Caberg Evo Drift review: full face, composite sportsbike helmet.

Note – Caberg helmets are not DOT certified for use in mandatory helmet law states

The Caberg Drift Evo is, as the name suggests, an evolution of the older Caberg Drift.

Which means while the original Drift was aimed at sports/touring riders, the Drift Evo is aimed more towards sportsbike and track riders, with Caberg saying it was developed through their racing department in conjunction with championship riders.

Their riders might be lower profile names you’ve never heard of (I’m a massive racing fan but I’ve never heard of any of them!) but I’m sure their feedback is just as useful for helmet development as that of the big names employed by the likes of AGV or Arai.

So, with a new, swoopier profile, an extra helmet shell and the same old light weight of the last gen Drifts; what’s difference between the new Drift Evo and the old Drift – and is it worth the investment?

• Sportsbike-oriented full face helmet
• NOT DOT certified
• FIM Homologated (Drift Evo Corsa XS)
• SHARP 4 star safety rated
• Composite fiber and Carbon fiber shells
• Drop down sun visor
• Pinlock anti-fog included
• Double D-ring fastener
• 3.1lbs (1.4Kg) – composite
• 2.9lbs (1.3Kg) – carbon
• Sizes XS-XXL
• Expect to pay around $300

Best places to buy a Caberg Drift Evo?

The Drift Evo isn’t DOT certified so isn’t road legal in mandatory helmet states. If you’re still interested in buying one, you can click below to jump straight onto the Caberg Drift Evo helmets pages at one of our UK recommended stores who’ll ship one to the US – though don’t forget, there will be import tax to pay. And if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The Drift Evo keeps much of the form and mouldings of the old Evo but it’s now produced in two shell sizes and features that eye-catching rear spoiler.

Of course, it’s a must to have a decent sized spoiler on the back of any sportsbike helmet these days – and hopefully it’ll mean decent aero capabilities and stability and isn’t just for looks.

And adding a second helmet shell size to the range will definitely add to the safety and fitting of the Drift Evo – and help it look better in proportion to the rider, avoiding the lollipop effect when a large helmet’s worn by a small person.

For those of you who care, the smaller shell size will cover XS-M and the larger shell L-XXL.

Other than that, the shell of the Drift Evo looks near identical to the Drift, and it’s both ECE 22.05 certified and SHARP 3 star rated.

Note: it’s not DOT certified for use in mandatory helmet states. 

One key difference between the Drift Evo and the Drift is that whereas the old Drift was SHARP 3 star safety rated, the Drift Evo scored 4 stars which is a good score and means we’ve now added it to our safest helmets page which includes only four and five star rated helmets.

It comes with a double-d ring fastener – which is spot on for the track and a great way to secure your lid in place.

And while the shield itself is designed to work on a sportsbike – so it’s tall and wide to give good all-round vision – it’s also Pinlock ready, meaning you can fit the (included) Pinlock Max Vision insert to keep your vision clear in all but the most extreme wet/cold/humid circumstances.

So, while the Drift Evo probably doesn’t quite give all the protection of some of the best protecting helmets out there it should still give a good amount of rider protection.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Sportsbike and track helmets are notorious for having less noise suppression than road or touring helmets. But equally, their focus on having great aero and stability can mean there’s less to stick up into the airflow and create noise.

The Evo Drift has what Caberg describe as a wind stop chin guard and an anti-turbulence neck roll too. And they also say they’ve redesigned the cheek pads to offer a closer fit.

In practice, most owners don’t have a problem with the noise levels in the Drift Evo. But we did hear from a couple of owners who said the face shield can whistle a bit. It was by no means a common problem but if you find yours does, get it back to your point of purchase so they can swap out the shield.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The Caberg Drift Evo has a single large vent in the chin guard which directs air onto the back of the shield to help with demisting.

Up top, there’s another single vent which directs air through the helmet shell and into air channels inside the helmet. That air is then pushed through the helmet and out through the large rear exhaust vent that sits above the spoiler.

Both inlet vents and the exhaust can be closed off by simple and large glove-friendly sliders.

It’s more or less the same system used on the old Drift. Owners on that helmet rated it pretty highly, and they do on the Drift Evo too, with enough airflow coming through the helmet even on hot sunny days to keep your head cool.

Although, don’t expect the shield to stay clear in wet/cold or humid conditions; you’ll still need the help of that supplied Pinlock anti-fog insert.

Shield (more about shields)

The main shield on the Drift Evo is unchanged from the one on the Drift.

That means it’s a clear shield with a couple of opening tabs and a spring-loaded, quick release shield mechanism with an unusual locking/cracked open mode lever – something that’s only seen otherwise on Arai helmets.

The shield itself works on friction, so no ratchet here. And it’s spring-loaded, meaning when you move the shield towards the closed position, the spring will pull the shield closed, giving it a positive pull against the gasket to ensure a nice air/water tight fit.

Whether you find the spring loaded shield a useful feature or not is entirely dependent on personal preference I guess, but if you’re used to old-style shields where it’s down to you to decide exactly how cracked open your shield is, it might take a bit of getting used to.

If you do like to ride with your shield open a little bit, maybe for demisting or getting a bit of air onto your face while riding, then Caberg hasn’t abandoned you totally.

At the back of the left hand shield pivot, there’s a small lever that you can pull back which will push the shield forward, cracking it open the shield a few mm at the bottom.

Plus, you can also use the lever to lock the shield in place if you’re going on the track and want to make sure it won’t open up in any circumstance.

Finally, the Caberg Drift Evo does come with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box; which is an essential piece of kit if you suffer from shield fogging. And, if you’re THAT serious about your track days, tear-off ready shields are also available.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

There’s also an integral sun visor in the Caberg Drift Evo – what Caberg calls its Double Visor System (don’t get confused – it’s just a clear main shield and sun visor – nothing more). It’s operated using a slider interestingly located just below the left hand visor pivot.

