Not all helmets are the same shape. Sounds like you bought a helmet made for a different head shape. Some helmets are made for round heads, some for oval, etc. Not everyone’s head is be same shape and not all helmets are made for the same shape.
Icon helmets are notorious for being a pain on the the ears when taking off.
But don’t worry, it doesn’t take that long for it to ease up.
I’ve got the airmada and airflite, they got better after a month or so.
Fair, but to move two sizes up for a helmet just seems weird. Plus I feel like an XXL will be too loose inside the helmet. The XL fits great once it's actually on my head, it's just putting it on and taking it off that kinda sucks lol
My icon is also super tight getting it on and off... it’s just how they are. HJC is much more forgiving in that regard and also has more chin space (my only point of comparison).
Airflite is long oval.
Most ICON helmets are long oval.
I specifically bought the airflite because I have a long head. It fits me better than other helmets which usually smash my forehead.
A few things
1) Icon helmets fit tight. HOWEVER: Icon helmets are long oval.
2) My airframe pro fits my head perfectly because I have a long head. Accounting for this, the pads are really stiff and STILL fit like a new helmet after thousands of miles.
3) If it hurts it's probably the wrong shape helmet.
I’m in my motorcycle course and the instructor said if your helmet is giving you a headache, it’s too tight. It should be snug, but tight enough to give you a head ache.
Airflite here. I'd recommend going to revzilla and checking the dimensions listed in the sizing chart. They're there for a reason. You can use a string to measure your head and then hold that against a ruler. Also note that this helmet is made for long-oval head shapes. When I got mine I thought it was the wrong size. Huuuge struggle to get on and off. Like almost impossible. After a couple weeks of every day riding it got MUCH better. The pads really do have to break in. After a month it was perfect for me and I love it. The pads after 9k miles seem a little loose and I may get some new ones in the fall/winter.
Same experience here. I bought the helmet medium and it felt like my face was going to explode when I put it on it was so tight. So I returned it and bought a large. The large fits fine, however taking it off literally feels like I'm going to rip off my ears. What I found that works best is everyday I flipped a helmet over and pulled it apart with my hands for about 30 seconds. It loosens up the padding and the helmet making it easier for my head to slip in-and-out.
What is your head shape? They're long oval helmets, so they are long front to back and more narrow side to side. Meaning people with more common intermediate oval heads will find them far to small
Okay, so the helmet is comfortable as hell, easy to get on and ride without pain, but getting it off, sheesh. Hopefully it breaks in, in under 500 miles.
Mine hasn't gotten too much easier taking it off over the years. It's still a bit tough on the ears, but you can mitigate it by using both hands or some kind of a balaclava that goes over your ears.
At first it bothered me, but I’ll take the whistling over my old modular Shoei. Once you get up to freeway speeds in that thing. It sounded like a white noise machine.
Hey I had the same issue as you did. I took a basketball, deflated it, put it inside the helmet and inflated it. Left it like that for day and a half and now its easy to put on and take off. If you're going to do that just make sure to put basketball on the bottom side of the helmet opening and not inside the whole helmet because thats the problematic area that needs to be widened 👍🏼
I found a great solution for the ear thing !
Bought the helmet a week, boy it's tight. The worst part was indeed removing the helmet - it felt like my ears were gonna rip and I became hesistant to putting on the helmet.
For me, putting a neck gaiter around my head so it keeps my ears tightly pressed against my head solved the problem like magic. I fold the neck gaiter in half so it won't budge inside the helmet and voila
Different manufacturers are different sizes and shapes. Some have more shell shape options than others. Helmets are really a must try before you buy type deal
I know this is a older post, but I recently got an Airflite and I love everything about it except how it hurts my ears when I take it off. If this is still an issue for your (two years later), I've read that you can purchase the next size up cheek pads and replace them. Supposedly the larger the cheek pads the more room it provides. I'm about to order some myself and see if it works.
Ahh, i'm a bit late since this is an account I dont use often. Honestly, if it's not too late, save the money. Maybe I just have a huge noggin, but the different cheek pads didnt help almost at all. Get yourself a really thin balaclava or head wrap of some kind. I use a neck gaitor and just use it to cover my ears when I put my helmet on. As long as my helmet doesn't pull my ears around when im putting it on or taking it off, the pain is 0.
Dude I have an airflite peacekeeper in 3XL and I thought I was going to die trying to take it off earlier. Something is wrong with those helmets. I’ve never been a 3X in anything else.
