Product Review: SixSixOne Recon Stealth Helmet

When it comes to mountain biking, here at Grinding Gears we are huge advocates of wearing a helmet. We know it may not be everybody’s cup of tea and we don’t ever plan on forcing anyone to wear one, we just think it makes the most sense. There are many helmet manufacturers out there and over the years we’ve had them from all over the place. The one brand we keep coming back to is 661 – they combine safety, good looks, comfortableness and affordability beautifully. The latest of their helmets that we got our hands on is the 661 Recon Stealth Helmet.

The SixSixOne Recon Stealth

If you’re racking up a load of xc and trail miles then you need a helmet that offers great ventilation without sacrificing safety. That’s exactly what this lid does – it’s extremely light and airy but it seems to be sturdy enough. Don’t get me wrong if you’re using this for downhill stuff or you barrel into a tree at 30mph it is going to split but at least it’ll be doing its job! In terms of comfort, the Recon Stealth is brilliant! It’s light and airy, with a great range of adjust-ability. Thanks to the handy little twist-and-tighten knob on the back you can secure your helmet while on the fly. The ventilation is great for long, sweaty XC rides without freezing your brain to death when you fly down the descents.

Beats More Expensive Helmets

Over the years we’ve used a range of different helmets, from Bell to Fox and even big names like POC and Urge. While you may get what appear to be more durable lids from the latter two, the price difference makes the 661 Recon Stealth surge into the lead – instead of looking at well over £100 to protect your melon, you can pick this up in the £50-£60 bracket. Have to say that the straps in particular are brilliant. Many other helmets we’ve tested have had issues where they would snag on your ears or would have annoying little metal bits that jammed into your jaw. The Recon is beautifully designed with straps that can be moved up and down to suit your head – ideal!

Overall

When you think about what you want from a helmet it’s usually three key things, such as: 1. Great protection for when you eventually crash 2. Good ventilation so you don’t over-heat 3. And something that doesn’t make you look like a plonker. The SixSixOne Recon Stealth offers all of this with a price tag that will leave you with change from £100 (which you can then spend on some awesome bike upgrades). There are two color options to let you match your kit or your bike. Unlike the other Recon options these are a bit more sleek, offering white or black instead of bright yellow or a mix match – giving you a bit of a ninja edge!