The new Lazer Z1 Kineticore is currently the object of all of our desires

Ask any artist and they'll tell you that while creating something great is very hard, following it up is arguably more difficult. There's an entire cultural wasteland of poor second albums and disappointing film sequels that failed to live up to the shadow cast by their predecessors. In a similar vein, Lazer knew that following up its iconic Z1 helmet was going to be a difficult task as the original was so popular among pro and amatuer road riders. But the revamped version - the Z1 Kineticore - honestly not only lives up to the expectation but manages to exceed it, both visually and functionally. 

The headline feature of this new Z1 is, as the name suggests, Kineticore. If you're not familiar with Kineticore, it's Lazer's own anti-rotational impact technology, designed to protect your brain from damaging forces during a crash. That's the main benefit - and it's an important one - but the even better thing about Kineticore is that it comes with other benefits that make a helmet better, namely lighter weight and improved ventiliation. Because Kineticore is integrated into the helmet (rather than added in post-construction) it uses less EPS foam which is how it's lighter, and those Kineticore blocks that crumple to absorb impact also act as extremely effective channels for ventilation, which gives the Z1 Kineticore the best air flow of any Lazer helmet yet. 

And of course, most importantly, the Z1 Kineticore scored a 5/5 rating for safety from Virginia Tech meaning none of the performance benefits of the helmet come at the expense of safety.

If you want some quick facts on the Z1, it weighs 220g for a medium, uses the Advanced Rollsys retention system, is compatible with Lazer's own rear LED light through the port in the rear of the helmet, has a floating headband at the front for improved comfort and eyewear friendly docking ports for your sunglasses. Basically every feature you'd expect in a top-of-the-range helmet and a few extras thrown in for good measure. 

At £229.99, the Z1 Kineticore is very competitively priced for a top-end helmet, but if you're after something a little less expensive then Lazer has a wide range of road helmets like the Strada Kineticore at £89.99, Tonic Kineticore at £59.99 and Tempo Kineticore at £39.99. WIth a wide variety of colours and styles available, there really is something for everyone in the Lazer range and you can find them all stocked right here on Freewheel.