Today’s ever-growing market of feature-rich helmets theoretically makes it easier to find helmets with features you like, but with so many options it can be difficult to choose the best one. Even in the field of dual-sport helmets there are those that tend more toward street or dirt in their intended use. The new Zox Z-DS10 helmet hits the mark for comparably low cost with a serious amount of features which also make it quite suitable for long-distance touring.

The face shield offers street helmet-like visibility with a very effective anti-fog coating that quickly cleared up even in humid 45°F riding. At traffic lights, I did have to flip it partially open, just like almost any other helmet. Fortunately, there are five positions of opening, so cracking it open a notch is easy and doesn’t affect vision. There is, however, a small area of distortion along the bottom edge of the face shield where it connects to the rubber seal which can be a small annoyance until you get used to it. The face shield snaps tightly against the rubber seal, so water seeping in was never an issue.

Part of what helps the face shield de-fog so easily is the breeziness of the helmet. Even with the vents closed, a significant amount of air circulates around your face at anything quicker than 40 mph without a windshield or big fairing, but the removable chin curtain is very effective at cutting down that wind. The chin vent is also intuitive to use—no remembering which position is open or closed, just push the big vent inward to open, and click the release button to close it. And, with most gloves, the top vents are easy to use as well, but bulky winter gloves can make it slightly difficult.

One of the big features on this helmet is the flip-down tinted visor called the Sun Visor System (SVS), intended to eliminate the need for a separate tinted face shield or sunglasses. It’s also anti-fog-coated like the main face shield. It has a positive retention “click” to keep it up, but there is no positive catch to keep it down. Despite that, it doesn’t rattle around and is easy to operate with the small tab mounted on the left side.

Quick-release strap buckles are becoming popular with these dual-sport adventure helmets, and this one works well. It was easy to set and does not leave a long excess strap to cut down. Unfortunately, my jaw sits uncomfortably against the back of the metal D-ring on the right side, so it may be worth test fitting one before you buy it. The overall head shape of the helmet leans toward a rounded shape of an intermediate oval. My sample felt tighter front to back than the usual intermediate oval.

My Oakley O-frame goggles didn’t fit in the helmet as well as I’d like, so if your goal is to use this with goggles be sure to check the fit. The flip-down tinted visor and non-adjustable beak confirm the listing of this helmet as an “adventure touring” helmet instead of a true dual-sport helmet. The beak is removable to give it a more stable profile for those spending long hours on the interstate highway.

The liner material is comfortable and seams are placed well—at least for my head. But there is a soft fabric material covering the smooth interior where the stick-on Velcro for a Bluetooth headset would go. The removable, washable liners come out with minimal effort and go back in very quickly, so keeping this helmet clean and fresh won’t be a challenge.

Helmets that have flip-down tinted sun visors don’t usually look like dual-sport helmets, so for those who really like that feature but also seek the look and function of the beak, this is a viable option. Those who spend most of their time off road only or solely on the highway aren’t the target market. Instead, just like the bikes many of us ride, this helmet is designed to do both, with additional features to make it more user-friendly. MSRP: $219.99 ZoxHelmets.com

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