Forcite MK1S Smart Helmet Review
It’s been a couple of years since Forcite launched the MK1 Smart helmet. Forcite is a company that has designed a smart Bluetooth helmet, equipped with a built-in camera, microphone and speakers. It also has a peripheral LED display, all bundled inside an ECE 22*5, light-weight, carbon fiber shell. And now, they have just recently launched the Forcite MK1 S Smart Helmet.
In this article we’re going to look at what’s in the box, and the upgrades/improvements made over the MK1. If you’d like a more detailed explanation of the helmet like how it works with the App or the controller, check out my detailed unboxing video above
Forcite MK1S Smart Helmet Review
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What’s in the Box?
Forcite are all about that premium experience with attention to detail, even down to the unboxing. When you first open the box, you’re welcomed with a tray of goodies. These include;
- Your Certificate of Authenticity
- Operation guide
- USB-C Charging cable and a charging adapter
- The Bluetooth controller
- The Bluetooth controller mount kit
- The Forcite maintenance tool
- Instant Media Access Cable (For a limited time, Launch offer).
Underneath the tray you get the helmet itself with a helmet bag included.
Audio
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The MK 1S now comes with premium 14mm Harmon Cardon speakers, with a newly designed comfort fit cavity. Spacers are also included for a more personalized audio experience. I recommend you try them out and experiment with EQ settings on your phone or streaming service to get the ultimate sound performance.
They actually sent a couple of helmets to Harmon Cardon so that the engineers there could develop a custom profile specifically for the speaker cavity. Forcite had them focus on enhancing the bass response all the way to the mid-range.
Design
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The new visor design features an updated mechanism with a quick-release pull tab and locking switch. The MK 1S visor is Pinlock max vision 120 ready. This is the highest grade Pinlock available. Pinlock offer 20, 70, and 120, and Forcite went for the best of the best. The peripheral view is super wide.
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In addition, a few aesthetic changes to the shape of the helmet have been made. This has been done to help improve the aerodynamics capabilities. However, they are really minimal changes. The only major difference that we can tell form the MK 1 is that the air vents at the front have been turned around. They now face backwards.
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The tab that’s used to open the visor has also been moved from the center to the left a little bit.
The MK 1S standard interior liner features a new sweat absorbent Hex-Sports fabric.
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There’s also an option to upgrade to a premium padding that is much more comfy, luxurious and quiet. I feel like the upgrade is worth it. 3D formed foam around throughout the cheek pads and crown lineup offer a contoured fit.
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The new neck-roll design with an extendable chin cone creates a tighter seal around the neck. This significantly reduces noise while providing better isolation for improved audio performance.
The App
The app has also come a long way. The alerts are much smarter now. An algorithm takes into account the direction travelled, speed, and what type of road you’re on, to work out how relevant the alerts are to you.
Even more, the App now provides you with the ability to access your media directly from your helmet to your mobile device. It also allows you to trim and export clips up to 30 seconds in length. This is perfect for sharing your videos on social media without the use of a computer.
Auto record allows you to capture your ride without the need to use the App or the controller. Just turn your helmet on and recording begins immediately. The footage is saved when you turn the camera off.
Dash-cam mode continuously records until you reach your SD card’s storage capacity. It the deletes the oldest footage on a loop so you can set and forget while capturing everything all the time.
Camera
The camera also has a had a slight tweak with an improved color profile and an even wider field-of-view.
Forcite is a helmet brand with safety being their number one concern. They are not a camera or communications brand. However, I would absolutely love to see them step up their camera game; 4K, Image Stability, full manual control etc.
Conclusion
Forcite are a smart helmet brand, pushing the boundaries to help improve the outriding experience. They intend to deliver a premium experience to their customers, not only with quality but with great customer service as well.
Who is this helmet for?
This helmet is perfect for who want a dash cam without the fuss of having to mount a GoPro with a media mod, a mic or having to add a music player if you wanted to listen to music while riding.
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