Shark Raw (Drak) Helmet – Complete Review
Welcome to our very extensive review of the Shark Raw motorcycle helmet. The first thing we would like to say about Shark may come as no surprise to. And that is that we have a have a high opinion of Shark for many reasons. Shark makes a lot of what we consider to be “above average” quality helmets. The Shark company is one of the few true premium helmet manufacturers on the market. As a veteran in the helmet making business they have been around for many decades. And during that time they have constantly pushed helmet innovation to higher and higher levels. Shark is one of the few a time tested companies who make products that have been proven to perform over time in the most extreme conditions.
But that does not mean every Shark product will meet the standards for your situation and/or personal preferences. So we like to review the merits of a helmet product individually. When you have all the information on a helmet you can then make your own determination on this or any other product Shark makes.
The first point of discussion is the most obvious one. If you’ve had your eye on this insanely amazingly styled ninja/street fighter looking helmet, then as far as we are concerned you’re someone who knows a good looking helmet when they see one!
You either love the look or hate it. We love it. The style of this motorcycle helmet is in a world all its own. In fact the style seems to be the obvious number one attraction of it.
If you landed on this page you probably agree – it is a bad ass radical looking helmet.
But we are not going to sit here and talk about the looks all day ling. This is gonna to be a FULL review of the Raw Shark motorcycle helmet.
We will cover all of its features, including the pros and cons as we see them. In fact there is a pros and cons summary list at the bottom of the review.
The Shark Raw (Drak) What Type of Helmet Is It?
If you are still reading we know you want to hear all about the features of this helmet. It is evident you are someone who is too smart to buy on looks alone. We applaud you for that because you are obviously one smart cookie. Well let’s get into it then!
As already mentioned the impressive and intimidating warrior/military look of this helmet is unique and amazing. We think the radical look is one of the main attractive features and why most people would want it. But looks are not everything when it comes to picking a functional and safe motorcycle helmet you need a lot more. You want performance. You want comfort. You want safety. You want features, just to name a few.
Most likely you’ve heard the old saying, “Looks can be deceiving”. Well this is especially true of the Raw Shark motorcycle helmet. Many people mistakenly think this is a full face helmet
Well if you thought that you would be WRONG. Because one of the unique things about the Shark Raw (new name is Drak) is that it is basically like 3 helmets in 1! It can be worn in three different configurations, which we will list further down in this Shark helmet Raw review.
So what is the true nature of Shark Raw? Many people are surprised to find that it is classified as an “open face” helmet. How can that be? Well the bottom polyurethane mouth guard (mask) is removable.
Removing the mouth mask transforms it into the classic ¾ shell open face cruiser/adventure helmet most people are used to seeing.
This is great if you are someone who wants a helmet that can protect you from the elements (like wind, dust, debris, rain, or maybe even snow), but you also want the raw freedom and comfort of an open face helmet (when the weather permits).
If you are that type of person this is one hell of a choice for you. You can have both with this Shark Raw hybrid design. So it’s safe to state this helmet is a totally unique lifestyle helmet. You could say it is a type of hybrid transformer if you like.
Keep in mind the mouth guard offers almost NO impact crash protection. It is a removable guard (mask) designed to filter air through the helmet, while blocking most of the wind.
If you were looking for a full face Shark helmet that sports much of the same militaristic look (but without the removable mouth guard) you might want to check out our Shark Vancore Helmet Review. You can see how the Shark Raw vs Vancore measure up to each other by reading the two reviews. There are really no other helmets exactly like Shark Raw (besides the Vancore) which is as close as you will get to the style of this helmet. Vancore is a full face helmet with complete front face protection. That is the main difference between the two.
We want to stress that the mouth guard is only designed to offer protection from wind, dust, rain, and projectiles. It is NOT there for impact crash protection and is not rated as such in the safety certifications we mention below.
The mouth guard is only a removable piece that attaches to the bottom of the goggles with prongs. Many have reported that the mouth guard (mask) stays on during a crash. This is good since it might be able to protect you against some road rash. But it will do NOTHING to protect against front face impact. If you want full face protection this is not the helmet for you. However if you are looking for an open face helmet with more to offer it is the perfect choice for many people.
