Vemar VRX9 Helmet Review
While still a relatively unknown company in the United States helmet market, despite the best efforts of US importer Motonation, Vemar is showing that it is a serious threat to the helmet market with it’s top-of-the-line Vemar VRX9. The Italian manufacturer’s premium helmet is very impressive, proving to be lightweight, well ventilated, and convenient to clean.
The weight, or lack thereof, of the Vemar VRX9 is one of the first things you will notice when slipping it over your head. The helmet in size medium weighs 2.9Â pounds, which is an impressive feature considering most of its competitors are well over the three-pound mark. Despite the light weight, the VRX9 meets DOT and ECE 22.05 safety standards.
A lightweight helmet is especially important as the day wears on and the fatigue aspect comes into play. Many heavier helmets I’ve worn can leave my neck feeling sore at the end of an intense ride or moto. Such is not the case with the Vemar VRX9.
Most helmets don’t seem to offer as much ventilation as I would like. Racing in Southern California’s Inland Empire, where the weather is predominantly warm, a well-ventilated brain bucket is a must in order to stay cool, beat the heat, and not overheat from the scorching temperatures that Mother Nature occasionally has to offer.
The proprietary Vemar Klima ventilation system on the VRX9 is a feature that I was quite happy with. There are two chin vents, three intake vents on the upper shell, plus a huge intake above your brows. Six exhaust vents in the shell, augmented by another five in the liner mean that air is moving through the helmet, even at the relatively low speeds you find in motocross racing.
When it came to keeping cool, the VRX9 delivers. It was tested at numerous motocross tracks in Southern California with temperatures reaching 90+ degrees and excelled in keeping my cranium cool.
Lastly, the Vemar integrates lightweight and ventilation with convenience. Although you may sweat less in the VRX9, the Italians made it a point to make it easy to wash the helmet with removable and washable liners with check pads. What makes the liner unique is that it is made from a technical fiber that prevents the buildup of bacteria, fungus, and consequentially, odor. This allows your helmet liner to stay fresh and clean for a longer period of time and keep you focused on your riding, not the inevitable stench of your head.
The Vemar VRX9 is an all-around impressive helmet with its lightweight shell, superior ventilation, and convenience.
Action photography by Don Williams at Pala Raceway
