Kali Protectives Maya 2016
Reviews / Helmets
42,252
At A Glance
Kali may have recently announced a new open face helmet to their range, but the Maya is the lid many associate with the brand, and is still just as relevant as any others in the range. A classic trail helmet, the Maya represents a straightforward and stylish way to protect your brain. This doesn't mean it isn't loaded with features however; the Maya uses Composite Fusion, which bonds the shell and foam to create a lightweight and strong helmet, and it has fully adjustable straps, a tried and tested retention system and a mount for any technology you might want to strap to your head. Coming in at 360g it's a good weight and has twelve vents to keep the temperature down.
Buy Helmets on
On The Trail
Fit is always key, and for me the Maya gets it spot on. Excellent hold all round, and a classic but proven rear retention system seen on many other lids over the years. As the old adage goes, if it ain't broke... The rather long peak is great for actually doing a job rather than just looking cool, and can keep low sun from your eyes, or rain from your face. It is articulated to easily moved up and down to keep the glare away if you're lucky enough to have too much sun.
Pitched at the enduro market, the style is good, and whilst not being the lowest of the low around the back, it gives decent coverage and plenty of protection. The venting is minimal, but on the front there are plenty and internally there is a bug mesh to keep out any unwanted guests. The outer shell is a matt finish which has held up well to punishment and still looks good after a year of riding. The shell extends round the edge of the helmet to protect the areas where the polystyrene is generally more vulnerable to being thrown in the back of the truck.
Chinstrap is fully adjustable and simple, just like the rest of the helmet. No attempts to reinvent the wheel here, just tried and tested technology. Where technology does get a look in is on the visor mounts, where an action camera or light can be mounted easily. The camera mount works well when the camera is held high away from the peak, but the light mount wasn't quite so good, with the long peak casting a shadow and blocking some light reaching the trail. I ended up mounting the light higher on the helmet to get full beam and not using the built-in mount.
Overall
I flippin' love this helmet, it may not have MIPS, or 4 thousand vents, or any other mega long-winded tech, yet what it does have is a great fit, a tried and tested retention system, fully adjustable straps, a lightweight, solid and clever Composite Fusion build and a massive peak. I can take or leave the mounts, but it just does a great job of looking good, fitting well, not costing the earth and, most-importantly, protecting my head.
For more information visit Kali Protectives Related
By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
