THE
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C omparison F lip - up H elmets :
LAZER MONACO AND SCHUBERTH C3
Test Comfort Price
Regularly attacked since its launch, is the
Schuberth C3 now really menaced by the Lazer
Monaco Pure Carbon? Lighter and less expensive,
can the newest Lazer helmet compete with the
helmet that has in effect become the reference in
flip-ups? We have compared them for you.
Beware, this is a contest at the highest level in
the world of flip-up helmets: Lazer defies the
German reference Schuberth. At the JPMS 2011
(professionals fair in France) the Monaco won
the prize for “best urban product”. It has qualities
that all of a sudden make the C3 look old. Which
one should you choose? We have compared
the helmets on various criteria: weight, finishing,
comfort, screen, insulation (against wind and
noise) and price before making a final judgement.
Remark: we have tested the Lazer Monaco in
carbon; it also exists in glass fibre, slightly heavier
but €140 cheaper. We could have added the BMW
System 6 — already tested — to this comparison,
but because of the recent price decrease of the
C3, we can consider the two German helmets
comparable.
Weight the sun screen or not, you can flip it up or down at
This is of
course the key
competitive
feature of Lazer:
the Monaco Pure
Carbon weighs,
depending on
the sizes, between
120 and 250
grams less than
the C3. The Schuberth is well balanced and its
aerodynamic shape makes one forget its weight
when riding, but it can’t compete with the Lazer,
which puts less strain on the neck and is more
comfortable to ride in the city.
Winner: Lazer Monaco Pure Carbon
Finishing is too short and too rigid and lets in more air than
Schuberth has two levels of finishing. Perfect
inside, but very sober on the outside, focussing
on efficiency. Lazer offers a helmet that is a bit less
detailed inside but is outside a clear cut above
the Schuberth, whether for the painting or the
integration of the ventilations, that work very well.
Winner: equal
Here are two op-
posing approach-
es. Lazer envelops
the face better
and the padding
covers more
of the cheeks.
S c h u b e r t h
holds the head
more tightly, es-
pecially around the ears. If Lazer’s solution of
anti-noise padding allows for the easy fitting
of an intercom, the all-round comfort of the
Schuberth and the softer padding fabric gives
the C3 a slight advantage.
Winner: Schuberth C3
Field of Vision and Screen Glass and a Pure Carbon version of the Monaco.
The field of vision, with the chin-piece open or
closed, is equivalent on both helmets. But the
choice each brand made for the screen has
decided the final score. Internal sun screen or
an adaptable (photochromic) screen? The C3
allows you to choose whether you want to use
any time, while the photochromic Lumino screen
of the Monaco continuously adapts itself to the
surrounding UV and light intensity. Where the
Schuberth allows you to ride with the chin-piece
open and the sun screen down, the Lumino
screen of Lazer, more comfortable in daily use,
ensures that Lazer is difficult to beat on this point.
What’s more, it’s easier to clean only one screen
instead of two, without mentioning the sensitivity
of the Schuberth sun screen to condensation. The
Lazer screen of course has no such problems.
Winner: Lazer Monaco Pure Carbon
Insulation
against wind and noise
This is where Schuberth does better than the
Belgian helmet. On the Monaco, the chin-curtain
the long chin-curtain of the C3, which is very well
built. On top, Schuberth has an even longer chin-
curtain for the winter, which closes it off from any
air inflow. This better wind isolation and padding
that fits closer to the ears makes the Schubert
more silent than the Lazer. Here Schuberth has
the advantage over the Lazer helmet, which
would really benefit from a better chin-curtain.
Winner: Schuberth C3
POST
At prices varying
between €499
and €599
depending on
the decoration,
the Schuberth C3
is more expensive
than the carbon
version of the
Lazer Monaco,
sold at €489. Clearly lighter and a bit less
expensive, the Lazer Monaco is the winner on
this point. When we compare the Lazer Monaco
Pure Glass, the difference in price is enormous
because, while remaining lighter than the
Schuberth C3, the price is limited to €349. To
be considered when choosing between a Pure
Winner: Lazer Monaco Pure Carbon
Conclusion
As we can see, the Schuberth C3 and the Lazer
Monaco Pure Carbon target the same bikers,
but with different features. After several hundred
kilometres of test riding with both it is clear that
even if Schuberth has a slightly better noise
insulation, it will have to renew itself because the
competition has woken-up. The Lazer Monaco is
either a bit less expensive but much lighter than
the Schuberth C3 (250 grams and between €10
and €110 cheaper in its Pure Carbon version)
or a bit lighter and really much cheaper (120
grams and between €150 and €270 cheaper
in its Pure Glass version). And the Schuberth C3
is only available in a glass fibre version. If Lazer
had used a slightly better quality of interior
fabric and chin-curtain, it would have crushed its
nearest competitor on all counts. Even if we are
awaiting a new chin-curtain, the Lazer Monaco
has become the new reference in flip-up helmets
because of its exceptional price/quality offering.
After having been, with the BMW System 6, for
a long time the reference in this category, the
Schuberth C3 has just had to give-up this status
to Lazer. This is good news for bikers, because we
can be sure that Schuberth is already planning
its come-back fight.
translation from the comparative test
of 24 February 2011 in www.lequipement.fr