It’s here. It’s finally here. The wait is over, as Aussie helmet legends Cookie have at last revealed their hotly anticipated new full-face helmet – the G4.
With more than four years in development and having been designed from the ground up, this latest Cookie is being billed as quiet, slick and protective, with the last perhaps being of most interest to us all. Yup, just like their recent M3 open face, the absolutely gorgeous G4 has an actual, genuine safety rating and a CE mark emblazoned on the back.
What kind of safety, I hear you ask? Well, it exceeds the requirements of the newly released Skydiving and Wind Tunnel Helmet Standard XP S 72-600. To achieve this certification, the G4 was tested against a range of engineering criteria such as impact protection, snag resistance and a whole heap of other stuff. Not only that, but the visor was also tested for optical clarity and impact performance.
Other than looking totally badass and having a safety rating, what sets the G4 apart from the G3? The G4 comes down lower at the back, offering you better head protection. The new visor mechanism uses stainless steel springs which will last the lifetime of your helmet and, with the new seals at the top and bottom, the visor stays in place and stops the wind getting in.
The new liner system is easily replaced and, with thicker cheek padding, it seals the jawline better and means less air gets in, which in turn makes it a much quieter place to be. That all-new liner, with larger audible pockets, sits atop the multi-impact-rated foam called EPP, which is also found in many of the top-end snowboard helmets on the market.
A new ventilation control allows you to decide how much vent air is circulated in the G4, and the snag-resistant outer shell features a buckle that can be released with one hand under a 50kg load.
The G4 has three exterior shell sizes, fitting head sizes between 53-62cm. Using an ABS Exterior shell and EPP Impact Liner, the Aussies have achieved an average weight of just 900-950 grams – only about 80 grams more than the G3. One visor fits all of the helmet sizes and you have a choice of clear, tinted and mirrored. Available in the same 13 colours as the G3, there are also nine colour choices for the aluminium side plates.
Want one? They should be available this summer with an RRP of $439 USD.
By James ‘Macca’ Macdonald – facebook.com/SkydiveMacca
