Urge Endur-O-Matic and Down-O-Matic: Tested

Urge's Down-O-Matic fullface and Endur-O-Matic half shell helmets not only have a unique style, but they also have some interesting design features that set them apart from the crowd. Inside you can read my impressions of their Euro inspired Down-O-Matic and check out their All-Mountain helmet as well!

Read on...Urge Down-O-Matic


The composite Urge Down-O-Matic helmet certainly has a look all its own that separates it from the crowd. Used by Fabien Barel, the very euro looking Down-O-Matic not only looks different, but also has some unique features. If you haven't seen an Urge helmet in person, you may be a bit taken back by the strange looking visor. What you can't tell just by looking at a picture of the Down-O-Matic is that the visor is actually made from a very flexible plastic that basically refuses to snap. You can actually take the visor right off the helmet and fold it in half without it breaking - form follows function down to a T. Sure it looks a bit different, but now that I've used the Down-O-Matic I prefer its appearance to the sea of look-a-likes out there. The helmet's round vents look like viewing ports from a submarine and are covered with a non-flexible, stiff mesh that won't tear or be easily penetrated like other helmets' thin plastic coverings. Padding is removable when the time comes to wash away a Summer's worth of dirt and sweat. Total weight is a very respectable 966 grams.







I'm not going to lie, I was bit skeptical of the Down-O-Matic's appearance before I held it in my own hands. Once out of the box it was clear that the distinctive helmet is made to a very high standard. The assembly and finish was spot on, dare I say better than any other helmet on the market. Fit is a very personal thing, but I found that the Down-O-Matic was perfect for my average shaped head. The cheek padding wasn't too tight, but applied enough pressure to help hold the helmet from rocking back and forth as I did the bobble head down rough sections. There are not a lot of vents, but the round openings do let in some air flow when you start moving quickly. I used Giro's Station goggles with the Down-O-Matic and they didn't quite fit as good as I had hoped into the shell, catching a bit on the sides and preventing them from sitting flush against my face.

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Urge Endur-O-Matic


The Endur-O-Matic is clearly related to its bigger brother, the Down-O-Matic, but in half shell guise. Urge's open face lid looks very much like a cross between a modern snowboard helmet and a motorbike trials' lid with its round shape and hard external shell. The shell extends quite far down at the rear to offer much more protection than other companies "all-mountain" helmets, but obviously at the price of trapping a bit more heat. Just like the Down-O-Matic, the Endur-O-Matic uses Urge's flexible and nearly weightless visor that seems to be unbreakable. If you're looking for something a bit different than what your friends have, or just want a bit more protection, try on an Endur-O-Matic to see if it fits.







Visit Urgebike.com to see their entire lineup of helmets.