Cw Evaluation Bell Star Carbon Custom Fit
CW EVALUATION BELL STAR CARBON CUSTOM FIT
IGnITIOn
EVALUATIOn
A helmet made just for you
Matthew Miles
DECADES AFTER ITS famous advertising campaign—"If you've got a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet"—Bell is still making headlines.
Bell launched its "Custom Fit" program this past fall at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the Superbilce World Championship race weekend. Using 3-D imaging, Bell's Advanced Concepts Group digitally mapped the heads of a small group of paying customers and members of the media. The scan took less than a minute, and my personalized Star Carbon was ready two days later.
Custom Fit differs from offthe-shelf in two ways: l) The expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner is specific to the end user, and 2) the removable foam interior is simplified, with separate crown and neck-roll padding. The rest is "standard" Star Carbon—TriMatrix composite shell, Velocity Flow ventilation with Flow Adjust, Magnefusion magnetic strap keeper, 3Mode NutraFogll faceshield with tool-free ClickRelease, and integrated speaker pockets.
Fit is like nothing I've previously experienced. Although nicely finished, the liner is quite hard, so if you're seeking a pillow-like experience, you won't find it here. That said, cinched tightly, the helmet feels like it is floating, barely contacting my head, with no pressure points, regardless of the length of time I wear it.
Bell has invested more than $250l< in its Custom Fit program, and with five patents pending, company officials aren't ready to discuss the proprietary US liner "manufacturing" process. Whatever the explanation, the result is a uniquely individual, perfectly fitted, DOT/Snellcertified helmet. That's a headline in and of itself.
BELL STAR CARBON CUSTOM-FIT
bellpowersports.com
PRICE: $1,100
UPS
+ Fits like a stocking cap
+ Extra crown and neck-roll pads supplied in 2mm increments, 10mm for cheek pads
+ Coming soon: Custom Fit MX and bicycle helmets
DOWNS
One color: Matte Carbon
Noisier than other premium helmets
Custom Fit option adds $450
