The Lid Test

The Best Adventure Motorcycle Helmets

Dual-sport and ADV helmets with peaks and goggle compatibility — compared on weight, certification and how they behave at highway speed, from carbon flagships to value picks.

By Stephen V.Last verified How we compare

An adventure helmet is the do-everything lid: a full-face shell with a peak (the sun-shading bill up top) and goggle compatibility, built for riders who mix pavement and dirt. The peak blocks sun and roost off-road, but it also catches wind at highway speed—so the real engineering challenge in this category is a peak that stays composed at 75 mph, and it’s where the good helmets separate from the merely rugged-looking.

We ranked these on weight (an ADV helmet with a peak is heavier than a plain full-face, so grams matter more here), certification, how versatile the configuration is (shield, peak, goggles), and a live price. The carbon Klim Krios Pro wins on weight and versatility, but there’s an honest spread below it—a Snell-rated Arai for pavement-leaning riders, a value modular-ADV from Scorpion, and a genuine entry point from Bell. Match the helmet to how much dirt you actually ride.

How this is funded:we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which helmet we recommend, and we’ll tell you plainly when a cheaper or lighter one is the better buy. Full disclosure.

Quick picks

Ranked on our spec score — certification, weight, features and value. Select a row to jump to the full write-up. We have not tested these helmets; here is exactly how we compare them instead.

#HelmetBest forOur scorePrice
1
Klim Krios Pro

Klim Krios Pro

The benchmark ADV lid for a reason: a full carbon shell at a published 1,450 g in Large makes it one of the lightest adventure helmets made, and it reconfigures for street, adventure, dual-sport or dirt without buying a second helmet.

Best overall9.1
$599.74 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 20, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

2
Arai XD-5

Arai XD-5

Arai's take on ADV keeps the round, smooth shell and adds a convertible peak that lets you run shield, shield-plus-peak or goggles. DOT plus Snell M2025 in a fiberglass Super Fiber shell — the touring-heavy ADV pick.

Best Snell-rated8.9
$899.00 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 20, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

3
Shoei Hornet X2

Shoei Hornet X2

Shoei's dual-sport standard: an AIM+ composite shell carrying DOT and Snell M2025D, with a wind-tunnel-tested V-460 peak that stays composed at highway speed better than most ADV lids. The road-biased do-it-all.

Best road-biased8.7
$699.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 20, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

4
Scorpion EXO-AT960

Scorpion EXO-AT960

The Swiss-army ADV lid on a budget: it's modular AND adventure — flip-up chin bar, drop-down sun visor, removable peak — so it works as a touring modular or a dirt-road adventure helmet. DOT and ECE 22.06 for around $300.

Best value modular-ADV8.0
$329.95 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 20, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

5
Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS

Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS

The entry point to adventure riding done right: DOT, ECE 22.06 and MIPS in a polycarbonate shell for around $250. It's goggle-compatible with the shield off, so it crosses over to real dirt use better than its price suggests.

Best entry price7.8

The picks in full

#1Best overallOur score9.1

Klim Krios Pro

The benchmark ADV lid for a reason: a full carbon shell at a published 1,450 g in Large makes it one of the lightest adventure helmets made, and it reconfigures for street, adventure, dual-sport or dirt without buying a second helmet.

Strengths

  • Full carbon shell — 1,450 g in Large is remarkably light for an ADV helmet with a peak
  • DOT and ECE 22.06, plus Koroyd energy-absorbing structure
  • Four ride modes (street, ADV, dual-sport, dirt) and a photochromic shield included

Trade-offs

  • Premium price — you're paying for carbon and versatility
  • No internal sun visor (the photochromic shield does that job instead)
CertificationsDOT, ECE 22.06
Weight1450 g
ShellFull carbon fiber (hand-laid)
Head shapeIntermediate oval
SizesXS-3XL
Internal sun visorNo
Pinlock-readyNo

Notable. Koroyd construction; four ride modes; photochromic shield; goggle-compatible

Specs read from the manufacturer / retailer listing, on July 19, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#2Best Snell-ratedOur score8.9

Arai XD-5

Arai's take on ADV keeps the round, smooth shell and adds a convertible peak that lets you run shield, shield-plus-peak or goggles. DOT plus Snell M2025 in a fiberglass Super Fiber shell — the touring-heavy ADV pick.

Strengths

  • Carries DOT and Snell M2025 — the stricter Snell protocol, uncommon on ADV lids
  • VAS-A tool-less Max Vision shield with Pinlock included
  • Convertible peak/shield/goggle setup for mixed street-and-trail use

Trade-offs

  • No internal sun visor; premium Arai pricing
  • Peak generates more wind buffeting at highway speed than a pure street helmet
CertificationsDOT, Snell M2025
Weight1683 g
ShellSuper Fiber PB-cLc (vacuum-formed fiberglass composite)
Head shapeIntermediate oval
SizesXS-2XL
Internal sun visorNo
Pinlock-readyYes

Notable. VAS-A tool-less shield (Pinlock incl.); convertible peak/shield/goggle

Specs read from the manufacturer / retailer listing, on July 19, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#3Best road-biasedOur score8.7

Shoei Hornet X2

Shoei's dual-sport standard: an AIM+ composite shell carrying DOT and Snell M2025D, with a wind-tunnel-tested V-460 peak that stays composed at highway speed better than most ADV lids. The road-biased do-it-all.

