Price: £245.00 / €274.99
Weight: 264 grams – M
Sizes: S/M/L
MIPS: No
Colours: White / Black / Black Matt / White Matt / Red / Grey / Oxford Blue
Released in 2023, the Kask Utopia Y represents a small replace on the earlier era Utopia launched in 2018. The up to date design options some extra angled aesthetic detailing, whereas the retention system and padding have been closely up to date.
Despite its aero intentions, the Utopia Y has since been joined within the Kask line-up by the Nirvana aero helmet, which encompasses a progressive design that comes down over the rider’s ears. Regardless, the Utopia Y continues to be recommended by Kask as being certainly one of its high aero helmets and as being higher ventilated for racing on scorching days. In reality, it could possibly be seen on the heads of a number of Ineos Grenadiers riders on the 2024 Tour de France on scorching or hilly phases.
At £245 / $300, the Kask Utopia Y is a premium helmet, however is not exterior the realm of its rivals, particularly so far as ventilated aero-focussed helmets go. It’s a good distance behind the likes of the POC Procen Air at £360 / $400, or the Kask Elemento at £330 / $400, and extra in keeping with the Giro Eclipse at £239 / $250. However, the likes of the Van Rysel FCR carried out higher within the wind tunnel check and prices £79.99 / $100.
Design and specs
Like many helmets, the Kask Utopia Y makes use of a polycarbonate shell to cowl the EPS foam lining which supplies a lot of the impression safety. This shell then extends properly over the sides of the froth to guard it from bumps and dents whereas giving it a extra premium end. For air flow, Kask has devised one thing it calls HYVENT, a construction which options three entrance vents, a high vent, two lateral high vents, and three exhaust ports. HYVENT has been designed to assist optimise airflow by means of the helmet to spice up air flow and thermal regulation.
The largest improve to the Utopia Y is the inclusion of the up to date Octofit+ becoming system. This options the retention cradle going from temple to temple, and a far bigger injected rubber dial for simpler micro changes in comparison with the earlier smaller dial. At the rear of the helmet, the vertical stabiliser a part of the cradle for peak changes has been redesigned for simpler motion whereas additionally being extra ponytail-friendly with a bigger opening.
Internally, there’s elevated padding and use of Resistex Carbon padding. This Resistex Carbon is supposed to be extra breathable than customary foam padding and in addition promote moisture dissipation to the outer shell, thus decreasing warmth buildup across the areas the place the padding is in touch with the top. Elsewhere, Kask has additionally up to date the buckle of its new closure system, which makes use of two prongs quite than the same old three.
Kask has used its personal WG11 testing to check anti-rotational impression safety quite than licensing expertise from third-party sources like MIPS. The helmet hasn’t been examined by the impartial testing facility Virginia Tech.
There are some queries round this as it’s listed as a separate testing group (Working Group 11) but in addition as Kask’s proprietary testing protocol.
Sizes accessible are small (50-56cm), medium 52-58cm) and huge (59-62cm), whereas seven color choices can be found. Claimed weight for a medium is 240g whereas our scales put it at 264g.
Performance
Wearing the Kask Utopia Y, it’s immediately a really comfy helmet on the top. Although it has a slender profile from the entrance, it suits my head nicely even with a cap beneath. The padding on the entrance is properly huge and thick in order that I by no means obtained any indentations on my forehead even after longer rides within the helmet.
Meanwhile, the retention system is beautifully comfy and the strap in fake leather-based provides to the general premium really feel. However, the brand new buckle is harder to clip up than the earlier one, and requires a little bit of fumbling to get proper. More typically than not one of many two prongs wouldn’t line up and make clipping the buckle far more of a trouble than a conventional three-pronged variant. The retention system, though simple to regulate, additionally wants vertical adjustment each time the helmet is taken off and again on. It’s not a giant faff, however simply takes just a little extra time every time I put on the helmet.
While using, the air flow on the helmet is the very first thing that’s observed. With present temperatures in October being between 2C/35F and 12C/54F, it’s arduous to work out air flow efficiency in hotter climate, however there’s notable airflow going by means of the helmet.
However, even with first rate airflow, the forehead pad does are likely to get saturated as any rides go on, so I did have a couple of sweat dumps into my glasses. This is one thing that I are likely to expertise with just about each helmet although personally, save for a few choices. The two facet vents on the entrance do work fairly nicely for glasses storage, be that conventional straight-arm ones or the extra obscure curved arms. This could make using in heat climate a bit extra palatable with out sweat in lenses, however does price a small quantity of aero efficiency.