Understand the Intent of This Helmet
Some other reviews about the Shark Raw motorcycle helmet have given it a poor rating because of the mouth guard (mask) construction calling it “flimsy“. But they don’t understand the spirit or true intent of this lifestyle helmet. It is for looks yes. But it is more than that. The name says it all “RAW”. It is intended to provide a raw riding experience that would appeal more to the naked biker or Harley enthusiast. It is for those who seek the ultimate feeling of riding freedom and are willing to sacrifice front face impact protection for it.
This helmet gives you the chance at that, but with the option to look more like a bad ass. It is
At the same time it is giving the option for MORE protection from the elements than a regular open face design would (should you need or want it).
So you are getting MORE than you would with just a plain old regular ¾ shell motorcycle helmet, not less. With this helmet you have the option to transform it into something different depending on your mood.
It is NOT designed to give front face crash protection, or to completely block out the wind, or to provide perfect air flow control. The mouth guard is “flimsy” because the helmet is designed not to weigh you down while protecting from the elements in the front. They made the mouth guard as light as possible so that it won’t weight the helmet down.
In our view giving it a poor rating because of that is like giving a racing helmet a poor rating because it is a full face design. If you want a full face helmet then get one. But don’t rate an open face design as “poor” because it is not full face helmet. We are giving this review from the perspective of someone who would want this type of helmet based on its intended use. Ok enough of that rant. Moving on now.
Shark Raw Helmet Safety Rating
Let’s face it, one of the main reasons you are wearing a helmet is for safety. If it can’t provide adequate protection in a crash then it is basically useless. In that case it might be better reserved as a Halloween costume, or decoration on your shelf at home.
So how does the Shark Raw match up to safety standards, specifications, and impact crash tests? Well first keep in mind it is only fair to judge it in its category as an open face helmet. I know it is like beating a dead horse to keep saying this but we can’t stress enough that it does not offer full face crash protection. It was never intended to do that and so our rating for safety will be based on the impact safety scale of open face helmets.
As with all Shark helmets it DOES NOT fall short in the crash safety department. Shark is one of the most trusted and time tested manufactures of high quality safe motorcycle helmets in the world. In other words this is not Shark’s first rodeo. There are a lot of companies who make helmets. But not a lot who have stood the test of time for quality and reliability.
For an open face motorcycle helmet this is one of the best safety certified choices out there. The Shark Raw (Drak) is both DOT (Department of Transportation) and ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) approved and certified.
So this helmet meets the minimum DOT approved standards, as well as the much more stringent ECE 22.05 international testing standards. It’s about as much crash safety you can get from a ¾ shell design.
Even the cheapest priced Shark helmet matches up to excellent safety certification standards. Again keep in mind this is rated as an “open face helmet”. If you want frontal face crash protection this helmet is not going to provide that.
Therefore what you gain in comfort, visibility, and feeling of freedom you lose in a lack of front face crash protection. If you want a fully protected Shark motorcycle helmet the company makes plenty of other full face models. You can check them out in our Shark Top 10 helmet reviews.
Shark Helmet Raw Visibility
Safety testing certifications are not the only factor you need to consider for the safety of a
Visibility is another obvious important consideration. If you can’t see clearly you are not safe.
The Raw helmet can be worn in three configurations. Each configuration offering different levels if visibility:
Shark Helmet Configurations
- First you can wear it keeping both the mouth guard and the goggles intact. This is the setup that looks like a full face helmet even though it’s not. It’s “bad ass” look.
- Second choice is where the mouth guard (mask) is removed, but the goggles remain.
- And third you have the choice to wear it in a complete open face configuration. This is where both the mouth guard AND the goggles have been removed. In this configuration the front of your face is fully exposed so you can enjoy the cool wind in your face. This turns the helmet into the classic ¾ shell most people are used to.
Visibility is good in all three of these configurations for this type of goggle based helmet. But visibility is best with the total open face setup.
If you have never used goggles with a helmet before you might want to keep in mind that goggles can cause a slightly more “tunnel vision” perspective. In other words you have less peripheral (side to side) visibility. Because of this you will find that you have to turn your head more to see off to the sides.
It takes some getting used to if you have never used goggles with a helmet before. But it’s not that bad once you get a feel for it. If this is a deal breaker for you then you might want to consider another helmet that does not use goggles. For example check out our top 10 motorcycle helmet brands page. There are many more to choose from there.
