not high speed - a few weeks ago and sustained a "moderate traumatic brain injury" (read about that if you want the pants scared off you) leaving him in the hospital for almost two weeks. He is now home - but needing a cane to get around, persistently dizzy and with balance much impaired, and with residual vision and hearing problems. The helmet showed mild damage to the shell. Based on this, I would never use a Kali product. I use only MIPS helmets, primarily Bell, and after my friend's accident, I just bought a Wavecel - hoping the info on increased safety of those technologies is true.
i find that some Kali products are great and other not so much - they arent vert consistent. f.e. atm id only use their dh and enduro helmets and their kneepads and thats it.
disclaimer: i work with riders sponsored by kali and i get free kali stuff myself. but thats also why i know which ones id trust.
disclaimer: i work with riders sponsored by kali and i get free kali stuff myself. but thats also why i know which ones id trust.
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