Post date: Jun 23, 2020 2:39:31 PM
OTW stands for over the wall. This phrase originated as a NASCAR helmet used by the pit crews when they are down in the pit lane.
They want to make sure that they are safe when running around, and they don't bump their heads on something sharp heavy or dangerous.
What you're going to see from Simpson is a motorcycle brand that has been around since 1979, making moto helmets.
They have a soft spot in my heart, my dad bought one of the first Simpson helmets that came out in the market, and he used it for a trip to Mexico back in 1981.
Now they have been around for a while. There's an excellent pedigree with this, and as far as short helmets go, there's a lot of unique features baked into this for you riders out there that don't want a full-face helmet.
You're looking at a composite shell; it's going to be lightweight in its design, DOT rated and again that DOT rating comes from the NASCAR world.
It has to be DOT rated for it to be able to be used in NASCAR, which allows Simpson to integrate this helmet straight to the motorcycle market.
When we threw the medium on the scale, it came in just around 2 pounds 3 ounces, and you're going to see maximum venting working its way through here, which helps to cut down the lift.
As far as sizing is concerned, it will be an intermediate oval size to this, so it's going to work for the majority of you folks out there in the American market.
A little longer front to back, a little bit narrow on the sides, gives you a nice secure feel when you put this down on your head.
If you're going back and forth, maybe you want to consider something from Simpson, you want to bump up the full-face protection. The ghost bandit in Simpsons lineup is probably my favorite full-faced helmet from them right now.
It fits the best, it's the most comfortable, and there are the most features associated with it. So if you want to check out the ghost bandit, consider going up to a full-face design.
But for those of you out there that are looking for a half helmet. The shorty gives you the OTW, It is again just a lot more creature comforts and features than the traditional just skull cap beanie, but you still retain the same look.
So let's break some of this down right now. Again there are two shell sizes, and there are three EPS liners with this.
And one of the things that Simpson does is they incorporate what they call a cone technology. They take those two EPs liners and mold them together, so you don't have a hard stopping point.
You've got the blended together, which gives you better shock absorption. Now one of the things that set it apart is the venting scheme on this, and you're looking at half shell helmets; you don't have any venting.
With this particular helmet, you're going to have to direct vents right at the front, and again that's going to be right above this nice little Peak visor.
As we tilt this up, you're going to see on the top of this you're going to have dual scalloped vents on either side.
So two intake vents at the front, you're going to have these four scalloped vents up top and if we take this and we spin it around you're going to see as we take a look at the back of this you are going to have to exhaust fence right at the back of the helmet as well.
It works by pushing air flow through, but it also works to make sure there's no lift.
A lot of those half helmets with no vents on them tend to pull up on you because of the massive amounts of venting in the shorty OTW; it cuts down the overall lift to your head.
Now let's take a look at the inside of this, and as we roll this over, the first thing you notice is kind of different from other half helmets in the market are the straps.
The first thing that sets themself apart is going to be the padding, that's going to come down the front of the Y strap with this, and it's going to be comfortable against your head.
The other thing you notice is not a traditional Y strap, but we take a look at this from a side view you'll see on most half helmets there's a broad strap that articulates right from around these two points and it comes down.
And because it's going to sit both of those Y's come right around your ear, it tends to kind of roll forward on you.
What they do with this, and again it comes straight from that NASCAR technology. It has the back strap on this works all the way around to the back of the helmet.
There's going to be a nice adjustable clip-on with this so you can clip it into place.
You can set it and forget it, but it's going to be because this originates from the back. It has a tendency not to roll forward on your head, give you a nice adjustable, secure feel when you have this latch down—again coming from the world of NASCAR.
The other thing you're going to see coming from the world of NASCAR is the actual interior in this. It is going to be a Nomex lining venting that will directly vent through the liner on this. It is a non-removable liner, so keep that in mind. If you're going to wash this, you wash it right inside the actual helmet itself.
When we're talking about colors on this, you're going to see I have the glossy black version in front of me.
There is also a white version, and for around that hundred dollar price point, there's a lot of features baked into what is traditionally a very simple helmet.
There are a lot of riders out there that are very excited about what Simpson is doing right now in the motorcycle world.
Many riders are starting to pick up and run with Simpson as a brand.
If you want to hear more about what those riders have to say, click the info button to check out what other riders are digging about the Simpson lids they're rocking on their rides.