But goggles are often used in dusty situations where a normal visor helmet can get filled with blinding dust. So keep in mind goggles are the best for off-road or dusty environments. Much of the design concepts of Shark Raw have been taken from the motocross helmet concept with the goggles and the vented mouth guard.
More about the Goggles
One of the main features of this open face helmet are the helmet goggles for Shark Raw.
How do they measure up as far as goggles go? The goggle lenses (manufactured by Carl Zeiss Optics in Germany) are constructed of a double pane high quality optically correct glass.
The googles have built in venting at the top and bottom. What the venting does is create an
Fogged lenses are a major safety hazard as you can probably imagine. So this is a serious safety PLUS for the helmet goggles.
Not to mention how annoying it is to deal with fogged up goggles!
What else do we like about the goggles? These goggles have some of the highest quality optical lenses available in any goggles. They are slightly tinted on the outside but look clear looking out of them. They also fit snugly against your face to create a comfortable seal between a soft breathable foamed insulation layer. So you are not going to end up with deep long lasting goggle marks in your face or pressure induced headaches.
And finally for added style choices the goggles are replaceable. They come in an array of functional lens colors that you can buy in many stores online. If your goggles start to suffer from old age just replace them. All motorcycle helmets suffer a lot of abuse at road speeds.
So it’s nice to have the option to replace a vital part of the optical setup if need be. These might look like regular goggles but there is a lot of advanced technology going into them for optimal visual performance. They are designed to be safe, comfortable, and stylish all at the same time. And finally the goggles are made to fit perfectly into the helmet for a nice seal blocking out the wind. You really can’t get a better helmet goggle!
The Helmet Chin Strap Won’t Come Off in a Crash
One of the most important safety features of a motorcycle crash helmet is to MAKE SURE it won’t come off in a crash. The chin strap is a main component in making sure this won’t happen.
The chin strap system for Shark Raw uses the double D-ring attachment system. This is a tried and true super strong strap system (used on all racing helmets) that will ensure it does NOT come off in a crash. Provided of course you have been fitted with the correct size and shape helmet for your head. The chin strap is comfortably padded and is fully adjustable for any size. It creates a snug comfortable secure fit. The excess can be held with a handy snap button to hide it away.
Double D-ring is the strongest helmet strap system available, PERIOD.
Helmet Comfort
A comfortable motorcycle helmet is a safer helmet. Discomfort causes distraction. Distraction causes accidents.
Also as you know a comfortable rider is a happier rider. Understandably comfort is a major factor for most people when it comes to choosing a good helmet. It is not an option. It is necessity. This is something Shark takes very seriously and have gone to great lengths to constantly improve upon for the comfort of each and every helmet. Shark Raw Drak is no exception.
Clean is Comfort
A dirty stinky helmet is certainly an uncomfortable helmet. There is a lot of technology in the liner and ventilation of this helmet to prevent that.
The liner is made mostly of a comfortable natural bamboo fiber. Many people have never heard of bamboo fiber. It has superior properties that make it perfect for motorcycle riders. Both for cloths and helmet liners.
For one thing bamboo is naturally antibacterial. It also absorbs toxins, thus eliminating many orders.
Bamboo is a breathable fiber, much like cotton. But even better it keeps you cool, warm, and dry all at the same time, depending on the conditions you find yourself in.
You Can Remove and Wash the Liner
The Raw Shark helmet liner is fully removable with an easy snap on and off snap button system. It is hypo allergenic and cool to the touch. The liner is made with softer materials around the heavier sweat prone areas of your head, like the forehead. These softer materials are designed to draw off, repel, and absorb more liquid for additional drying and comfort capabilities. So again the inside of this helmet is designed to comfortably keep you cool, dry, and warm.
Not only can you wash the liner but since it is removable you can also buy replacement liners should you want a fresh brand new interior. Replacement liners for this helmet are sold in a number of stores online. The replacements are certainly affordable for most people.
Cheek Pads
Cheek pads are also very important for fit and comfort. The Shark Raw cheek pads are made of the same materials as the rest of the liner and they easily removable. The pads are attached with Velcro and can literally be removed or inserted in just a couple of seconds.
