It all started with the Trip helmet that Caberg put out. It became wildly popular because of its unique shape and progressive design. It had excellent defogging abilities. But it lacked behind in some areas. Improper ventilation, an ineffective inner sun visor, and water leaks lowered the overall quality of an otherwise great-looking flip up ‘Rhyno’ helmet.
Caberg listened, and out came the (Ana)Konda. It adopted the excellent Trip design for overall shape, but made subtle changes in the visible features like the chin vents and accent lines. The chin vents now actually had a purpose of letting the air in for ventilation other than just defogging. Additional minor improvements did make it a worthy upgrade. But again, something was off. This lid was loud – louder than Trip.
Enter Duke. Caberg completely redesigned the shell and upgraded the ventilation a little bit while keeping some design and visual features as a nod to its predecessors. Did it work? Let’s find out.
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What Would You Love
Among the upgrades, Caberg also made the helmet compatible with its Just Speak S communication system. This is always a good thing, in keeping with the times.
The appearance of this helmet is incredible. The top vents and drop down visor slider are no longer in a single line. Instead, they are separate pieces with their own, unique shapes.
The chin vents also feature an improved placement that propels the aesthetic look towards modernization.
Top Features To Look Out For
We can all agree with the obvious aesthetic enhancements. What about functionality?
Shell
Caberg still uses a polycarbonate shell which has proven its strength from the day initial tests were carried out. Caberg Duke comes in a single shell size to give out five effective EPS sizes ranging from 53 cm to 62 cm.
Intermediate oval fit should be fine for most people, although some of you might feel your jaw hugging the inner lining of the chin guard if you bought one size too small.
The overall appearance has been upped to make the helmet look more futuristic than its predecessors. They had some of the retro styling present, reminiscent of a forgotten era.
The ridge lines speak more of that aerodynamic language now, rather than just serving as decorators to break the monotony of the silhouette.
The ‘working’ elements have a distinct ‘hard’ feel to them. Things actually lock into their respective places now.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
Visors
One of the most significant changes that come with this helmet over its older versions is the compatibility to PinLock anti-scratch, anti-fog lens. A PinLock lens included in the box is the icing on your cake.
The face shield has an extra wide field of view. The clarity of both the face shield and the drop-down sun visors is commendable.
The visor release mechanism has been reworked a little bit. Caberg has made it easier to remove the face shield in this version. The process can not be said to be exactly tool-free, but more like stress free.
The flip face helmet is now dual homologated, with a locking system and switch just behind the visor mount on the left.
The face shield does not quite fit as tightly as you would think at the top, leaving a gap between the shell and the helmet. Normally this would be a problem because the hot cup of coffee that the waiter just spilled on your lid is going to leak in and cause havoc. But when you are travelling at double or triple digit velocities, any rain drops or liquid is swept off due to the force.
Ventilation
Caberg’s experimentation with the ventilation system has yielded some results. But it’s not quite there yet. There are five chin vents (or three chin and two jaw-line vents at the front) and a cool looking top vent that should be pulling in air to keep the ambient temperature inside comfortable.
What works is the chin vent complimenting the PinLock anti-fogging system. What doesn’t work, however, is the airflow. The vents get that air in just fine. But, there are no exhausts at the back.
Secondly, Caberg did get those air channels molded in the EPS, but the fitting of the comfort liner and the connection from the top vent do not work as efficiently as one would expect. The result is a slightly warmer helmet.
Padding and Lining
Looking at the inside, the fabric looks and feels smooth like a microfiber cloth. It is soft enough to be gentle on your skin and has been given the anti-bacterial treatment by Caberg. Cheek pads and comfort liner are super easy to remove and can be washed easily with cold water.
Customer Reviews
A lot of owners liked the fact that the Duke was wind-tunnel tested and offered a quieter experience than some of the competition. Obviously. it can’t be compared with the noise suppression of a full-face helmet. But it is nice to see Caberg paying attention to little things that matter.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
Bottom Line
The Duke is a nice helmet that does not bite more than it needs into your wallet. It is an awesome design with excellent build quality, barring a few important flaws. Hopefully, they will be fixed. But if you absolutely need an open face helmet that does not break your bank, this is a fine product to get your hands on.