Kali Invader DH Full-Face Helmet

DH vs. Trail

When I'm talking about my Kali Invader 2.0 helmet, the feature I always highlight is the fantastic, unobstructed, sound quality. It's a full-face helmet and when it's on my head, I know I'm wearing a full-face helmet. The one place it gives up nothing to a half shell is how I can hear every whisper of my friends' bullshitting when we're in the woods, a key feature for me.

I like the weight of the Invader 2.0, and I find it breathes exceptionally well, passively and actively. I'm comfortable wearing it even on hot, muggy, summer days and I don't miss having a removable chin bar. I even bought a second one and then semi-retired from testing helmets. I haven't mountain biked without a chin bar since sometime in 2020.

The Kali Invader DH presents a small reduction in vents, a few more grams, and a meaner-looking visor. This all adds up to a version of my favourite lid that Kali rates for "riding between the tape, double black diamond runs and anywhere else you’re dreaming of going big." On that note, the Invader DH is rated ASTM F1952.

Not that the Invader DH isn't a fully featured lid, but it's also a prime candidate to transition a conversation I often have about kids' lids - tech vs. weight - to adults. This Invader DH weighs a very reasonable 756 grams (on my scale). Kali has long been pushing softer materials in helmets as "data shows the majority of impacts from accidents are happening at much lower-g forces than the standards are testing for" but I suspect in terms of marketable features, lighter weights will be something every helmet manufacturer is pushing as a safety feature in the coming years.

For comparison's sake, this Invader DH is only 62-grams heavier than my Invader 2.0. Both helmets use the size XS-M shell with the medium pad set. If helmet weights matter to you, the best practice is to weigh multiple examples as there is some variation in manufacturing. Also, some companies seem to publish their fantasies rather than facts.

Kali is not immune from this consideration. While this Invader DH is only 6-grams heavier than the claimed weight (756 grams vs. 750 grams) my Invader 2.0 is heavier than advertised by a significant amount (694 grams vs. 640 grams). Neither is close to the worst offenders I've seen, like removable chin bar helmets that don't include the chin bar in their published weights.

It runs a bit warmer. The first time I wore the Invader DH was to climb a steep piece of local singletrack on my single-speed and the difference in passive venting was apparent. The DH version didn't cook my brain or anything, and climbing, it breathes significantly better than any DH-rated helmet I've worn. It's just that when I wear the Invader 2.0 for a hard effort on a hot day, I can almost convince myself that the cheek pads don't make it any warmer than wearing a bucket.

With the Invader DH, I'd be more likely to take my lid off for forest road climbs and either strap it to my pack or run a Haf-Clip. Thankfully, in this regard, the Invaders all use a FidLock magnetic buckle. I have a few friends who are still all over D-ring metal buckles but I've yet to have or hear of a FidLock-related issue that would motivate me to return to that level of faffing about removing and installing my helmet.

Also on the branded-tech front, the Invader series uses a Rheon Low-Density Layer. This is the same energy-absorbing polymer that you'll find in helmets from Leatt (360° Turbines) and Fly Racing and knee pads from Rapha. Around here we encourage riders to be wary of claims and assumptions about the extent to which helmets reduce concussions, so I share Kali's thoughts on the LDL with that noted:

• "LDL is there to soften the bumps we get that are not near the forces that compress or damage the foam in your helmet."
• "Our LDL reduces rotational impact forces up to 25%, and reduces low-g linear forces up to 30%."

Wearability, chatting with my friends, and enjoying the whine of my rear hub aside, another advantage of the Invader series' unobstructed sound, both listening and speaking, comes up often when encountering other trail users. Hikers, for example, can see my smile, and clearly hear my greetings, and I can have a conversation from a distance without removing my lid.

I'm not trying to pontificate to those who'd rather wear a skid lid for whatever reason they choose. The vast majority of people I ride with do not regularly wear a chin bar, and that's not an issue between us. Like wearing knee pads, it's an individual's decision with potential repercussions to be borne personally. But for me, even with a minor bit of extra heat-related discomfort in the hottest months, I can't come up with any good reason not to wear one.

This time of year, wearing the Invader DH and Invader Trail back-to-back, the difference in warmth is muted. But I know in the summer the Invader Trail will be my go-to for most rides. That's a luxury to have. For someone with the budget for one full-face helmet to do it all from the bike park to Shore-XC riding, the Invader DH is an excellent candidate.

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The Kali Invader Trail, Invader 2.0, is available in 8x colourways and sells for 225 USD | 310 CAD

The Kali Invader DH is available in 5x colourways and sells for 260 USD | 356 CAD