XNITO E-Bike Helmet Review and Test

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Manufacturer and Model: XNITO E-Bike Helmet
List Price: $129

Summary

The XNITO E-Bike helmet is a purpose designed E-Bike helmet that started life as a kickstarter project. It is NTA-8776 certified which means it has been tested up to 28mph. It was made to be a bit more stylish and different than the typical road bike helmet. It has built in lights and a removable brim to round out the package.

It does not have MIPS because XNITO felt that MIPS doesn’t add anything to the real world safety of bike helmets. There are a few other helmet makers that feel the same way such as Kask. I personally think this is a bit of a miss. I’ve taken a glancing blow to the head from a tree before while mountain biking while wearing a MIPS helmet and didn’t get hurt.

Features

Let’s talk about some of the features of the XNITO bike helmet. Let’s start off with the helmet construction.

1 – Construction

The helmet uses in-mold construction with a 2 piece shell. The bottom ring appears to be a separate molding to closeout and cover the bottom edge of the foam. EPS foam is used for an energy absorber. There are some soft foam pads on the inside to help with comfort.

There is a removable brim that velcros into the helmet in place of the front foam padding. This gives the helmet a little bit more stylish look. It also helps give your eyes a bit more shade.

There is a built in rechargeable light in the front and back of the helmet. It uses a standard USB C cord for charging which is included.

The helmet is available in 9 different color patterns that range from mild single color designs to some more fun muli-color themed helmets. The helmet doesn’t look like a bare bones road bike helmet. It has a little more shape and contour than your average scooter or skateboard helmet. I think the helmet looks good. My wife doesn’t care for it and think it looks weird.

2 – Safety Features

The helmet is NTA-8776 certified for e-bike use. This is a Dutch standard that was designed around the higher speeds that e-bikes can go. This means it was tested with an impactor at 28mph instead of the normal 20mph. NTA-8776 helmets also have more side and back of the head coverage.

XNITO and a few other bike helmet makers feel that MIPS doesn’t add anything to the safety of helmets while adding cost and making them more bulky. I prefer helmets with MIPS because of my past experience falling and hitting my head while biking. You can read this report from helmets.org and make your own opinion.

The helmet has built in lighting. This gives you a blinking red light in the rear and a white light in the front. These make it much easier for a car to see you at night. The lights have a single button for power and cycling through the different blinking patterns.

3 – Comfort

I have a size extra large XNITO. The sizing on the XNITO runs small. This helmet does not feel as roomy as my 2 size large Smith Optics helmets. There is enough padding inside to be comfortable for long bike rides. The chin strap has a bit of padding also. The size adjuster does a good job of fine tuning the fit.

4 – Ventilation

The helmet has 10 vents. This helmet is designed for e-bikes where you don’t work as hard. It doesn’t need as much venting. It allows more helmet structure for more protection. It allows the helmet to be warmer on cooler days if you commute by e-bike. I would not want to wear this helmet on a hot day doing heavy duty mountain bike trail riding. It wasn’t designed for that and that is okay.

5 – Weight

My size extra large XNITO weighs in at 12 ounces. This was several ounces lighter than I expected for the appearance of the helmet. It isn’t as full of vent holes as other helmets I have tested that weigh more. The polycarbonate shell and lack of MIPS help to save a few ounces.

Recommendation – Buy or No Buy?

I like the XNITO helmet for riding e-bikes. I do wish that it had MIPS which is my only real major complaint. It’s kind of fun looking with the fabric brim. The built in lighting help make it easier for cars to see you at night.

See our guide to the best EBike Helmets for other good options.

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