So both the liner and the cheek pads are removable, washable, and replaceable. This way you keep your motorcycle helmet looking new and smelling fresh for years to come! With a clean helmet you will stay more comfortable and safer.
The Ventilation System
What about the airflow in this helmet? The ventilation system has limited venting from the outside in (with the full face configuration). There is only one vent on the top of the helmet. However the cooling airflow from this one vent is better than your average vent. It lets in a lot of air through the top vent. The air from the top does a lot to keep you cool and dry. This air flow goes down through the top and then circulates throughout the entire inside of the helmet.
The airflow from the inside out is also excellent allowing plenty of airflow to keep you cool, dry, and fresh.
The mouth guard also provides a good amount of airflow through the filter in the front. With these two systems working together you have more than enough air movement. Here is a graphic showing how it all works:
This is an open face helmet, so for the most part outside vents are really not a major issue. That is why there is only one top vent. Bottom line is there will be plenty of air flow. This is a bonus in hot weather but can be a problem in cold weather as there is no way to completely block the inner air flow. This helmet might be best used as a summer helmet for those of you that live farther north or south. For those living closer to the equator it will be a good year round helmet.
If it starts to rain the Raw helmet comes with a handy rubber stop for the top vent. This is to prevent water from entering the vent. Some people have complained it is a rubber stop and not a more advanced closing mechanism. But as we said this is a “RAW” experience helmet. It is not meant for a rider who needs everything neat and perfect with totally controllable air flow. It is for raw naked bike or Harley biker type bad asses.
Shark Raw OEM is Bluetooth Ready (Sharktooth™ System) -Built-in Slots
As with most new Shark helmets this helmet comes with built in OEM Bluetooth ready cutouts for easy Bluetooth integration. This is done through the Sharktooth™ Bluetooth system (made by Shark and purchased separately).
OEM stands for “Original Equipment Manufacturer”. This means the Bluetooth system is custom made to integrate perfectly with the helmet.
Sharktooth™ Bluetooth allows you to connect with your devices. With Sharktooth™ you can listen to music or whatever else you want inside your helmet. You can also use it to communicate on intercom bike to bike with your friends or to answer phone calls hands free with its voice activation capability. The system offers up to 10 hours of talk time and 700 hours of stand by.
The helmet comes with built in Bluetooth speaker slots for he Sharktooth™ speakers (which provide outstanding quality sound). It also has slots for the battery and housing of the Sharktooth™ system.
With these built in slots Sharktooth™ integrates seamlessly with the helmet. So you won’t have any obtrusive wires or speakers putting pressure on your head, or sticking out where they shouldn’t be. Provides up to 15 hours of use with each battery charge. If you are a Bluetooth fanatic this is a great feature available to you in Shark Raw.
The only nit pick we have about Sharktooth™ is that the intercom for bike to bike communication only works with other riders who have Sharktooth™. If this is a deal breaker for you there is another option that will work great. You can buy a high quality third party Bluetooth system like Sena. Since the Shark Raw already has the cutouts for the speakers and battery you should be able to integrate it fairly easy. Sena allows intercom communication between people with different Bluetooth systems.
Shark Raw Price
We feel like you are getting a lot for your money with this helmet. It is priced on the lower end of the helmet pricing spectrum. So you get a great product that won’t drain your wallet and you don’t need to search for a cheap priced Raw helmet because a brand new one is perfectly affordable. It is priced low, but not so low that the quality is sacrificed and you end up with a piece of junk. Just ask yourself how much you think your head is worth. You should not look for the cheapest possible helmet. Those are bound to be unsafe helmets.
Weight of the Shark Helmet Raw
No helmet review is complete without an explanation of the weight. No one likes a heavy helmet. A heavy helmet can cause you to become fatigued over long distances.
You will be happy to know Shark Raw is a VERY light weight helmet weighing in at just 2 pounds 13 ounces for the smallest size. It is a very agile feeling light helmet that you won’t feel as much. So if you are looking for the lightest helmet, that offers some of the best crash protection (for an open face helmet), this might be your helmet.
