Australasian Dirt Bike — September 2017

http://www.adbmag.com.au SEPTEMBER 2017 | 139

FACTORY RIDE / READERS RIDE / HERITAGE / ACTION / OAS / BUYERS GUIDE

LEATT GPX 5.5

V03 HELMET

WOW. IT’S NOT every day

I can pull a helmet out of

the box and slip it right on.

You see, I’ve got this

whopper of a melon –

yeah, they don’t call me

‘bucket head’ for nothing.

Nine times out of ten I’ll

go straight for a 2XL

helmet and I can’t even get

the thing down over my

ears. Seriously!

So when this Leatt GPX

5.5 V03 helmet came my

way, like usual, I fi gured,

‘fat chance, Bub’.

Even more so when I

actually pulled it out of the

box, as it felt light and

actually looked kinda small,

for a 2XL.

But blow me away, as I

pulled it down over my

head for the fi rst time, it

slid right on. It fi tted me

like a glove. Good start.

Right off the bat, the

Leatt’s fi t impressed me

but it was the feel of the

GPX 5.5 V03 on my head

that had me intrigued. It

just ‘felt’ kinda different

and a quick inspection of

the helmet’s interior

revealed all, as Leatt has

not been shy about using

new shell and liner

technology.

The GPX 5.5 actually

features a 10 per cent

smaller shell, which Leatt

claims transfers up to 20

per cent less rotational

forces to the head and

brain. Leatt has also used

3D in-mould V-foam inside

the shell, which also

reduces G-forces

transferred to the head,

while increasing absorbtion

despite being slimmer than

normal helmet foam.

Along with all that, the

GPX 5.5 features Leatt’s

360 Turbine Technology, in

which the inside of the shell

and foam features

numerous small, round,

‘cups’ about the size of a

10-cent piece and around

half a centimetre thick,

which are made of

Armourgel energy

absorbing material that

Leatt claims provides up to

30 per cent less head

impact at concussion level

and up to 40 per cent less

rotational acceleration to

the head and brain.

It’s certainly an

interesting twist on the

traditional EPS liners and

one into which Leatt has

clearly invested signifi cant

research and development.

All up, Leatt’s shell, liner

and 360 Turbine

Technology make for a

lighter helmet that offers

supreme safety while also

delivering maximum

GET IT HERE

BILL

$699.95

BROWSER

cassons.com.au

BLOWER

(02) 8882 1900

WHEN I FIRST unboxed these Scott MX550

boots I thought they looked alien! Not a turn

off, just different to most designs. The calf

opens up like a ski boot and the single piece of

black plastic that wraps around the calf is

separate from the material inside.

My fi rst ride wearing them was at the 2018

KTM 300EXC TPI launch at Erzberg in Austria.

Ihadn’twornthebootsoutsidetheofficeandI

paidforthatmistake.

Thebreak-inperiodontheMX550islonger

andalittlemorepainfulthansomesofter

boots out there, but that’s because these

bootsarerocksolidanddesignednottobend

when your foot is caught.

Thefootandsolelooksleek,butthey’re

super rigid.

Whilethismadethebreak-inperiodalittle

painfulitisexactlywhatIwantwhileriding.A

setofbootsI’dbeenusingforayearweretoo

malleable around the toes.

I could bend the toe box and arch support

areas.ButnotwiththeMX550.Whilethey

looklikerunnersdownlowthey’reactually

incredibly tough.

Thebootusesahingesystemfortheankle

whichisgreatbecauseithelpstoprevent

sideways movement, but it does squeak really

loudlywhenIwalk.

The buckles are excellent and look strong.

They’re still in great working order, but the

flapthatgoesaroundtheanklelooksalittle

confused and isn’t

sure if it’s meant to

beunderoroverthe

corresponding

lockingpartofthe

strap.

Staytunedtoseeif

we can get

somethingtofalloff!

Mitch Lees

SCOTT

MX550 BOOTS

Just

Landed

Just

Landed

GET IT HERE

BILL

$599.95

BROWSER

fi ceda.com.au

BLOWER

(02) 9827 7561

ventilation.

On top of all that, the

GPX 5.5 V03 comes with a

moisture-wicking washable

liner, low friction cheekpads

for emergency removal, an

adjustable peak with

breakaway function and

even has a hydration port in

the left side of the chin

piece for the optional

hands-free hydration kit.

Sizes XS through 2XL are

available, in a range of

colours and designs.

I’ve already racked up

some big miles with this

helmet and can’t wait to see

how it performs over the

long-term. Stay tuned.

Clubby