Review – Ski-Doo Modular 2 Helmet

This is my new helmet the: Ski-Doo (BRP) Modular 2. It is a snowmobile helmet with a DOT rating and a hard plastic visor. The shield is dual layer to help prevent fogging. The Modular2 is my favorite winter helmet for riding a motorcycle.

I originally discounted snowmobile helmets because all of them I had seen (HJC, etc) had very soft face shields… really soft like a Styrofoam plate.

I purchased the helmet locally at Tousley Motorsports from a very helpful guy named Caleb. I initially was going to buy the BV2S, but it wouldn’t fit right, so he recommended the Modular 2 instead.

Because I wear glasses, I am normally forced to switch shields (a huge pain on my Arai). The built in sun shield works quite well as it actually comes down far enough on my face to be useful. It’s also easy to operate with gloves: slide it forward or back. This could be a potential point of failure if the mechanism holding it up wears out.
 
It’s a modular helmet which makes getting it on an off pretty easy. I’m still working on my technique to take it off without having my glasses ripped off. The two buttons on the side of the front vent activate the modular part of the helmet. I’ve found the helmet works well with the small front vent open.

There is also a small vent in the rear which I have also been leaving open. The vent is just above the tiny strip of hi-viz tape. I plan on adding more to make myself more visible and cover up some of the interesting graphics.

A button strap holds it on versus the normal D ring style. Very easy to work with one hand.

The chin curtain above is held securely in place with two small magnets. It does a good job keeping the wind out of the helmet.

The helmet has a fighter-jet style breath box seen above. I currently have the “extra cold weather” liner installed for added warmth. It seals your nose and mouth into a separate space from the rest of the helmet. Very effective anti-fog. The air intake/exhaust vents are on the side.

Here is the breath box installed with the extra liner tucked in.

A shot of the side vents where your breath escapes. These will accumulate a bit of ice after riding some time. I read in some other reviews that after many hours, it may be necessary to knock the ice chunks out of the vents.

Above are the small pieces of rubber that attach the breath box to the helmet. They snap into place, and you twist them slightly to remove them. Caleb recommended I carry an extra set since they tend to wear out over time. He thinks, probably one set a season. They were only $7, and I now have them in my coat pocket.
My first impression of the Modular 2 is very positive. I had tried all the wipes and goo to prevent fogging, but with glasses it has been nothing but hassle. I have yet to get the Modular 2 to fog, even with me trying to breath funny to get it to fog.

It also fits quite comfortably on my head. It is a bit heavier than my Arai, but not uncomfortable. The breath box also covers up the lower part of my vision, so I can’t see the speedo without looking down. I’m not fogging, so i can see the road; it is a small trade I’m willing to make. It is also much warmer than my Arai. It seals very well, and only has two vents instead of 15. I think the extra insulation in the liner helps too.

Finally, I’m not crazy about the color choices. Black or the “interesting” design above. I would have preferred a silver or something more visible at night since most of my winter riding seems to be in the dark. I plan on adding some hi-viz stickers I received earlier.

For the $350 I paid, this helmet is totally worth it. I will write more about it in the future after I’ve had more time with it.

UPDATE: December 7, 2010:
I wore this helmet all last winter and it worked great. I am still wearing it this winter, and it is working very, very well. It’s warm, doesn’t fog (even to –11F), and comfortable. I would recommend getting a package of the white breath filters. After about three to four weeks of use, it turns into a science experiment and smells. I tried washing it, but it really didn’t work. A pack of 12 was less than $10. I’m still very happy with the purchase.

UPDATE: October 28, 2011:
I still highly recommend this helmet. It is the warmest helmet I have used, and it doesn't fog. I've worn it down to -21F and still it did not fog. At -14F for an hour at 60MPH, it did develop some ice crystals on the outside of the visor. By that time my feet were frozen, so I had to stop and warm up.

UPDATE: October 2, 2014:
I still recommend this helmet. I have used it for five winters now. The coldest is now –23F. I don’t use the breath filters anymore. I have also replaced the breath guard snaps twice now. I carry a spare set in my pocket.

Written by Chrisluhman for Everyday Riding. All rights reserved.