Sharks Squall 2.2 is the third generation of Sharks helmets that light up in the dark..45%
There are LEDs at each of the three vents, and a rechargeable battery inside powers them.
You switch them on at the neck roll, and then you can have a solid or flashing light to help you stand out while riding at night.
When it’s time to recharge, there’s a port that accepts a micro USB cable to restore the power.
Battery life for these lights is good, with a solid light lasting for a few hours, and then in blinking mode, it will last even longer.
The lighting system is the main standout point of this helmet, but there’s plenty of other stuff to cover.
The shell is polycarbonate, which tends to make a heavier lid, but the size medium Skwal 2.2 weighs in on our scales at 1547 grams.
The weight is respectable, especially for a plastic helmet with an internal sun visor, because that always adds extra weight. But, of course, then you have to consider the extra weight of that LED lighting system.
The ventilation is reasonable but not extraordinary, as is often the case with plastic-shelled helmets.
There are two air intakes. The first is at the chin and has a rocking switch. You push the bottom to open it and then push the top back to close it.
Again, some customer reviewers say they find themselves checking that the vent is open as it doesn’t have the most positive operation.
I would agree with them, as I found myself doing that quite a bit in my time with this helmet.
The top vent has a single intake with a sliding switch on top, exposing a hole that goes down into the interior.
Two V-shaped channels in the impact liner allow air to move back from that inlet and exit through two holes at the exhaust vent.
I noticed air from the chin vent coming in more than I did from the top vent. I noticed the top vent more because I could hear a small amount of movement in the switch.
It made a sound like a small flag flapping in the breeze as I rode, which irritated me when I was riding in town, but then I found as I got up to speed and the wind noise kicked in, the flapping sound was masked.
Of the 25 reviews I have seen for this helmet as I write this article, not one of those reviewers mentioned that noise from the top vent so that it could be something peculiar to me and the two bikes I rode.
The visor on the Skwal 2.2 mounts easily and is protected by a Pinlock anti-mist insert.
It’s a Pinlock 70, and they’re middle-grade. It’s a Max Vision insert, so it covers virtually all of the iport for a clearer view.
The helmet is backed by an internal sun visor that operates on a rotating switch by the left ear, which I found intuitive and easy to use.
Like all Shark helmets I’ve tried, that sun visor doesn’t have an anti-mist coating, so you may find yourself lifting the main visor to draw in some air to de-mist that sun visor.
The comfort lining lives up to the billing; it’s very comfortable, supportive, and plush with a soft fabric covering.
The foam at the top of the cheek pads makes it easier to fit spectacle arms down the side.
There are recesses behind the cheek pads on the inside to accommodate intercom speakers.
I fitted this helmet with a Cardo Packtalk Bold unit. It fitted relatively well, but getting the helmet lining back in was tricky while accommodating the wiring for the intercom and the inbuilt lighting system.
The strap fastener for this helmet is a micrometric buckle style arrangement, which is normally the case for a helmet around this price point.
It’s quite clear that the standout feature of this helmet is the Led lighting system. So if you’re the sort of person who wants that extra safety and comfort feature on the road, then absolutely go for it with this helmet.
But if you’re not, you can save yourself quite a bit by going for a Shark D-Squall 2 helmet instead.
The only real difference is between those two helmets, so the D-score 2 doesn’t have that light system and has a slightly lower grade interior than this helmet.
The Skwal 2.2 comes in sizes extra small to extra large, and there’s one shell size that covers them all.
Sharks say there are several different impact liners, so the smaller helmets aren’t just padded out with foam to make a big helmet fit a small head, which is often the case with helmets that only come in one shell size.
The Shark Skwal 2.2 is approved to ECE 2205 for the road and carries an ACU gold sticker to show it’s approved for use on track days.
This helmet hasn’t been tested by the UK government’s Sharp impact testing scheme, but the Squall 2 that came just before it, and is essentially the same outer helmet, achieved four stars, which is a respectable performance.
The Shark Skwal 2.2 is the latest in the Shark Skwal series of helmets, offering the best of both worlds: protection and style.
Its innovative design combines injected thermoplastic resin with high-quality ABS to create an extremely lightweight, comfortable, and protective helmet.
The Skwal 2.2 is the most advanced version yet, with a bright integrated white LED system front and rear and a quick-release micro-lock buckle system.
It also features a bright integrated UV380 anti-scratch sun visor and an integrated pinlock MaxVision insert.