WARRIOR REVIEW: Index Titan 2 Safety Helmet

SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT when you are astride a motorcycle, whether as a driver or as a passenger. The motorcycle is vulnerable to road accidents due to its two-wheeled design that demands balance and bursts of speed to stay on the road.

Unlike four-wheeled vehicles, which have adequate protection on its body to protect the driver and passenger, motorcycles do not have that advantage. In a collision with other bigger vehicles, the driver and/or passenger gets the brunt of damage caused by physical injuries and most of the statistics in fatalities.

Head injuries are the most common causes of death in vehicular accidents involving a motorcycle. The head is that body part where it needs protection the most and road-safety proponents insists that the safety helmet should be the most basic safety equipment that should be worn by a motorcycle driver and passenger. No ifs and no buts.

The safety helmet shell should be sturdy enough to withstand a strong impact. The liner should cushion the head from any blunt object that would strike the shell. The straps should secure the head and would not separate the helmet from the wearer during a road accident. The helmet shall cover most of the face and shall have a transparent but flexible visor to protect the eyes of the wearer from dust, shards and ultraviolet rays.

However, I would like to emphasize that safety helmets do not prevent head injuries or death; it only lessens these. The driver should be responsible for his/her own safety and his/her passenger as well but the wearing of a safety helmet increases their chances of survival. The motorcycle owner should be prudent in choosing the best safety helmet possible.

There are many commercial brand names and models of safety helmets offered in the market today but few have passed the safety standards set by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) here in the Philippines. A hologram sticker bearing the Import Commodity Compliance (ICC) mark would attest to the helmet’s warranty of safety and is issued by the DTI.

Since the LTO and their deputized agencies are in a strict campaign to implement Republic Act 10054, otherwise known as the Safety Helmet Law, and penalize those who are wearing sub-standard motorcycle helmets; my office decide to purchase seven units of INDEX TITAN 2 Safety Helmet. All are in frost-blue color with the ICC sticker already adhered at the rear. Gleaning from its product literature, INDEX safety helmets are made in Thailand.

Construction of INDEX TITAN 2 Safety helmet shells reduce impact energy by evenly distributing it over the surface and not concentrate on a particular part of the helmet. The surface of shell is made to protect against UV rays and has an anti-scratch component. It has a ventilation system integrated into the helmet allowing airflow to move from forehead to back for a more comfortable wear.

The liner absorbs and reduces the impact energy distributed by the shell. It is made of polystyrene and is neither hard nor soft. The soft cushioned lining allows the wearer to fit the helmet properly and prevents the helmet from shifting during the motorcycle ride. Optically correct pre-formed visor gives better vision to the rider. The visor has an anti-scratch coating as well as protecting nearly 100% the eyes of the wearer from UV rays.

Helmet retention system is satisfactory with the addition of high-quality buckle and chin-strap. The strap is securely fastened under the chin to prevent the helmet from separating from the wearer during an accident. Double D-ring metal locking ladders increase a better retention arrangement and doubles as an eye to hook securely underneath the motorcycle seat.

I have worn many inferior safety helmets in the past, a lot of them made in China bearing indiscernible names and of questionable quality, but INDEX TITAN 2 Safety Helmet fulfilled my well-being with its assurance of its credible adherence to safety standards. I drive a motorcycle and my INDEX safety helmet gives me added protection and confidence to ply the roads in any conditions and time.

INDEX TITAN Series Safety Helmets are available in all establishments here in the Philippines that caters to motorcycles, parts, accessories and maintenance services. My INDEX TITAN 2 Safety Helmet was bought from Newstar Motorcycle Parts in Mandaue City.

Document done in LibreOffice 3.3