I needed a helmet for trail riding as a full-faced lid can be a little claustrophobic when out on the green lanes. The Airoh S4 is a reasonable priced, lightweight thermoplastic helmet with a peak and is in the adventure style with a removable visor.

As this was my first off-road styled helmet, I was quite surprised at how much more noise managed to get through. This is down to the larger chin bar area which gives a larger opening. On my first ride wearing the S4, I felt that cars were about to hit me from behind, such was the amplified sound. Once you get used to this, you can actually start to feel how the helmet fits and works.

Sizing is pretty standard: I bought a medium which seemed to be a similar size to a medium from Arai and Shoei. The lining, including cheek pads, is all removable for ease of cleaning, however, I’m not sure if they have the facility to replace the padding with alternate sizes like some of the top manufacturers do. Comfort was pretty good with the S4 feeling quite secure except for when I first looked over my shoulder and the wind caught the peak: I wasn’t ready for that!

I bought the matt black Airoh which, in hind sight, was probably the wrong choice as matt paint jobs are not the easiest to clean: something I came to realise as you can get quite dirty when out on the trails! The white mesh on the inside managed to attract so much dust that I had to clean the inside as often as the shell.

 

Ventilation is pretty good although some of the covers and fittings do seem to be pretty delicate. The visor always remained clear due to the amount of air flow but it can get a bit chilly in there as the night draws in. I ordered the dark tinted visor from a 3rd party supplier but it took so long to arrive that I never manage to fit it before I sold the helmet.

I would class the Airoh S4 as a good entry-level dual sport helmet with a relatively good standard of finish let down slightly by cheap fixings. Ultimately, you get what you pay for. I would only use this helmet for trail riding and short runs into town or work: for longer journeys, I would prefer something that felt a bit more substantial and that is the reason why I kept a full-faced helmet during my ownership.