GEARBOX
Fulmer SS Full Face Helmet
Author: K3 Chris Onwiler
Forty years of experience for $173.95
As we tested the excellent Fulmer SS helmet at Barber Motorsports Park, we kept asking ourselves, “How come we’ve never heard of this company before?” Our SS test lid, finished in the sinister Mortal Coil graphics, had us really impressed. Though reasonably priced, this was no cheap, fly by night helmet aimed at buyers who didn’t know better. Fulmer is proud to say that they’ve been in business since 1969 and their experience shows in the design of the SS Helmet. So if they’ve been around that long and their product is this good, how could they have stayed below our radar?  We posed this question to Aimee Leeper, Director of Marketing at Fulmer. Her answer was simple. “You’ve probably never heard of us because we’ve traditionally spent less money on marketing and sponsorship than our competitors have.” OK, that answer makes sense. It probably also explains why they can offer such a nice helmet for so little money. Fulmer is second only to HJC for sales volume here in America. Consider them the quiet giant.
On the day we chose to test the Fulmer SS, conditions were about as bad as they could be. Humidity was at 100%, with temps in the low fifties and a near constant misty drizzle. This was the kind of day that made you feel wet just standing there under a canopy in dry clothes. Yes, we experienced fogging problems with the SS but to be honest, there wasn’t a rider in the pits who was doing any better, regardless of helmet brand. “Fogging” may actually be too mild a word, since the inside of the shield was actually becoming soaking wet in the damp, clammy weather. Truth be told, the other helmet we’d brought along that day fogged considerably more than the Fulmer so we can’t really criticize the SS too strongly on this issue. When we mentioned it to Aimee, her reply was, “We have a special anti-fog visor that would have totally solved your problem!” Considering that Fulmer does a huge trade in snowmobile helmets, we’re inclined to believe her. Testers must be critical so as long as we’re discussing negatives, let’s consider the interior of the Fulmer SS. This was the part we liked least. Examining the inside of the helmet before its first use, we felt that the upholstery seemed a bit on the cheap side. This in no way hindered the helmet’s function but seemed important to note, since other manufacturers in this price range have chosen materials that feel a bit more upscale than those used in the Fulmer lid. (Keep reading, since we later figured out what the deal was with the liner.) Our final gripe was that the ventilation system of the SS may look very impressive but is merely adequate in actual use. Of course, the more air a helmet flows, the noiser it is, so this might be why we liked the Fulmer's low wind noise.
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