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Troy Lee Designs D3 Fiberlite Review

A full-face helmet that boasts a strong value and high levels of protection
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Troy Lee Designs D3 Fiberlite Review (This helmet offers great protection, a high level of comfort, and stealthy looks at a reasonable price.)
This helmet offers great protection, a high level of comfort, and stealthy looks at a reasonable price.
Price:  $250 List
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Manufacturer:   Troy Lee Designs
By Pat Donahue ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 9, 2020
73
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#15 of 20
  • Comfort - 25% 8.0
  • Protection - 20% 8.0
  • Weight - 20% 5.0
  • Ventilation - 15% 7.0
  • Visor - 10% 8.0
  • Durability - 10% 8.0

Our Verdict

The Troy Lee Designs D3 Fiberlite blends a great balance of performance, comfort, and value. While there are less expensive helmets on the market, we feel the D3 Fiberlite is a near-perfect combination of price and performance. This lid is a great choice for ripping bike park laps, blasting shuttle runs, or sending freeride lines to the moon. It has a robust and confidence-inspiring feel, with a design reminiscent of more expensive models. Comfort and protection were impressive metrics while ventilation and weight weren't quite as outstanding. The price tag is also quite reasonable coming from a premium brand like Troy Lee Designs. To compare it to the competition, check out our article on the best downhill helmets.
REASONS TO BUY
Protective
Reasonably priced
Comfortable
REASONS TO AVOID
Average ventilation
Heavier weight
No rotational impact protection system

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Best Buy Award
Best Balance of Price and Performance Downhill Helmet
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Full Face
 Best Buy Award
Best Buy Downhill Helmet
 
Price $149.95 at Evo
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$278.98 at Amazon
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$150.00 at Evo
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$150 List
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$110 List
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line A park-worthy helmet at an attractive price that offers serious protectionA killer enduro lid that works well for shuttle laps or the racecourseA light and airy convertible helmet suited for pedal-y rides rather than bike park lapsA comfortable helmet with solid protection levels at an excellent priceA solid-performing downhill helmet at an outstanding price
Rating Categories Troy Lee Designs D3... Smith Mainline MIPS Bell Super Air R MIPS Leatt Gravity 2.0 7Protection M1
Comfort (25%)
8.0
10.0
9.0
8.0
9.0
Protection (20%)
8.0
8.0
6.0
8.0
7.0
Weight (20%)
5.0
9.0
10.0
7.0
7.0
Ventilation (15%)
7.0
9.0
9.0
5.0
5.0
Visor (10%)
8.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
7.0
Durability (10%)
8.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
Specs Troy Lee Designs D3... Smith Mainline MIPS Bell Super Air R MIPS Leatt Gravity 2.0 7Protection M1
Weight (grams, size medium) 1219 grams 765 grams 674 grams 1008 grams 947 grams
Weight (ounces, size medium) 43.0 oz 27.0 oz Half shell: 14.9 oz
Full face: 23.8 oz
35.5 oz 33.4 oz
Number of Vents 20 21 18 helmet, 8 chin vents, 4 brow ports 11 17
Shell Material Fiberglass Aerocore Polycarbonate Polymer Polycarbonate
Rotational Impact Protection System None MIPS MIPS Spherical 360 Turbine None
Sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL S, M, L S, M, L XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Youth M, Youth L, S, S, M, L, XL
CPSC Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
CE EN1077 Yes No No No No
CE EN1078 Yes No Yes Yes No
ASTM F1952 (DH) Yes Yes No Yes No
ASTM F2032 Yes No No No No
ASTM F2040 No No No No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

The D3 Fiberlite is a killer full-face mountain bike helmet that posts rock-solid scores in most performance metrics. This is the less expensive version of Troy Lee Designs' fancy, carbon-shelled, top-shelf options. Essentially, it packs a lot of high-end features into a fiberglass shell at about half of the price. There are lighter and more airy options available, but the D3 Fiberlite is an extremely strong value and is more than comfortable at high speeds and catching serious air.

Performance Comparison


troy lee designs d3 fiberlite - on a budget and looking to get sendy? the d3 fiberlite has a very...
On a budget and looking to get sendy? The D3 Fiberlite has a very strong price to performance ratio.

Comfort


The D3 Fiberlite is a comfortable helmet that delivers a snug and confidence-inspiring fit.


The first time we put this helmet on we found that it fit a little tight. If you are on the cusp of two sizes, we would recommend trying one on or maybe sizing up. Our large test helmet was not egregiously small or uncomfortable, but we felt it had a snugger fit compared to other helmets. After spending hours sweating into this helmet, we do feel the fit loosened up a touch as the pads packed out slightly. That said, we don't recommend relying on this pack-out to achieve a comfortable fit.

troy lee designs d3 fiberlite - loads of padding makes the d3 fiberlite a plush and comfortable...
Loads of padding makes the D3 Fiberlite a plush and comfortable helmet.

The D3 padded liner covers most of the interior of the helmet. It has a plush feel that is cushy and soft against your head. Throughout testing, our face was never irritated by the material despite the snug and secure fit. The shape of the ear pockets is decent although other helmets have a little more space. If being able to hear clearly is a consideration in your full-face purchase, we recommend looking elsewhere, the solid shell and heavy padding don't let much noise through.

