Bike helmets are always important for those who are riding not to just get to other places but to have some fun. It is highly necessary to make sure our head and brain will have a lower risk of getting in serious injury and for those who love extreme terrain, we have to wear suitable models like Bell Full 9 Vs TLD D3. These popular helmets are pretty much similar to each other so before shopping, go check what they can offer and pick the best option below.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- What to Look in a Bike Helmet
- What are Bell Full 9 and TLD D3
- What Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 Look Like
- Are Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 Durable
- Are Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 Comfortable
- What Extras Come With Bell Full 9 and TLD D3
- Bell Full 9 Vs TLD D3
Bike Helmet for Extreme Terrain
Riding on open terrain is dangerous, all of us understand the risk of falling off from the bike due to the extreme terrain and unsuitable condition to ride peacefully but, this is actually the reason why we enjoy the activity so much. It pumps your adrenaline and it gives a sense of achievement after we finish a track which makes the ride kind of addicting at times. However, no matter how fun the activity is, safety always comes first for injury is not what we look for here.
The basic safety gear all off-road enthusiasts must have is the helmet itself and just like how racer will prefer to have light and breezy or even aerodynamic helmet, we who rid off the road will prefer something more protective due to the nature of this discipline and its high risk of accidents.
- Bike Helmet Safety
Bike helmets mostly have the same level of safety depending on the model and who they are made for. For example MBR helmets are still being made from expanded polystyrene or EPS foam and this layer is used in mean to absorb impact. They will show dent after an impact which makes it not safe anymore to use and this is why we have to replace them after prominent impact. Different from road helmets, you will find more rear cover on trail models to protect the occipital area.
- Bike Helmet Ventilation
Because polystyrene is prone to dent and overall not very sturdy, bike helmets cover this foam with a hardened material and in most cases they are polyester or carbon. A rugged micro shell will provide a good level of protection before an impact reaches the foam but we don’t always make them solid because riding a bike causes sweating and a hot helmet is not a good helmet thus, we have vents. More vents can be means cooler but the placement plays an important role as well.
- Bike Helmet Feature
All bike helmets will have some features in it and you can choose from a wide variety of choices. For the basic feature, what we look the most is MIPS which is adding the safety feature and mostly present on mid-range models. For MBR helmets there is a visor and depending on the model, they can be fixed, removable, or even adjustable to a few different positions. The difference between road and MBR visor is that the latter will be bigger to protect the eyes from sun rays.
Another feature we love in MBR helmets is how they will perform with goggles since we prefer to wear them and many models usually will support the application such as with proper rear design to keep the goggles up or in place when not being used.
| Bell Full 9 | TLD D3 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 15 x 11 x 13 inches | 16 x 12 x 12 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 2.49 pounds | 3.8 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Bell Full 9 and TLD D3
Now when you already have an image on how the bike helmet should be, it is the time to start checking what the market has to offer because even though we already have an ideal image, the fact that there are so many choices sometimes can be difficult to actually pinpoint our option. However, if you don’t have much time to spare, we do recommend staying with one or two of your favorite brands because they mostly carry various models including for off-road application.
If you have been riding for quite some time, we are sure you will be familiar with Bell and TLD as well because these companies are two of the most well-known when it is about sporting helmets including for cyclists. They do have lots of variants to choose from, whether you are riding occasionally or more frequently and this includes those who are into off-road riding as well whether you prefer to climb and do trail or more of an extreme DH rider.
Bell do have lots of well-known models like Bell Super DH Vs 3R but they also have more to offer and those riding at high speed will want to consider getting Bell Full 9 and TLD D3. Both of them are a full-face helmet and more ideal if you will be riding on an extreme terrain rather than just for trail application but for those riding on both interchangeably, we can save a budget and just getting the safest option like these two.
This type of enduro helmets are all about protection and for more serious riders only who will not worry about how the air will get in their helmet while riding. The reason why Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 are very popular is not only because of how solid and reliable they are along the different rides but also because of their friendly price range, making it hard to resist not paying attention to them.
Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 Design
As you can see in the sample picture above, these helmets are coming with a solid shell and even from the exterior you can already guess how heavy these helmets will be. Side by side they are about the same size and equally bulky with a rather oval shape so when you weigh them, we are not surprised they are between 1128.3 grams compared to 1100 grams respectively. This is common in solid enduro helmets and actually pretty decent to not cause any issue.
They have a huge visor with rotational lock on each side to adjust the height and when it is about style, if you don’t like a solid enduro helmet, you will love how Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 appear sporty on your head. To ease your breath while down riding, their chin bars are vented with some windows but it is not completely open and actually covered with a grill. While there are no huge vents all over the shell, there are some on the rear acting as an exhaust port.
Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 Construction and Durability
The most important point about an off-road helmet or any helmet is their durability because it relates to the protective level and as an enduro model, these two are not made from polyester but from carbon. The inner side however is still made from polystyrene or EPS foam but they are improved in density to absorb higher impact and what’s special about D3 is TLD also laced the foam with strips of very dense closed-cell foam in an attempt to absorb small impact.
As for Full 9, Bell featured this model with their Integrated Eject System which is allowing safer removal of the helmet in case there is an accident due to the recess in the EPS that let the cheek pad to quickly slide out the helmet. This feature is also present in TLD with its Velcro backed cheek pad to let you easily put and pull it out as needed.
The issues here are D3 somehow show a sign of delamination around on the rim of the chin guard only a few weeks of application while the Full 9 lack of middle visor screw makes the lid not able to stay in place when you ride.
Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 Comfort
As for the comfort level, we have no issue wearing Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 for prolonged time but in comparison the Bell helmet is indeed more pleasant to use probably because it has better vents arrangement or design with the help of soft liner inside. It works well with moisture and absorbing pretty good without odor issues. We did mention that these helmets are more of an oval than round but the latter said otherwise and after testing this model seems rounder in comparison.
In our opinion this is why the helmet doesn’t feel as comfortable as Full 9 despite having all the features to promote supreme comfort such as removable and washable liner which is also featured with Coolmax and Dri-Lex moisture-wicking material to prevent any built-up odor.
Bell Full 9 and TLD D3 Accessories
The last point we want to talk about is the additional values when getting these helmets and starting with Full 9, you will get camera mount, flying bridge visor, standard bag, and breakaway screws. On the other hand TLD will give you some color-matched visor and zippered bag. Of all them our favorite is their visor addition since this part usually doesn’t last very long that even minor crashes may crack the plastic so we appreciate how their companies put some extras on the package.
Bell Full 9 vs TLD D3
Both of them are an amazing option if you are an enduro rider and rather than MBR, we will be racing on a more extreme terrain or faster on trail. They are equally protective and among the top in durability so what set them apart from each other the most in our opinion is how the helmet is shaped which makes some rider find D3 less comforting for a prolonged ride compared to how Full 9 feels nice for most people.
Conclusion
All in all it is best to follow your own preference since there is no bad option between these helmets but if we have to choose, we do recommend getting Bell Full 9 because it has a higher chance to instantly feel comfortable on the head.
