Cycling helmets are important because they are the basic safety feature we have while riding the bike. There are lots of options to choose from as well if the regular helmets you often see are not as attractive, such as the Lazer Blade Vs Z1. These helmets are not only comfortable but also very light and breezy which is why those who prefer to pedal for a long distance will love these helmets. If you are also interested, let’s see below about what they can offer here.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- Which Bike Helmet to Choose
- What are Lazer Blade and Z1
- How are the Design of Lazer Blade and Z1
- How are the Build Quality of Lazer Blade and Z1
- How are the Fitting of Lazer Blade and Z1
- Are Lazer Blade and Z1 Comfortable
- Lazer Blade Vs Z1
Bike Helmets
Just like how we must be secured with a seatbelt while driving or traveling with the car, cyclists also need a bike helmet for the safety purpose. Cycling may bear lower risk of incident or accident compared to the bigger and faster vehicles but it is still necessary to wear one. They are covering our head from the possible impact that may happen during the ride and while it won’t be able to let you go without a scratch, it is very helpful to reduce the severity of the impact.
In general, bike helmets are separated into road helmet and mountain bike helmet so we can choose based on the discipline or simply where you are pedaling the bike. For the road application, we also have a sub type known as aero helmets such as Bell Javelin Vs Giro Aerohead. As the name suggests, they are quite different from the typical road helmet because the focus here is creating aerodynamics which means reducing the resistance and usually, the design is often very streamlined.
Not all aero helmets look the same however so you will find a model that looks like a regular daily helmet but the shape and construction are tweaked further to improve the performance. The most common option for road application is the regular road helmet itself. They are very simple, mostly affordable, and comfortable. They may come in various styles however to make sure the cyclists can choose the styling that they like the most or matched best with the head shape and size.
On the other hand, we also have MTB helmets which cover the trail and downhill ride with a full face coverage. In general, because the routine bears a higher risk of accident due to the terrain, the helmet is more rigid and covers more of the head. They are often heavier for the added material and in addition, you can find a visor at the front. This visor is very useful to cover the eyes from sun rays or any small branch that may get in your way when pedaling.
The downhill bike helmets in addition have a full-face cover and the construction is similar to motorbike helmets. They cover the whole head up to the upper neck and the front area is added with a chin protector to cover the face from any possible impact. Usually the helmets are compatible with goggles to protect the eyes and in comparison, they can be quite expensive than typical road helmets.
| Lazer Blade | Lazer Z1 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 9.45 x 8.66 x 7.09 inches | 13.25 x 9.5 x 7 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 10.05 Ounces | 1.4 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Lazer Blade and Z1
Based on the riding discipline, our choice will vary so it is best to match it with what you will need and the easiest way is shopping based on the riding discipline itself so for example if you prefer to challenge the more extreme terrain then MTB or downhill helmet will be the ideal choice while those who want to pedal faster, racing, and strictly riding on the road, an aero or semi-aero helmets will be an interesting option for the application.
If you are here then we assume that this helmet is used on the road only but you also want an elevated comfort while pedaling faster makes it the perfect job for a regular road helmet or a semi-aero. They are great for recreation as well and if you are riding the bike daily for commuting to school, work place, or somewhere, it can be a daily helmet too. Lazer is one of the most prominent brands in the market and you will love to see that this Belgian brand is also still very affordable for their wide range of options.
For the road cyclist, Lazer Blade and Z1 are two incredible options to consider if you want the convenience of transforming them into a more aerodynamic helmet but don’t want to spend as much. They are often chosen by cyclists who prefer to ride lightweight and breezy because the focus of the helmets are making the long ride more bearable. In comparison, the Blade is like a little brother to the Z1 as it is made with the core of the latter.
Z1 is quite an expensive offering so it is understandable that many of us want to try saving some by going with the Blade and we also think it is a great alternative if you are not really aiming for a helmet that reigns at the top because both are more similar than different. As for the aero performance, we are not focusing on this part because it requires lab testing to make sure it is actually beneficial but if you want to, both Lazer Blade and Z1 are compatible with optional Aeroshell.
Lazer Blade and Z1 Design
Before checking what the helmets can offer, let’s see what they look like first. In a glance, they will look like the same helmet as the shapes are also identical. The prominent difference is the design or detailing on the helmets because as you can see, the vents and how they arrange the windows are not the same. It feels like the Z1 has the sharp edges, probably for increased aerodynamics but it looks cool as well and makes the helmet sportier on the appearance.
The Blade is chunkier in comparison but styling wise it is not a bad helmet at all, in fact we like how they look on most people by being compact and very slim on top of the head, making them look very natural to wear. As for the weight they are not heavy but if your goal is to find a very light helmet, we recommend considering other options like POC Octal as these two are already 275 grams and 260 grams on the smallest size or around 300 grams for the large size.
Lazer Blade and Z1 Build Quality
Now for the most important part, let’s see what the Lazer Blade and Z1 can offer starting from the construction first. We always pay attention to the helmet’s build quality because it often decides whether the price is worth or not and here, unfortunately they are not the best built road helmet out there. It is not about the safety performance but we do hope they decide to cover the whole outer side of the helmet with a polycarbonate shell.
It may not be as visible but when you flip the helmet, the outer rim is not covered with the hard shell so it may chip or dent as you travel with it or when the foam hits something, reducing the longevity of the helmets, especially for the Z1 because it is not a cheap helmet. The decision is probably meant to shave some weight but, for the basic safety feature both already coming with MIPS.
Lazer Blade and Z1 Fitting
Next we want to talk about the adjustability as well and surprisingly both Lazer Blade and Z1 are also very much the same with Lazer’s ARS or Advanced Rollsys System. This is a headband that will provide comfort to the full circumferential range of the head and is also easy to adjust with a unique dial mechanism that you can find at the top of the helmet. When tested, it seems the system is pretty comfortable across different head shapes and sizes by providing balance support without pressure points.
The only issue is that this system doesn’t extend enough to the back of the helmet and looking that the helmet construction is pretty short as well on the head, it is to be expected. This can be an issue for users with asymmetrical head shapes to find the best fit.
Lazer Blade and Z1 Comfort
Lastly we want to talk about the comfort of Lazer Blade and Z1 and while the vents look the same, they are slightly different. The two have respectively 31 and 22 of them which are pretty large considering they are placed all over the helmet. Both are very effective at cooling the head and we do think they don’t accumulate sweat as much either. But, the Z1 is extremely cooling, or among the most breezy helmets in the market compared to Blade.
Lazer Blade vs Z1
These helmets are good options for any cyclist who are pedaling on the road and want a comfortable helmet that can be converted into an aero helmet as well. In comparison, the styling is similar but the Z1 is more streamline and sporty than Blade yet, it is also slightly heavier. Both are using the same fitting system and come with an extensive amount of vents to improve comfort but the Z1 is very cool with more vents.
Conclusion
You can go amazing with any of the two based on which seems to fit you best but, we recommend getting the Blade because it is much cheaper and the difference between the two is not as prominent including the fitting and construction as well as the comfort.