Strengths

  • DOT and Snell M2025D in a hand-laid AIM+ composite shell
  • V-460 peak is wind-tunnel-tuned to cut the buffeting ADV helmets are prone to
  • CNS-2 shield ships Pinlock-ready; four shell sizes keep the fit true

Trade-offs

  • No internal sun visor; premium Shoei money
  • Less dirt-focused than a lightweight carbon ADV lid
CertificationsDOT, Snell M2025D
Weight1810 g
ShellAIM+ multi-ply matrix (fiberglass and organic fibers)
Head shapeIntermediate oval
SizesXS-2XL
Internal sun visorNo
Pinlock-readyYes

Notable. Wind-tunnel V-460 peak; CNS-2 Pinlock shield; four shell sizes

Specs read from the manufacturer / retailer listing, on July 19, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#4Best value modular-ADVOur score8.0

Scorpion EXO-AT960

The Swiss-army ADV lid on a budget: it's modular AND adventure — flip-up chin bar, drop-down sun visor, removable peak — so it works as a touring modular or a dirt-road adventure helmet. DOT and ECE 22.06 for around $300.

Strengths

  • Modular flip-up chin bar plus a removable ADV peak — two helmets in one
  • Drop-down SpeedView sun visor and an EverClear fog-free shield
  • DOT and ECE 22.06 at a budget price

Trade-offs

  • Polycarbonate shell is heavy (~1,858 g in M) — the heaviest lid here
  • Jack-of-all-trades design isn't as focused as a dedicated street or dirt helmet
CertificationsDOT, ECE 22.06
Weight1858 g
ShellAdvanced LG polycarbonate
Head shapeIntermediate oval
SizesXS-3XL
Internal sun visorYes
Pinlock-readyNo

Notable. Modular flip-up chin bar; SpeedView sun visor; removable ADV peak

Specs read from the manufacturer / retailer listing, on July 19, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#5Best entry priceOur score7.8

Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS

The entry point to adventure riding done right: DOT, ECE 22.06 and MIPS in a polycarbonate shell for around $250. It's goggle-compatible with the shield off, so it crosses over to real dirt use better than its price suggests.

Strengths

  • MIPS rotational protection plus DOT and ECE 22.06 at an entry price
  • Velocity Flow ventilation and a NutraFog II anti-fog shield
  • Goggle-compatible with the shield removed for genuine off-road use

Trade-offs

  • Polycarbonate shell; no internal sun visor
  • Peak buffeting at highway speed is noticeable, as with most ADV lids
CertificationsDOT, ECE 22.06
Weight1696 g
ShellLightweight polycarbonate
Head shapeIntermediate oval
SizesXS-3XL
Internal sun visorNo
Pinlock-readyNo

Notable. MIPS; Velocity Flow ventilation; goggle-compatible shield-off

Specs read from the manufacturer / retailer listing, on July 19, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

How to choose an adventure helmet

Be honest about your road-to-dirt split.If you’re 90% pavement, a road-biased ADV helmet like the Shoei Hornet X2 with a wind-tunnel-tuned peak will be far more pleasant at highway speed than a dirt-focused lid. If you genuinely ride trails, prioritize goggle compatibility and ventilation, and accept more buffeting.

Weight is the comfort spec.A carbon shell like the Krios Pro’s (a published 1,450 g in Large) is dramatically easier on your neck than a polycarbonate ADV helmet that can push past 1,850 g. On a long adventure day with a peak adding leverage, that difference is real fatigue.

Look for a convertible design if you want flexibility.The best ADV helmets reconfigure without buying a second helmet—the Krios Pro runs in four modes (street, adventure, dual-sport, dirt), the Arai XD-5 swaps between shield, shield-plus-peak and goggles, and the Scorpion EXO-AT960 even flips up like a modular. One helmet that covers your whole riding range is the point of the category.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use an adventure helmet for street riding?

Yes — an ADV helmet is a full-face at heart and is perfectly street-legal and protective. The only downside on pure road use is the peak, which catches wind and creates some buffeting at highway speed. Road-biased models like the Shoei Hornet X2 have wind-tunnel-tuned peaks that minimize this, and most ADV helmets let you remove the peak entirely for highway trips.

Do adventure helmets work with goggles or a face shield?

Most do both. That's a defining feature of the category: you can run the built-in face shield for road riding, or remove it and wear goggles for dust and roost off-road. The Arai XD-5, for example, converts between shield, shield-plus-peak, and goggle configurations without tools.

Why are adventure helmets so much more expensive at the top end?

The flagship money buys a carbon shell that keeps a peak-equipped helmet light — the Klim Krios Pro is a full carbon lid at around 1,450 g. Carbon construction is expensive, and the versatility (multiple ride modes, photochromic shields) adds cost. If you ride mostly pavement, the value picks in this list get you a certified ADV helmet for a third of the price.

Is the peak on an adventure helmet removable?

On most models, yes. Removing the peak turns the helmet into a more aerodynamic road setup for highway stretches, then you re-fit it for sun and off-road use. Whether the peak stays composed with it on at speed is one of the key things that separates a good ADV helmet from a poor one.

Sources

  • NHTSA — Motorcycle Safety — The US regulator behind the DOT FMVSS 218 helmet standard (accessed July 19, 2026)
  • UNECE — Vehicle Regulations — The UN body behind ECE Regulation 22.06, the European helmet standard (accessed July 19, 2026)
  • Snell Memorial Foundation — The independent nonprofit that writes and certifies the Snell helmet standards (M2025, etc.) (accessed July 19, 2026)
  • Arai Helmet Americas — Arai's official US site — model lineup and the round-shell design philosophy (accessed July 19, 2026)

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