CKX TITAN HELMET REVIEW: A SNOWMOBILE HELMET WITH A HANDMADE FEEL – BY FRANKLIN CALL

If you’re taking a seasonal break from ATV riding, New Hampshire’s snow season is perfect for snowmobile experts and newcomers alike. But if you’re the type of person who can’t stand the cold air rushing in and around your goggles and through the vents of moto-inspired snowmobile helmets, I have the answer to your prayers: the new-to-the-US CKX Titan.

While I have yet to take a spin in this helmet, Canadian riders have been donning it for the past five years. Like its sibling, the CKX Mission (arguably the best trail helmet ever made), the Titan has been tested in the harshest snow conditions and the reviews from fellow riders have been overwhelmingly fantastic.

So, how am I so sure this is the holy grail of helmets?

AN UNDENIABLE QUALITY FEEL

As I hold this lid in my hands, the fit, finish, and craftsmanship are on par with the infamous Arai motorcycle helmet, and each Arai helmet is handmade, one at a time by Japanese craftsmen. Whether you’re a casual rider who takes a few yearly snowmobile tours in NH or you’re in the backcountry every weekend, you’ll immediately recognize the irrefutable quality of this helmet.

Because, putting this helmet on, it just feels like quality. For those who have tried their fair share of (less-than-quality) helmets, you’ll know what I mean immediately. The nice, snug fit and the neoprene around the eyes and face just feel right. Once you pull the electric goggles over your eyes, you’ll realize that this is the best snowmobile helmet you’ve ever worn, truly.

This helmet is definitely insulating. There are no gaps between the goggles and the helmet. There are small seams, but those are well covered with the neoprene skirt. Countless reviews talk about how warm the Titan is, and trying the helmet on and seeing how the system fits together, I believe it.

CKX TITAN HELMET SPECS AND FEATURES

Here are just a few of my favorite features of the CKX Titan (and they’re sure to become yours, too):

• The CKX-branded quick-release Tactical 210 Degree goggles are electric, and they run with the same cord your shielded helmets use.
• The foam around the lens of the goggles is super thick—and the fit is impeccable, in my opinion.
• If you’re into content creation, you’ll love that there’s a GoPro mount already installed at the top of the helmet.
• The flip-down muzzle is a must for Northeast snowmobile and ATV rental regulars.

More on the flip-down muzzle: like the Ski-Doo BV2S, the front of the Titan can flip forward. But unlike the BV, there’s no surgical rubber mask driving you into a claustrophobic spasm—just a normal vent opening you can open or close to your liking.

Remember the snotcicles forming on your buddies’ BVs when they flipped them open on cold days? NASTY. But not anymore.

All jokes aside, the design on the Titan is brilliant. You can eat, drink, and talk to your riding buddies without removing your helmet. #gamechanger.

A VALUABLE INVESTMENT FOR MANY SNOW SEASONS TO COME

I know that I keep coming back to the quality of the materials used because I’m impressed—but at this price point and level of investment, I should be.

Working here in the shop, I see a lot of repeat customers who just haven’t found the right lid. They buy a new helmet every season and hope that this will be the one. People jump from brand to brand, from style to style, in search of the “holy grail.”

Some folks shy away from the CKX helmets we stock because they are on the upper end of the price range. My dad used to tell me all the time that money doesn’t grow on trees, so I completely understand the hesitation. But for the money people spend in two seasons on helmets that aren’t the holy grail, they could find the solution to all of their fogging, cold, and airflow problems with an investment in the Titan or a Mission.

I do not lie and I do not deceive when I say there is no better moto-inspired helmet for New Hampshire snowmobile riding than the CKX Titan. I mean it.

If you’re looking for an unmatched rugged snowmobile helmet that’s up to the harshest conditions, the Titan is the lid for you. Because if you’re gonna be a bear… be a grizzly.

Franklin