Fresh from the cool Californians at Troy Lee Designs are two new helmets, the Flowline (love that word, Flow) and Flowline SE. Borrowing some of the design language from the TLD A1 and A2 helmets, the Flowline brings new features and a casual appearance to a more attainable price point.
There’s the trademark TLD styling, though the logos and graphics are pleasantly subtle, and it comes in flashy hues like neon yellow and candy apple red, to more subdued olive green, black and white. Styling aside, the new lids have earned a five-star safety rating from Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab. Under the hood, you’ll find a MIPS B32 liner which incorporates the head cradle into the rotational impact protection to limit how much your brain sloshes around in a crash.
The fit feels more like the original A1, but with better ventilation. Though there are fewer bells and whistles compared to the flagship TLD A3, it also comes with a smaller price tag.
For an extra $75, the Flowline SE model scores a magical magnetic Fidloc fastener and dual-density foam for added protection. There’s a youth-size option, too, for the groms. We like the familiar look, and they feel good on the noggin, so we’ll be using these lids a lot on the trail.