In phrases of aero efficiency, if we discuss with our large-scale wind tunnel helmet check evaluating 23 totally different helmets, the Kask Utopia ranked tenth out of that record. It was solely 5.1 watts down on the POC Procen Air (quickest helmet) at 40kph, however almost 10 watts slower at 50kph. For the needs of testing, we made certain all different package was standardised (bike, wheels, package, sneakers and anything that would affect outcomes) in addition to the place on the bike in order that the one variable was the helmet. That would not sound like an enormous distinction, and in reality, for a 40km time trial at 250 watts, the Kask would solely be 22 seconds slower. But for these racing and focussing on each acquire, that point will matter.
Now Kask has obtained the brand new Nirvana, which takes a number of aero components on the Utopia Y and enhances them with up to date venting, ear covers, and prolonged profile for in concept a greater airfoil. However, Kask continues to be providing the Utopia Y and Ineos are nonetheless racing in it because it presents barely higher air flow than the Nirvana whereas nonetheless being extra aero than the likes of the Elemento.
Protection-wise, Kask has forgone any third-party impression safety expertise equivalent to MIPS (a rotational impression safety system you possibly can examine right here in our information to MIPS) in favour of its personal association of froth densities.
MIPS is one instance of expertise that enables motion of the top throughout the inside of the helmet within the occasion of a crash to cut back rotational impression forces which were linked to elevated incidence of concussion.
Using its personal WG11 testing, KASK says the helmet performs nicely in opposition to rotational impression forces in an try to cut back the probabilities of concussion and mind accidents. However, there are not any impartial rankings from the likes of the Virginia Tech. WG11 and VT use totally different testing protocols, and a little bit of digging exhibits that WG11 makes use of a forty five˚ angle of impression and velocity of 6m/s, whereas Virginia Tech makes use of various angles of impression in opposition to a forty five˚ object and 4.8 and seven.3m/s. There is then extra confusion over what WG11 is, as it’s each the ‘Working Group 11’ which Kask is a member of, and in addition a trademarked possession of Kask.
Indeed “Rotational Impact WG11 Test Passed” is trademarked by Kask and different manufacturers can’t use it. However, the Kask Elemento, one other WG11-approved helmet, does rating 5 stars within the Virginia Tech exams, so there seems to be some consistency between WG11 and VT testing and outcomes.
For what it is price, I’ve had multiple head-on impacts in Kask’s Mojito helmet up to now, and haven’t had any long-term results. I wasn’t keen to voluntarily put the Utopia Y by means of that very same testing.
Value
In phrases of worth, at £245 / €274.99 / $300, the Kask Utopia Y sits fairly squarely within the center with regards to the present crop of performance-focussed aero helmets. Generally, the common pricing sits round £200-250 with a number of outliers on both facet. The likes of the POC Procen Air and Specialized Evade III are costlier, however carried out higher in our wind tunnel testing, whereas the far cheaper Van Rysel FCR additionally outperformed the Kask. But there are different components to contemplate.
The end on the Kask is properly premium due to the shell extending nicely across the EPS foam, and different options just like the fake leather-based strap. Comfort is a very sturdy level for the Utopia Y too, with a superb retention system that, though it may be a little bit of a faff at instances, does nonetheless present a really comfy match.
Taking these components into consideration, the helmet presents affordable worth, however the out-and-out aero efficiency is an space that now lags behind the competitors.
Verdict
Overall, the Kask Utopia Y is a fairly good efficiency street helmet. The air flow is above common, and whereas the aero efficiency is in the identical ballpark as its competitors, it has been overtaken by the present crop of aero helmets accessible immediately.
Comfort is a giant plus of the helmet due to the brand new retention system, though some fidgety particulars do let it down a contact. Value-wise, it’s firmly within the center floor for aero helmets. When it involves security, I’ve religion that it’ll shield my head properly within the occasion of a crash, which is vitally necessary. Subjectively I believe it appears to be like good too.
Design and Aethetics | The Utopia model has been up to date barely and for the higher. A traditional silhouette that has obtained higher. | 9/10 |
Comfort | The padding and retention system make for a really comfy helmet. | 9/10 |
Ventilation | Ventilation is common when in comparison with all helmets, nevertheless it’s higher than a variety of its aero rivals. | 7/10 |
Safety | No third-party information, however different WG11-approved helmets seem to align nicely in Virginia Tech findings. | 7/10 |
Aero Performnce | tenth and in the midst of our aero testing. Better than some, worse than others. | 5/10 |
Value | Great high quality, end and luxury for the value, however higher worth choices are availbale. | 7/10 |
Row 6 – Cell 0 | Row 6 – Cell 1 | 44/60 |