The count of Responsible bikers in India is increasing day by day, with people willing to shed thousands of rupees on riding gear. However, majority of us guys are from the middle class background and cannot afford premium certified products like HJC and AGV which have price tags north of INR 6000, which is certainly expensive for most of us.
Spartan ProGear partnered with MT helmets (Manufactoras Tomas SA) of Spain to launch MT's range of helmets in India. The Axxis had many firsts like a Dual DOT and ECE certification, Double D-ring straps and a race styled shell for a ludicrously low price of INR 4150. Yet Spartan decided to bring a more affordable offering and launched the "Kranos" range of helmets for the Indian market. Lets get started!
Built Quality:
The Kranos is made up of a poly-carbonate shell, the norm of entry level and mid-range helmets. The Built looks top notch, without any niggles hither and tither. The Padding, the paint job and the vent mechanisms are of good quality, at par with MT helmets (Though MT manufactures them for Spartan).
Score: 4.5/5
Looks:
One look at the Kranos and you might mistaken it for a MT helmet. They're similar in many ways, like the padding, the shape of the helmet and so on. The aerodynamic shell and the padding offers a race style fit, without compromising on the rider's comfort and safety.
Score- 4.5/5
Ventilation:
The Kranos has five air inlets- 2 situated on top of the helmet, two on the sides of the chin-bar and a Central Nasal inlet. The quality of the vent mechanism is good but I haven't seen any noticeable difference in ventilation per se. An hour of bumper to bumper traffic can make you feel like you're in a hot steam bath.
Score- 2.5/5
Comfort:
The Padding on the Kranos is comfortable, it's snug and doesn't have any hard points, as far as my face shape is concerned. Few have complained of pain on the ears and on the head but that might be because of the different head shapes and ears. However, they get a bit damp whenever you wear it for a long commute so make sure you let it dry out to prevent unpleasant odour and skin issues.
The D-Ring fasteners are the best in the business, though it's a bit fiddly until you get used to it. Though on this helmet, the D-Ring buckle is placed closer to the shell, making it press onto the lower left jaw, which can be painful for a while.
Score- 4/5
Wind Noise:
Wind noise is always a concern for highway riders, the whooshing noise is often a pain for thoroughbred riders as well as novice guys. The Kranos is slightly on the noisier side, which is partly due to the absence of the chin curtain, and also due to the two uncovered vents present on the chin bars. Wind noise becomes unbearable once you cross 65-70 km/h, which makes this helmet a pain to use on the highways.
Score: 2/5
Verdict:
At INR 3350, the Kranos can be yours at any authorized Spartan Dealer in your town. Though it has a few negatives, it is still one of the best value-for-money product available for guys on a tight budget or guys who buy gear from their savings.
Ps: Always ensure that the Helmet is snugly fit onto your head, and the D-Rings fastened tightly and buckled up to be safe in case of a crash.
By: Suraj
Spartan ProGear partnered with MT helmets (Manufactoras Tomas SA) of Spain to launch MT's range of helmets in India. The Axxis had many firsts like a Dual DOT and ECE certification, Double D-ring straps and a race styled shell for a ludicrously low price of INR 4150. Yet Spartan decided to bring a more affordable offering and launched the "Kranos" range of helmets for the Indian market. Lets get started!
Built Quality:The Kranos is made up of a poly-carbonate shell, the norm of entry level and mid-range helmets. The Built looks top notch, without any niggles hither and tither. The Padding, the paint job and the vent mechanisms are of good quality, at par with MT helmets (Though MT manufactures them for Spartan).
Score: 4.5/5
Looks:One look at the Kranos and you might mistaken it for a MT helmet. They're similar in many ways, like the padding, the shape of the helmet and so on. The aerodynamic shell and the padding offers a race style fit, without compromising on the rider's comfort and safety.
Score- 4.5/5
Ventilation:
The Kranos has five air inlets- 2 situated on top of the helmet, two on the sides of the chin-bar and a Central Nasal inlet. The quality of the vent mechanism is good but I haven't seen any noticeable difference in ventilation per se. An hour of bumper to bumper traffic can make you feel like you're in a hot steam bath.
Score- 2.5/5
Comfort: The Padding on the Kranos is comfortable, it's snug and doesn't have any hard points, as far as my face shape is concerned. Few have complained of pain on the ears and on the head but that might be because of the different head shapes and ears. However, they get a bit damp whenever you wear it for a long commute so make sure you let it dry out to prevent unpleasant odour and skin issues.
The D-Ring fasteners are the best in the business, though it's a bit fiddly until you get used to it. Though on this helmet, the D-Ring buckle is placed closer to the shell, making it press onto the lower left jaw, which can be painful for a while.
Score- 4/5
Wind Noise:Wind noise is always a concern for highway riders, the whooshing noise is often a pain for thoroughbred riders as well as novice guys. The Kranos is slightly on the noisier side, which is partly due to the absence of the chin curtain, and also due to the two uncovered vents present on the chin bars. Wind noise becomes unbearable once you cross 65-70 km/h, which makes this helmet a pain to use on the highways.
Score: 2/5
The Good:
- Dual certified (DOT and ECE)
- Sturdy and good build
- Comfortable padding
- D-Ring fasteners (Race-spec fasteners)
- Lightweight (1350-1450g)
The Bad:
- Absence of a chin curtain
- Wind noise post 70 km/h
- Non-availability of additional visors.
- Uncomfortable placement of the D-ring buckle
- Dual certified (DOT and ECE)
- Sturdy and good build
- Comfortable padding
- D-Ring fasteners (Race-spec fasteners)
- Lightweight (1350-1450g)
The Bad:
- Absence of a chin curtain
- Wind noise post 70 km/h
- Non-availability of additional visors.
- Uncomfortable placement of the D-ring buckle
Verdict:At INR 3350, the Kranos can be yours at any authorized Spartan Dealer in your town. Though it has a few negatives, it is still one of the best value-for-money product available for guys on a tight budget or guys who buy gear from their savings.
Ps: Always ensure that the Helmet is snugly fit onto your head, and the D-Rings fastened tightly and buckled up to be safe in case of a crash.
By: Suraj