Shoei or Arai? Which is best?

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Newbiechick

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I'm looking for a new helmet and I was liking the fit of the Shoei Qwest. While doing some research on it however, I've found that it seems to fog up in cold weather easily. Does anyone have one and have you found this to be the case? What are the Arai helmets like? Thanks! :)
 
both are very good helmets in terms of quality. most important factor is the sizing and the fit. i have a rf 1100, does it fog in cold weather? yes but there is a feature on the shield where you can crack the screen a bit to allow air in which gets rid of the fog like magic in a couple of seconds. also you can always buy anti fog spray which works flawlessly. so in a nut shell i personally never had a problem with fog

if you fit on a qwest, you will fit fine on an 1100 and the x-11 i believe, can't say for the x-12 though.
also arai didn't fit my head as well as my rf 1100 from shoei, so can't say anything about the fogging on an arai

hope this helps
 
Newbiechick said:
I'm looking for a new helmet and I was liking the fit of the Shoei Qwest. While doing some research on it however, I've found that it seems to fog up in cold weather easily. Does anyone have one and have you found this to be the case? What are the Arai helmets like? Thanks! :)
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My EXO1000 by Scorpion does not fog up but is quite a bit heavier than my RF1100. The RF1100 is my "lazy helmet" for where I don't feel like wearing contacts (glasses fit). The problem w/ the RF1100 is that it's crap for winter riding. As the above dude mentioned, it fogs up in cold weather. Problem with the "anti fog" mechanism that it comes with (by cracking open the screen) is that I ride in very cold temps. I had to ride through -10 once with the visor completely open because the "anti fog" thing was not working (plus my glasses were fogging, two layers of fog = #@$(*&@#$). My face was bleeding at the end <_<

Dunno about summer temps, but I'll find out soon!
 
Try on a bunch of different helmets...they all more or less do the same thing. Just get whichever one feels the most comfortable don't get hung up on a brand. There's lots of different things you can do if you get fog problems.
 
Forum search function is probably better than both! Seriously!

Btw, Pan, Qwest and RF-1100 fit slightly differently for me. Both fit fine, but 1100 was more snug and more comfy overall, so it's still worth trying both.
 
Depends on your head, whichever fits you best is the best for you, everyone is different.
My Arai does not fog up.
 
Shark
 
My Arai Quantum 2 fogs up from time to time. I just crack open the visor slightly and the fog is gone right away. I guess they all fog up under the right circumstances. Both Shoei and Arai are great helmets, just get whichever fits you better and whichever you like more.
 
My Shoei RF1100 does fog up very quickly, but the vents work amazing and clear that up as soon as I crack up from the front vent. I have an Arai as well (XD3). Both are very very good helmets, you cant go wrong with either. At the end of the day go with the one that fits you best and is most comfortable.
 
I wonder if any of the RF-1100 owners with fogging issues have tried using the Breath Guard insert. I haven't myself, but assume it would make some difference, especially if used in conjunction with an anti-fog spray.
 
I think the fogging up issue is a common one among all Shoei models. My X12 fogs up a lot during the cooler weather so I usually crack the visor a bit. Looking at getting a pinlock shield some time soon.
 
ABCarr said:
I wonder if any of the RF-1100 owners with fogging issues have tried using the Breath Guard insert. I haven't myself, but assume it would make some difference, especially if used in conjunction with an anti-fog spray.
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Worked very well for me on RF-1000. I also crack the visor open and used the antifog spray for my diving mask once in a blue moon.
 
ABCarr said:
I wonder if any of the RF-1100 owners with fogging issues have tried using the Breath Guard insert. I haven't myself, but assume it would make some difference, especially if used in conjunction with an anti-fog spray.
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not really, i wear glasses so my breath just fogs up my glasses like mad lol
 
The included Pin Lock insert is very effective on my HJC RPS-10.
 
I picked up the RX-Q from Arai last season and what a difference from my EXO-700!

However, Shoei RF-1100 has super soft padding inside, the RX-Q could have been softer but that's ok.

You're pretty much asking, should I get a Lamborghini or a Ferrari. Both top of the line helmets from different manufacturers.
 
jc100 said:
Try on a bunch of different helmets...they all more or less do the same thing. Just get whichever one feels the most comfortable don't get hung up on a brand. There's lots of different things you can do if you get fog problems.
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This.
 
Both helmets have custom cheek and liner sizes.


I have a X-12 and a Corsair V, and I love them both. The sizing is a bit odd as the Shoei is a Large and the Arai is a Medium.
 
jay-d said:
I picked up the RX-Q from Arai last season and what a difference from my EXO-700!
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I had a RX-Q for a short time. Fantastic helmet, but I traded it in for a Vector-2 which just fit my head better.
I've only used the Vector a couple of times but I do notice some minor fogging. I've already gone ahead and ordered the Arai Max Vision Pinlock Visor. It should solve that problem in short order.

When it comes to which is better - Shoei or Arai - only the shape of your head can answer that question.

Good luck.
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