This helmet tends to squeeze your cheeks a touch more than other options, and the inside is soft and heavily padded. We found the top of our head fit beautifully into the crown of this helmet. It did not have a tendency to bounce around on the head. Instead, it felt quite secure and confidence-inspiring. For those who plan on wearing their helmet on pedal missions, this snug fit might feel a bit constricting.

troy lee designs d3 fiberlite - the d3 fiberlite has a robust feel on your head and offers serious...
The D3 Fiberlite has a robust feel on your head and offers serious protection designed for high speeds and big air.

Protection


The D3 Fiberlite uses a lightweight fiberglass shell with a healthy amount of EPS/EPP foam lining the inside. According to the manufacturer, they use extra foam in certain areas to enhance the protection levels in key places. Visually, this is a very padded helmet that is heavy on foam. It has a very substantial and robust feel with ample head coverage. The D3 Fiberlite carries the ASTM F1952-15 and ASTM F2032-15 certifications for DH and BMX cycling.


This helmet does not have MIPS or any other type of rotational impact protection system. There is some scientific debate as to exactly how effective the MIPS system is, but we do feel that it is a nice feature to have. It was a little disappointing to us that the D3 Fiberlite didn't come with one. That said, the solid feeling shell, dual-density foam liner, and secure fit made us feel well-protected while wearing it. It also comes with a D-ring chin strap and quick-release cheek pads for emergency helmet removal.

Weight


At 43-ounces, the D3 Fiberlite is among the heaviest options in this review. We don't really view this as too much of a problem. The intended use of this helmet is pretty clear. It is meant for gravity endeavors like riding lifts at the bike park or shuttle with your DH rig. You will not be grinding uphill with this lid. This helmet shines at the bike park or on straight-up shuttles that don't require much pedaling. We feel the heavier weight actually makes it feel sturdier and more robust.

troy lee designs d3 fiberlite - this helmet has a lot of great qualities. unfortunately, ventilation...
This helmet has a lot of great qualities. Unfortunately, ventilation is not a strong suit.

Ventilation


The D3 Fiberlite is not a super breathable or especially well-ventilated helmet, plain and simple. Yes, this helmet has a whooping 20 vents. Fourteen of these vents are intake vents and there are 6 exit ports. The helmet has channeling laid into the foam that allows air to pass through from front to back. All of the vents, including the five ports in the chin bar, are covered with a tight wire mesh screen.


Simply put, the D3 has okay ventilation, but the size of the vents, the wire mesh covers, and the inner lining simply doesn't ventilate all that well. It isn't a crazy hot and clammy helmet, but if you are worried about healthy amounts of airflow, we suggest looking elsewhere as a lighter, enduro-focused helmet is a better option.

troy lee designs d3 fiberlite - the d3 fiberlite has an adjustable visor that can move approximately...
The D3 Fiberlite has an adjustable visor that can move approximately two inches.

Visor


The D3 Fiberlite has an adjustable visor that is of adequate size and shape. The end of the visor is approximately 6.5-inches wide. This is a pretty good size as we find narrower visors to be a little awkward. The visor is pretty firm and it isn't very easy to bend and twist. We didn't crash on the visor, but we could see this visor cracking pretty easily given its rigidity.


The visor is adjusted by loosening a thumbscrew located under the visor just above the brow. This isn't the easiest spot to reach and it isn't the sort of adjustment you will want to do on the fly. The visor can move approximately 2-inches up and down which is a sizeable range of motion. The visor is anchored by the center thumbscrew and two seemingly heavy-duty bolts at the temple.

troy lee designs d3 fiberlite - with loads of padding, a fiberglass shell, and serious protection...
With loads of padding, a fiberglass shell, and serious protection, the D3 Fiberlite is no featherweight.

Durability


Throughout testing, we observed no major signs of durability concerns.


We mentioned the rigid visor as a potential area for concern. With the visor being so stiff and firm, we think it could be more prone to snapping and cracking in the event of an impact. One additional minor concern is that this helmet has fabric pull tabs to help pull the helmet onto your head. These are an item that we could easily see tearing or fraying with repeated use.

Extras


The D3 Fiberlite comes with a Troy Lee Designs helmet bag and an owner's manual with details about the helmet. It does not come with extra pads, hardware, or a replacement visor.

Value


We feel the D3 Fiberlite is an above-average value. You can spend more money to save a little bit of weight. You can also spend more money to get some better ventilation and airflow. That said, if you want a fantastic helmet that offers a comfortable fit and protective feel, the D3 Fiberlite gets the job done at what we feel is a very appealing price.

troy lee designs d3 fiberlite - when sending it into the next area code, the d3 fiberlite is a great...
When sending it into the next area code, the D3 Fiberlite is a great choice and won't drain the bank account.

Conclusion


The Troy Lee Designs D3 Fiberlite delivers excellent levels of protection with a ready-to-rumble and robust feel. If you are into bike park days, sketchy freeride lines, or racing downhill bikes and don't want to take out a second mortgage to buy a helmet, we feel this is a good option to consider.

Pat Donahue