French Gear Maker Helstons Introduces Carbon Fiber Helmet Line

Modern materials, vintage style.

By: Janaki Jitchotvisut

Nov 5, 2020 at 10:17am ET

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French motorcycle gear maker Helstons loves its vintage styling. The company started out making and selling jackets, then expanded into boots, gloves, and accessories. Now, the company is taking its styling cues and applying them to a new line of vintage-look, carbon fiber jet helmets.

For the moment, Helstons makes just one style of helmet—which is, perhaps, why the company doesn’t feel the need to list a model name on its page. It’s simply the Helston helmet, and it’s currently available in 11 different colorways as of November, 2020.

All feature a carbon fiber shell, and weigh approximately 900 grams apiece (plus or minus 50 grams, depending on finish). That’s just under two pounds, if you’re counting. A finishing band of leather rings the bottom edge of the helmet all around, while the interior is also finished in a combination of perforated leather and nubuck. It comes with a short visor, as well as the three-snap front accessory setup that’s commonly found on a lot of open-face vintage-look helmets.

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The chinstrap has a quick-release buckle, and these helmets are available in sizes S to 2XL. Helstons lists ECE 22.05 certification for its entire helmet line. While the company does have distributors all over the world—including one in California and one in Alberta, Canada—there’s no mention of DOT certification at this time. What’s the pricing like? The three Naked versions will run you €249 ($294), while the variants with graphics each run an additional €10 ($12).

It’s unclear at this time whether Helstons has any plans to expand its helmet line beyond these offerings at some point in the future. The company currently offers a wide range of both men’s and women’s gear, in both leather and textile options. A full range of jackets, pants, gloves, boots, and accessories are available, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the company has plans to offer additional helmet styles that fit its aesthetic at some point in the future.