Helmet break in?

[bluespark]

I am looking at the new Fly F2 Carbon helmets. The XL fits pretty good but is just a little tight in spots where the XXL is for sure too big. Would the pads pack in at all with a little use? It wouldn't take much shrinkage to make it a great fitting lid.

[TheLetterJ]

Does Fly sell cheek pads separately? My Bell Moto 9 was too tight on my cheeks but fit my melon fine otherwise, so I ordered thinner pads and it feels much better. In my experience the pads don't "break in" much.

[liv2day]

Originally Posted by bluespark

I am looking at the new Fly F2 Carbon helmets. The XL fits pretty good but is just a little tight in spots where the XXL is for sure too big. Would the pads pack in at all with a little use? It wouldn't take much shrinkage to make it a great fitting lid.

Every single helmet I have ever purchased has broken in a little (going on 34 years now). Unless you have uncomfortable hot spots in areas - especially your forehead or the back of your head, my guess is you'd good to go given the description above. After a few rides with sweat build up and then washing the liner/cheek pads, I bet it fits perfect.

Getting different cheek pads is a great option if the helmet manufacturer has them available - definitely allows you to customize the fit.

My personal preference is to have an incredibly snug fitting helmet. The Arai I use for street/track is very tight - don't want my head bouncing around inside the helmet should I make contact with terra firma. My dirt helmet isn't quite as tight, but it still presses against my cheeks firmly and will not move if I impact anything with my head in a fall. It was almost uncomfortable when I first purchased, but fits really well now.