Review: Oakley Aero 5

Helmet reviews are inherently a weird thing as 1: They all have to meet the same standard of protection and 2: everyones head is shaped and sized differently (mine is large and round). With that said @oakleybike got their first helmet in the cycling market spot on. (Technically they will be releasing three helmets the ARO5 is the middle tier). The ARO5 is everything I could ask for in a helmet, starting with great style, its a perfect mix of racy and everyday wearable. Distinctly not an aesthetic aero stealth bomber, it somehow straddles the line of futuristic and classic American muscle car styling. Its the type of helmet I would grab for a commute or 75 mile gravel ride. But could also hold its own in a crit. Oakley didn’t just dip their toes into this market, instead they came out swinging, introducing the first ever cycling helmet with a BOA system that seems to be infinitely adjustable and at the same time is designed to work flawlessly with glasses. No pressure points, no where for you glasses to contact your helmet instead of your head. My favorite part though is such a simple innovation where the chin straps come together there is a lay flat strap holder which is something I never noticed until now, bugged me with all of my other helmets. Like all top of the line helmets it is MIPS equipped. Releasing later this month in 7 colors and with a reported $250 retail price tag, the glasses giant simply knocked this one out of the park. My favorite color option and the early sample I’ve been rocking is the matte black on black with hidden reflective details. The ARO5 is my new everyday helmet and the most comfortable helmet I’ve used to date. On a side note, a funny thing I’ve noticed is, the more stoked I am on a product the better the art comes out. This thing was a damn blast to draw.