Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet review: deluxe head protection for cyclists

It’s easy to take your cycle helmet for granted, but it’s also a good idea to check just how old it is. Yep, even the best cycling helmet will come with a ‘best before’ date, which means yours might be up for renewal. Mine was actually well past its sell-by date, so the arrival of this, the Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet, proved to be timely.

Cycling helmets are recommended for all types of cyclists, but especially riders of the best road bikes as they tend to go fast and also e-bike cyclists who tend to navigate around in heavy traffic in urban areas. To improve visibility and, therefore, safety, make sure you use the best bike front lights and best bike rear lights. You can't be safe enough on the roads.

(First reviewed May 2023)

Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet review: price and availability

The Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet is available in two different variants. There’s the Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet, Wout van Aert Red Bull, which comes with a premium price tag of £249.99 ($315 approx. or around $475 AUD). Alongside, there’s the Lazer Strada  KinetiCore Helmet, Wout van Aert Red Bull at £89.99 ($113 approx. or $170 AUD), which is a bargain by comparison. Both are available to buy now from bike specialists Freewheel.

Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet review: design and build quality

This isn’t just another cycle helmet because if you’re into cycling, you’ll know all about cycling professional Wout Van Aert, and you’ll probably have heard of Lazer, the world’s oldest helmet company. The Vento KinetiCore represents a meeting of minds between the two, topped off with Red Bull branding.

As outlined above, the pricing is premium, particularly for the Vento edition you see here. It comes in a very posh and thankfully recyclable cardboard box, along with a soft carry/storage bag and leaflet. Limited to just 1994 examples, mine turned out to be number 122. The design is, as you’d expect, very slick to look at, especially thanks to the metallic blue exterior with the Red Bull logo, while at 290 grams, the helmet is light too.

Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet review: performance

There’s not much you can tell Lazer about cycle helmet design, and the Vento is no different. It’s easily adapted to suit your head, with a Scrollysys adjustment system that can be tweaked via a finger pad on the back of the helmet. This can be fiddly with gloves on, however. Fastening the helmet is done using adjustable straps, and is secured in the same fashion. Mine is a Medium suited to 55-59cm heads. Out on the road, the Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet doesn’t disappoint either.

The inner materials feel like they’re of good quality, too, so the helmet is comfortable even if you’re wearing it for longer rides. You also get KinetiCore spongy-style pads inside the lining for added bonce comfort. The Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet comes with a 5-star impact protection rating from Virginia Tech, while the other bonus is that if you’re in an accident, Lazer will replace your helmet. So be sure to keep that proof of purchase.

Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet review: verdict

There's lots of marketing fluff around expensive cycle helmets online, particularly this one, thanks to Red Bull's involvement, that might make you think they are all style and no substance. After all, impact protection, ventilation and a lightweight design are expected from any decent cycle helmet these days!

However, at least some of the claims are substantiated in this case. Sure, we love how Lazer has designed this lid, and it's finished beautifully with the Red Bull sponsorship styling. But we also like the Scrollysys adjustment system that can be tweaked via a finger pad on the back of the helmet and the KinetiCore spongy-style pads inside the lining for added bonce comfort.

The Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet is a fast helmet with performance much like other models in the range. It's on par price-wise with other premium helmets, too, though the limited edition edge of the Wout van Aert Red Bull branding will probably make it more sought after.

Also consider

You’ll find any number of cycling helmets that do much the same job as the Lazer Vento KinetiCore Helmet, but for a lot less money. Our guide to the best cycle helmets showcases some of the coolest, with prices to suit all pockets.

Take a look at the Kask brand, which has numerous top-quality models that I’ve tried out, like the Protone Icon, the fast KASK Utopia and the Mojito, which are all worthy of investigation. I’m also keen on POC helmets, which offer quirky styling along with great build quality and all the right safety credentials. Try the Octal or the more casual styling of the POC Myelin if you’re not in any hurry.