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Note: the Caberg Duke is not DOT certified for sale/use in the US.
Summary
Caberg are a pretty well known Italian crash helmet manufacturer, producing mid-to-lower priced helmets. Here’s some more background on Caberg. The Caberg Ego is a nicely designed helmet with some great features. Although not independently tested for safety (so we can’t wholeheartedly recommend it), Caberg did come out in second place in our review of the safest helmets, so we’d expect it to score well. It includes great ventilation, an integral sun visor and is comfortable to wear. For the price, it’s great value for money and should give good service.
Note: the Caberg Ego is no longer available. For some great alternative helmets, check out our top ten helmets list.
- Weighs 3.5lbs/1.6 Kg (about average for a full faced helmet)
- Thermoplastic Polycarbonate shell
- Integral sun visor
- Huge top ventilation panel
- Available in sizes XS to XXL
- Comes with a Pinlock anti-fog insert
- Price range: approx $150 depending on design
Safety
The Ego hasn’t been SHARP or Snell tested yet, but other Cabergs which have been tested generally perform very well (7/10 receiving the full 5 star rating for safety). It’s impossible to see how well the Ego will perform of course but based on previous performance, it could be OK. Having said that, it’s a little worry having such a large gaping hole in the top of the helmet which surely must be in danger of weakening the structure of the helmet in an accident? I guess we won’t know until SHARP or Snell get their hands on it.
Noise
Most riders seem to rate the Ego as OK for noise suppression. Some noise does get in through the vent on the crown when it’s open and, like most full face helmets, some gets in through the bottom of the helmet. However, it’s not too invasive and the Ego’s about average for noise.
Size
The Caberg Ego is available in sizes XS to XXL but I couldn’t find any specific figures for how many shell sizes Caberg produce for the Ego. Higher quality brands produce their helmets in multiple sizes; if you produce one helmet shell only, you have to adjust the fit by adding more or less polystyrene inner lining. This might, arguably, reduce the effectiveness of the shock absorption of the helmet in an accident and it can also lead to the helmet looking slightly weird when you’re wearing it; if it’s too large you can look like a lollipop. It’s possible the Caberg Ego is produced in Large shell size only so if you’re an XS you might want to check one out in a shop first to make sure you don’t look a bit silly if you get one!
Ventilation
Ventilation is one area that Caberg designed the Ego to excel in. It’s got the usual chin, crown and rear exhaust vents, but it’s the crown vent that attracts all the attention. It’s basically a mini sunroof with a plastic panel that slides back, front to rear, to reveal a large panel that lets air vent straight onto the top of the head (Caberg call it CASC). There’s a stainless steel grille stopping anything dropping into the helmet when the panel’s open. This top vent does a great job in letting in the breeze and channeling it around the top of the head and out of the rear exhaust. Good if you live somewhere hot and useful in that it helps general air circulation around the head and drawing air over the shield. If it starts raining, the cover is pretty easy to slide back into place and the seal’s a good fit. Folks report it is watertight, so Caberg have done a good job there.
The other vents are adequate, with the chin vent being operated by a little pad under the chin guard. A reasonable amount of breeze comes in through the chin vent and, coupled with the Pinlock anti-fog shield insert, keeps the shield nice and fog-free in colder weather.
Shield
The Caberg shield is sound on all levels. It’s got a main clear shield and an integral sun visor operated by a lever on the left hand side. The main shield operates easily, has 5 positions – including a first demist ‘slightly cracked open’ setting – and has a good, positive feel to it. The shield removal mechanism is incredibly easy to use – something that can be important if you use the helmet a good deal as it means you can quickly remove the shield after each trip to clean it. To remove it, push the sliders on each side of the helmet and the shield pops out. Sweet. It also comes with a Pinlock anti-mist insert which is one of the best anti-fog systems you can get. The insert slots onto the pegs on the inside of the shield and that holds it in place.
Comfort
Users say the Caberg is comfortable with a good quality, removable lining that’s hypo-allergenic and sanitized (according to their blurb). Obviously, a helmet’s only comfortable if you get the fit right in the first place – check out our crash helmet fitting guide. The lining is removable and washable.
Other
Other stuff of note is the fastener which is a micrometric fastener – a type that’s really easy to use and becoming more and more popular. It’s available in 8 color schemes, with the full details of each available here.
If there’s a feature you particularly like, click on the name of the feature in the tag cloud on the right hand side to see which other helmets have it too. If not, and you’ve read enough, feel free to click the graphic below to visit a retailer you can price check the helmets at. Thanks for dropping by!
