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review

Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet

9
£229.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Comfortable, adjustable and well vented – a genuinely exceptional helmet that manages to improve on an already superb one
Impressive air flow
KinetiCore is comfortable
Adjustability makes it secure and comfortable
Expensive
Weight: 
241g
road.cc Recommends

This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet is an excellent lid that takes the best bits from the previous model, one that I rated very highly indeed – and adds to it. It's comfortable, well vented and comes with excellent safety credentials, but this elite-level lid does come with an elite-level price tag.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - front.jpg

I first reviewed a Lazer Z1 when it was originally launched back in 2014, and it's the helmet I'm wearing in my profile picture. Since then I have had another three, with the burnt orange model still one of my go-to hot weather helmets. So I think it's fair to say I have a lot of experience with this helmet.

With the newer version, Lazer has managed to keep the best bits of the previous model while updating it to bring it more in line with modern helmets.

First up, this helmet is designed for normal road use, so weight and ventilation are the most important design elements.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - tension system detail.jpg

It has 29 vents, which is actually one fewer than the previous version. The missing one is at the back and would have had minimal impact on air flow. Lazer has housed the adjustment mechanism in that space instead, so it looks cleaner and protects the mechanism better. The helmet sits low on your head too, so there's no danger of 'mushroom head'.

The rest of the vents are pretty much identical to those in the previous model while the new KinetiCore channels air over your head impressively.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - inside.jpg

I haven't had the Mips version of the Z1 for a few years, but I couldn't detect much difference between that and this KinetiCore version. I found it offered good air flow, which helped to dissipate heat even at low speeds.

The only real external difference is that the new Z1 has sharper angles around the vents compared with the curvier vents of the older version.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - rear.jpg

The main safety element of the helmet is KinetiCore, which is Lazer's alternative to Mips. Rather than having a cage that sits over your head, KinetiCore uses EPS foam blocks built into the helmet that are designed to buckle on impact, redirecting energy away from your brain and reducing the chances of concussion.

I haven't tested the effectiveness of the KinetiCore system, but Virginia Tech gives it a maximum 5-star rating for its ability to reduce the risk of concussion in the event of an accident.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - size.jpg

I think the fit is very good. This is down to the Advanced RollSys system, which is effectively a cradle that sits around your entire head, removing pressure points and allowing for greater micro-adjustability.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - inside detail.jpg

This is controlled by a thumb dial on top of the helmet at the rear, which is more tucked away than the previous version's. It's a click-free design – you just tighten it and loosen it, which is perfect for adjustability.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - rear detail.jpg

An adjustable cradle at the rear lets you further adjust your fit.

The new helmet's straps are also an improvement on what came before, using a reinforced fabric material as a divider, rather than plastic. This means there's nothing against the side of your head that could rub and cause irritation.

2024 Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet - clip.jpg

The Z1's 241g weight is very respectable, especially for a helmet featuring anti-concussion technology. This low weight, adjustability and good air flow help to make the helmet – alongside the Trek Velocis – the most comfortable I've used in the last few years.

Value

While the £229.99 RRP is high, it's far from the most expensive helmet we've reviewed. And from my perspective this is about right for a comfortable elite-level helmet with an innovative protection system.

The Ekoi Stradale comes in at £276.80 (though being Ekoi is often available for much less) and weighs 46g more.

The Trek Velocis Mips Road Bike Helmet costs the same as the Lazer and is an undetectable 6g lighter. To be honest, I'd struggle to choose between these two helmets, which are the best I've tried in the last few years.

If you're not planning to spend quite as much, we rated the £159 Rudy Project Egos very highly, while our best cycling helmets buyer's guide rounds up more of our favourites.

Conclusion

The Lazer Z1 is an impressive update to what was an already impressive helmet, and I think the KinetiCore, if anything, is an improvement on the Mips system it replaced. The low weight, impressive adjustability and excellent ventilation make it a pleasure to wear regardless of how long you're riding and how hot it is.

Verdict

Comfortable, adjustable and well vented – a genuinely exceptional helmet that manages to improve on an already superb one

road.cc test report

Make and model: Lazer Z1 KinetiCore Helmet

Size tested: 55-59

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Z1 KinetiCore has been engineered to be both lightweight and allow excellent ventilation, as well as to provide high levels of safety.

Taking the iconic Z1 as a starting point, worn by famous athletes such as Andre Greipel on the Champs Elysees, we kept everything that it was doing right and did it even better by integrating Lazer's patented KinetiCore protection technology. Resulting in a 5-STAR Virginia Tech protection rated lid with rotational impact protection built-in weighing in at only 220g M CE.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Fit system: Lazer Advanced Rollsys

S/52-56cm; M/55-59cm; L/58-61cm

220g (Size Medium CE)

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Ventilation and fit are excellent, while its low weight meant it was comfortable regardless of the length of ride or how warm it was.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

The helmet builds on the previous Z1 that I have been wearing for several years – so I've no reason to believe it wouldn't provide you with years of service.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10

It is impressively light, especially for a helmet featuring concussion protection.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
10/10

Alongside the Trek Velocis, this is the most comfortable helmet I've used in the past couple of years.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

This comes in at the same price as the Trek Velocis, which is the only helmet I believe is the Z1's equal – so while it's not cheap, the price does seem to be reasonable.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It performed very well indeed – it's light, comfortable, well ventilated and likely to protect you well in the event of a crash.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The adjustment system.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

The Ekoi Stradale helmet comes in at £276.80 (though is often much cheaper) and is 46g heavier. The Trek Velocis Mips Road Bike Helmet I reviewed last year costs the same as the Lazer and is an imperceptible 6g lighter – and frankly I'd struggle to choose between these two, which are the best helmets I've tested in the last few years.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

I was tempted to give this a 10 – it's that good. And the only reason I'm not is because the move from the last version to this one showed it is possible to improve upon something, even if it seemed pretty much perfect at the time.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: CAAD13  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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