Leatt bike helmet test: The new Leatt Endurance 4.0 - favourite item for the first tour

At the beginning of the year We received the news that the South African manufacturer Leatt - known for its freeride stuff - is now launching race-tight clothing and a helmet, we were immediately curious. The Endurance clothing is for really warm temperatures, so we haven't had much opportunity to test it yet - but the Leatt Endurance 4.0 bike helmet has.

The technical concept of the Leatt Endurance 4.0 helmet

Leatt has decided against the industry leader MIPS and also uses the Endurance 4.0 the in-house "360 Turbine" system. There are small, flexible plastic discs on the inside of the helmet that can rotate completely. These discs are designed to attenuate the force of straight-line impacts by up to 30 percent and reduce rotational movement by up to 40 percent. According to the 360° Turbine System from Leatt, the likelihood of a concussion is reduced by up to 40 per cent. of our last comparison of rotation systems but only to a very small extent.

>> You can find an overview of 19 different helmets in our crash test here.

The Power Bridge technology - recognisable by the high-gloss finish between the matt shell - distributes the forces in the event of an impact to increase protection. The Maxiflow air channels with a total of 21 openings are designed to ensure good ventilation. Thanks to the Fidlock buckle, the helmet can be put on and taken off quickly and easily, and the sunglasses garage with anti-slip coating provides a safe place to store them. The Leatt Endurance bike helmet is available in three sizes and two price categories. The MTB Endurance 3.0 helmet costs 149.99 euros (RRP), while the lighter MTB Endurance 4.0 (reviewed here) is available for 189.99 euros.

The new Leatt cross country and gravel helmet in practice

The new MTB helmet from Leatt is designed for gravel and XC biking. And what do bikers definitely want in this area? not? Heavy helmets, protruding visors, lids with little ventilation. The Leatt Endurance 4.0 lacks all of these features and weighs in at 338 grams. For comparison: a similarly designed Fox Crossframe comes to 329 grams, However, many other MTB helmets in our last big comparison test weigh significantly more. The Leatt MTB helmet has no visor at all, but a bike cap fits perfectly underneath, its visor keeping sun, wind and dust out of your face in an emergency.

And this helmet is very well ventilated with 21 openings, without resorting to a dedicated ventilation test in the laboratory. I only felt like I was sweating in a few places on my head. In addition, the Leatt Endurance helmet leaves significantly more space for large goggles - so the cap fits perfectly underneath - which also allows more wind to reach the face in warm temperatures. Caution: The large air vents also let in a lot of sun, so wear a cap or sun cream to protect against UV rays!

Leatt Endurance MTB helmet: Fit for oval head shapes

However, the most important thing about a bike helmet is the fit. Many helmets don't fit me well because they anticipate a rather round head shape. The helmet then usually pinches the forehead or the front of the skull. Not so with the Leatt, which hugs the author's head as if it were shaped for him and has promptly become his new favourite.

My fear that the blue "360 Turbine" muffs would punch into my less hairy head was also unfounded. They seem to be so soft and the helmet light enough that they don't leave any marks. Last but not least, the rear dial provides a very good all-round hold and the magnetic fastener (Fidlock) should, in my opinion, become standard for cycle helmets anyway.

Why not 100 %? The missing 5 % to satisfaction

The strap of a helmet must of course be adjustable in length. While the strap of the Fox and other helmets is sewn in at the end so that the small rubber band that holds the straps together cannot slip over the end, this is not the case with the Leatt helmet. And so the ends that are too long keep flapping around on the cheek.

Sure, you could cut the straps off a bit and make them sclerotic, but even two centimetres of strap are more annoying than no flapping. It may only be a small thing, but if you have to fiddle with the strap over and over again for six hours, it costs 5% of my satisfaction.

On the other hand, I really like the goggle garage or, in the original, the Sunglass Dock. The goggle temples almost automatically find their way in and are held there very securely because the helmet has more than just a rubber coating at the crucial points, which loses its holding power in dusty or wet conditions anyway. Here, on the Leatt Endurance 4.0, additional rubber lamellae happily take up the temple - top.

Conclusion on the Leatt Endurance 4.0 MTB & gravel helmet

The relatively lightweight MTB helmet from Leatt has a very good fit for rather round heads, sits comfortably tight on the entire skull thanks to the locking mechanism at the back, while the 360 Turbine system also leaves no marks on the scalp. I really like small details such as the goggle garage and the good ventilation concept. The style of the helmet is also right on the line between a compact race helmet and good protection at the back of the head; perfect for the cross-country and gravel target group. The price of 190 euros is also reasonable compared to the competition. The cheaper Endurance 3.0 for 150 euros weighs "only" 350 grams.

Facts & figures about the Leatt Endurance 4.0

• Available sizes: S: 51 - 55 cm / M: 55 - 59 cm / L: 59 - 63 cm
• Available colours: black, granite, aqua, white
• Test certificates: EN1078, CPSC 1203, ASTM F1447
• Weight: 338 g (self-weighed, size M)
• Price: 189.99 euros (RRP) >> available at Decathlon