The South African company Leatt was initially known for its neck braces, but over time it has developed into a leading manufacturer of protection and cycling apparel. In addition to the Leatt neck braces, there are now various protectors, protective jackets, gloves, clothing, and also helmets. We took a closer look at the super lightweight and extremely well-ventilated Leatt DBX 4.0 full-face helmet for a test.
General information about the Leatt Fullface Helmet DBX 4.0
The DBX 4.0 from Leatt has been on the market for a little over a year now and is aimed at all riders who want a lightweight yet extremely robust helmet on their head. Although the helmet is certified for downhill use, according to Leatt, it is perfectly suitable for all types of mountain biking - whether downhill, uphill, enduro, or e-bike.
The helmet is available in 5 different colors - black, blue, gray, red, and green. Inside the helmet, the removable, breathable, and washable Dri-Lex pads provide the necessary comfort during the ride. To prevent overheating while riding, Leatt has equipped its DBX 4.0 with a total of 22 ventilation openings, ensuring no heat buildup in the helmet even on hot days. For safety, Leatt has also come up with something and integrated the in-house 360° Turbine System, where small rubber nubs inside the helmet reduce rotational energy in the event of an impact. To further enhance the important factor of energy absorption, the helmet consists of an EPS/EPO impact foam located directly under the helmet's outer shell. The helmet's visor also has a special feature from Leatt, as it has a predetermined breaking point. Finally, Leatt ensured that the DBX 4.0 helmet harmonizes with a neck brace and there are no movement restrictions to fear. The helmet closure is equipped with a magnetic Fidlock system and can be easily opened and closed with one hand.
Leatt DBX Enduro & Downhill Helmet: Fit & Comfort
We rode the helmet in size L, which fit perfectly for a head circumference of 59 cm. The original cheek pads were a bit too tight, so we installed the narrower pads included in the package. Overall, the helmet sits very comfortably on the head, and even after several hours, there are no pressure points or anything similar. Leatt helmets used to be very tight at the head opening, but this no longer seems to be the case. The DBX 4.0 can be easily put on and taken off.
On the trail... does the full-face helmet work in practice?
The first test of the DBX-4.0 helmet took place on one of our home trails, where you have to roll downhill for a few hundred meters to get to the start. On this path, one thing became immediately clear to us – Leatt did not promise too much with its 22 ventilation holes. The cold air circulates around the entire head, ensuring without a doubt that you won't overheat even on strenuous rides in the summer. Combined with the low weight, it rather feels like having a half-shell helmet on your head, which is, of course, very pleasant.
Some full-face helmets have the problem that they are very closed in the chin area and fit tightly against the face, reducing the oxygen supply for breathing. Not so the Leatt DBX 4.0, as its large, widely cut-out chin area also ensures a large air supply here. For muddy conditions or trails where stones can fly around, Leatt has designed a suitable plastic grid that can be clipped into the opening. This way, you can decide for yourself how you want to ride the helmet.
Particularly pleasant is the magnetic Fidlock closure of the helmet, which can be effortlessly opened and closed with one hand.
Leatt has equipped the visor with a predetermined breaking point. This naturally contributes to safety but also ensures that it only stands in a preset position and cannot be adjusted. The position of the visor looks good visually, but with low sun or extreme conditions with rain and mud, we sometimes wished it was a bit lower.
The weight also made a positive impression. We very rarely took off the helmet on our enduro rounds or while pushing on the home trail. Due to the low weight, superb ventilation, and unrestricted oxygen supply, there is simply no reason to constantly put on and take off the DBX 4.0.
The field of vision of the helmet is enormously large and the Leatt goggle we used fits perfectly inside. But also various glasses from other manufacturers (tried O’Neal and 100%) could be worn without problems, without, for example, the glasses pressing on the nose.
Pro
● extremely light (size L / 970 grams, self-weighed)
● very well ventilated (22 ventilation openings)
● 360° Turbine System to reduce rotational forces (similar to MIPS)
● magnetic closure for one-handed operation
Contra
● non-adjustable visor
● the 22 ventilation openings increase the cleaning effort
Leatt Fullface Helmet DBX 4.0 – Conclusion
The Leatt DBX 4.0 impresses with a variety of features, is very comfortable, super safe thanks to the 360° Turbine System, and above all extremely well ventilated. The low weight contributes to the fact that you can wear it effortlessly even on enduro tours. With the magnetic closure, the helmet can be removed with one hand within seconds, and a large goggle fits easily into the large field of view. With all these positive features, you quickly forget that you cannot adjust the visor in height. Also, the price of 249 euros RRP is not excessive in this case. We can unreservedly recommend the helmet!
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