It’s normal for the sun visor controls to be on the left hand side of the helmet of course, but it’s the first time we’ve seen a slider positioned so close to the pivot. What it does mean is that all the visor controls are in the same place – though it does take a bit of getting used to quickly finding the slider when you’re wearing gloves and on the move.

The sun visor can be dropped to intermediate points (i.e. isn’t just fully up or down like some sun visors). And as usual, the sun visor isn’t anti-fog so will mist up in cold weather – though it is anti-scratch like the main visor.

A few Drift Evo owners commented that the sun visor mechanism isn’t quite as smooth as some brands – it can be a bit clunky and notchy.

And while it’s a useful addition to making the helmet more user friendly, a couple of owners also wished it dropped down a bit further.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Caberg Drift Evo is a fully washable and removable lining. Caberg says they’ve re-engineered the cheek pads to provide a better, closer fit than the old Drift and different sized cheek pads are available to customize the fit more if you find it’s a bit loose.

There’s also space inside for a pair of bluetooth speakers.

Owners rated the old Caberg Drift highly for comfort, meaning we gave it a four star rating for comfort overall.

With the Drift Evo, several owners have said that, while it’s a comfortable helmet, getting the size right in the first place was a bit tricky for them because it sizes a bit small.

So whereas you might be a size M in most helmets, you’ll probably find that a bit tight in the Drift Evo.

So what we’d suggest if you’re thinking of buying one, follow our helmet fitment guide and if you find you’re between sizes, go for a size larger. And when you receive your new helmet, make sure you’re happy it’s the right size before removing tags/stickers, and make sure you buy from a shop that will happily exchange your helmet if it feels the wrong size (like our recommended stores do).

Remember, getting your helmet to fit perfectly (so it’s snug and doesn’t move around on your head) is vital to getting a helmet that’s going to protect you.

Looks & Graphics

There’s a handful of graphics out for the Drift Evo with new designs and color schemes appearing all the time – so for the latest, check out the Caberg helmets pages at our recommended retailers by clicking the links below.

Best places to buy a Caberg Drift Evo helmet?

The Drift Evo isn’t DOT certified so isn’t road legal in mandatory helmet states. If you’re still interested in buying one, you can click below to jump straight onto the Caberg Drift Evo helmets pages at one of our UK recommended stores who’ll ship one to the US – though don’t forget, there will be import tax to pay. And if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Caberg Drift Evo Video

Watch this 5 minute video for a look around the main features of a Caberg Drift Evo carbon (black, white, neon yellow).

Other stuff – aero, build quality, weight, warranty

Apart from that main rear spoiler – that’s there to add stability and reduce turbulence (and is removable) – there’s also a couple of smaller winglets at the bottom rear of the helmet. This is all there to improve aero capabilities of the Drift Evo and reduce buffeting – and owners reckon it works really well, with several saying it’s a well balanced helmet that’s stable at speed.

Overall, owners say the Caberg Drift Evo is a well constructed helmet, with a decent level of fit and finish and only one or two niggles here and there.

And while it’s not generally in our lightweight helmets category, several owners commented that it feels light weight when you’re riding – especially the carbon fiber version that’s a 100g or so lighter than the fiberglass helmet.

All Caberg helmets come with just a one year warranty. Obviously, that’s a bit poor these days – check here for helmets that come with a 5 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

The Caberg Drift Evo is a great package. It’s designed to work on the road or on the track and if you’re after a sportsbike helmet that’s great value for money (who isn’t?), then it’s really hard to beat.

For your money, you get a versatile composite fiber crash helmet (or full carbon for a few dollars more)that feels light weight, comes with a Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box, has the convenience of a drop down sun visor (rare for a sportsbike/track lid) and, with that external aero, not only looks the part but is stable at speed too.

Get the sizing right (they size small) and you should find it a good reliable helmet that’ll work both on and off the track.

The old drift was highly rated in pretty much every department and over the last couple of years Caberg has developed the Drift Evo even further.

And while the old Caberg Drift was tested by SHARP where it scored an average 3 stars out of 5, now the Drift Evo has upped the ante a notch, scoring 4 stars – which is a great result and good to know when you’re riding along (don’t forget, the Drift Evo isn’t DOT approved – but it is ECE approved).

All in all, the Caberg Drift Evo is a very tempting prospect. A track-developed sportsbike helmet with a sun visor is a rare beast and at this low price point Caberg has put the Drift Evo in most riders’ price range. Overall, it’s well worth taking a look.

Good Alternatives to the Caberg Drift Evo?

Looking to buy a great value sportsbike helmet that’s been tested to show excellent safety? Then here’s some helmets we recommend you check out.

First up is the HJC FG17. It’s a SHARP four star rated sportsbike helmet with a fiberglass shell that’s a great all-rounder too.

Then how about the LS2 Arrow? There’s both carbon fiber and fiberglass versions available and they’re SHARP 4 star safety rated too. The LS2 comes with a class A optical visor and included Pinlock Max vision in the box as well.

Or if your budget can stretch a little more, the Bell Star range of helmets (Star, Pro Star and Race Star) are Snell and SHARP 5 star rated helmets that are highly rated for sports and track riders.

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Best places to buy a Caberg Drift Evo?

The Drift Evo isn’t DOT certified so isn’t road legal in mandatory helmet states. If you’re still interested in buying one, you can click below to jump straight onto the Caberg Drift Evo helmets pages at one of our UK recommended stores who’ll ship one to the US – though don’t forget, there will be import tax to pay. And if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Star Ratings