Raw Shark Head Shape Fit
You don’t want to get a helmet that doesn’t fit the shape of your head correctly. The old saying is true: “You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole”. Not only will an incorrectly shaped helmet be an uncomfortable helmet, but it might potentially come off in a crash. So it is important that you know the overall closest shape of your own head and get helmet shapes best suited for your head dimensions.
This Shark Raw helmet will fit head shapes that have a more neutral to round shape, with a wider circumference of a head. Another way to say is it “intermediate oval”. That means heads that are not extreme oval or extreme round. It is somewhere in the middle. And that is why we call it “intermediate” oval.
If you have a more extreme oval shaped head this helmet may not be the best fit for you. We are talking about from the perspective of looking down at your head circumference from the top. So the measurement of the front to the back, and the left to the right of your head.
From this perspective most people have a slight intermediate oval shape making up the circumference. Most people don’t have an extreme long oval or extreme round shaped head. They are somewhere in the middle of extreme round and oval. Please check the graphic below to see the difference between long oval and round oval.
Helmet Sizing for the Shark Raw
Most people buying a motorcycle helmet know how helmet sizing works. If you don’t already know how to mearsure you head for a helmet here is a brief overview. Measure the entire circumference of your head at the WIDEST point. Where is the widest point? It is just above your eyebrows all the way around your head (circumference). Take a soft tap and measure all the way around your head at that point. Then match up the closest measurement of your head to the helmet sizes in the Raw Shark helmet sizing chart below:
| Helmet Size Shark Raw | Head Circumference (cm) |
|---|---|
| XS | 53-54 |
| SM | 55-56 |
| MD | 57-58 |
| LG | 59-60 |
| XL | 61-62 |
| 2XL | 63-64 |
Please keep in mind these size measurements are approximate and do not guarantee a perfect fit. But they should work fine for most people. And again make sure you don’t have an extreme shaped head leaning too far to long oval or round oval. If your head is too oval or too round you may find the sizes may not fit properly. In that case you need to look for a helmet made that better fits a more extreme shape.
Wind Noise Level
The noise levels will vary depending on how you wear this helmet. If you are wearing both
In fact wearing it this way makes it one of the quietest open face helmets on the market. The goggles fit perfectly into the eye slot of the helmet making a good seal that blocks out the wind. The mouth guard also blocks out much of the wind. This helmet is actually quieter than some full face helmets.
Most people say they are surprised at how quit this helmet sounds for an open face helmet. We give it the highest rating for noise protection in its category.
However we recommend that you consider always wearing some type of ear plug or headphones to further reduce the noise and protect your hearing.
Pros and Cons Conclusion
Now we come to the conclusion of this Shark Raw helmet review. We have listed all the features, as well as the pros and the cons. Now you can have all the information you need to make a decision about this helmet. Overall this is a helmet built for someone who likes an open face helmet. It is made for people who like a more raw experience with the option to protect against the elements. It is built for people who like to make a statement of style.
Below is a summary of all the pros and cons mentioned in this helmet review.
The Pros
- Amazing bad ass radical military look.
- Hybrid multi-use helmet that can be easily converted into multiple wearing configurations. This gives the benefits of a closed face design, but with the option to transform into a free full open face experience.
- Removable mouth guard protects against wind, dirt, rain, debris, and noise.
- DOT and ECE safety tested and certified.
- Double pane, optically correct, vented, anti-fog and insulated high quality goggles.
- Strong double D-ring attachment strap system to keep your helmet on when it matters most.
- Removable and replaceable anti-microbial/anti-sweat liner and cheek pads – made of washable/breathable bamboo fiber.
- Open face helmet design that provides plenty of air flow for your comfort and safety.
- OEM Bluetooth ready cutouts for easy and seamless Sharktooth ™ integration.
- Very lightweight helmet.
- One of the quietest open face helmets available on the market.
- 5 Year Warranty
The Cons
- Does not provide full face crash protection
- Is not designed for high speeds or racing.
- Some people don’t like the removable mouth guard design (close to mouth).
- Goggles increase “tunnel vision” perception.
- Noisier than most full face closed helmets.
- If you have an extreme oval shaped circumference head the Shark Raw might not fit as well as some other models.
- Open Face helmet design is not well suited for extremely cold weather. You don’t have the ability to fully control air flow.
This review article originally published at: http://thehelmethelper.com/shark-raw-helmet-review
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