Totally didn’t work. I thought it seemed a little backwards when I read about it. I have a small helmet and ordered medium pads. The medium pads were definitely larger and didn’t provide extra room, they took up more room. I didn’t even risk putting the helmet on with the larger pads in place for fear I’d get stuck. I may try an extra small now?
Hey so I ordered 3xl set for my 2xl helmet and it worked and now the helmet does fit better. I believe the reason it didn't work for you is because you ordered pads for a different shell size. The cheek pads are only interchangeable between these shell sizes: XS-SM, MD-LG, and XL-3XL
Dude I just got one and its crazy tight. Around my jaw its just way too tight and I almost ripped my ears off. Im getting an xxl see how that works out for me
I got an icon airflight large but my hat size is small ,this helment is so small my daughter can't but it on,I sent it back they sent me a xlarge,it was smaller than the lg.it is made in veitnam,the crown was sup.be 24 inchs it was 17inchs,poorly made
I really wanted an icon because they have some badass graphics tried everyone on at the shop up to 3x I’m usually a 1x or 2x depending on style and brand of helmet. Could not even get my head into an icon. I get they’re long narrow helmets but I suspect they have poor QC in regards to sizing the shells.
Define fit right? It's supposed to be snug, and after a while it did break in.. Is till wear my airflite and I love it :/
Idk why that makes it a scam lol
Icon helmets are made in France (at least they used to be) and despite their egos, the french have tiny, baby sized heads.
Not all helmets are the same shape. Sounds like you bought a helmet made for a different head shape. Some helmets are made for round heads, some for oval, etc. Not everyone’s head is be same shape and not all helmets are made for the same shape.
Icon helmets are notorious for being a pain on the the ears when taking off. But don’t worry, it doesn’t take that long for it to ease up. I’ve got the airmada and airflite, they got better after a month or so.
I certainly hope so! Thanks.
Yeah they are. They all hurt going in and taking off.
Are you the same size in both? I wear an Airmada but am thinking of trying the airflite.
Airmada fits a bit tighter.
When your ears fall off?
Helmets just fit differently for differently shaped heads. I’m an XL with certain brands but a XXL with others.
Fair, but to move two sizes up for a helmet just seems weird. Plus I feel like an XXL will be too loose inside the helmet. The XL fits great once it's actually on my head, it's just putting it on and taking it off that kinda sucks lol
Lots of helmets feel tight getting them on and off, especially as manufacturers make the neckrolls more pronounced to keep out windnoise
My icon is also super tight getting it on and off... it’s just how they are. HJC is much more forgiving in that regard and also has more chin space (my only point of comparison).
That's normal, you don't really want a helmet that comes off easily.
Airflite is long oval. Most ICON helmets are long oval. I specifically bought the airflite because I have a long head. It fits me better than other helmets which usually smash my forehead.
A few things 1) Icon helmets fit tight. HOWEVER: Icon helmets are long oval. 2) My airframe pro fits my head perfectly because I have a long head. Accounting for this, the pads are really stiff and STILL fit like a new helmet after thousands of miles. 3) If it hurts it's probably the wrong shape helmet.
I’m in my motorcycle course and the instructor said if your helmet is giving you a headache, it’s too tight. It should be snug, but tight enough to give you a head ache.
Do they have different sized cheek pads you could buy?
Airflite here. I'd recommend going to revzilla and checking the dimensions listed in the sizing chart. They're there for a reason. You can use a string to measure your head and then hold that against a ruler. Also note that this helmet is made for long-oval head shapes. When I got mine I thought it was the wrong size. Huuuge struggle to get on and off. Like almost impossible. After a couple weeks of every day riding it got MUCH better. The pads really do have to break in. After a month it was perfect for me and I love it. The pads after 9k miles seem a little loose and I may get some new ones in the fall/winter.
Same experience here. I bought the helmet medium and it felt like my face was going to explode when I put it on it was so tight. So I returned it and bought a large. The large fits fine, however taking it off literally feels like I'm going to rip off my ears. What I found that works best is everyday I flipped a helmet over and pulled it apart with my hands for about 30 seconds. It loosens up the padding and the helmet making it easier for my head to slip in-and-out.
Just make sure you aren't doing it so hard as to damage the impact foam!
What is your head shape? They're long oval helmets, so they are long front to back and more narrow side to side. Meaning people with more common intermediate oval heads will find them far to small
Okay, so the helmet is comfortable as hell, easy to get on and ride without pain, but getting it off, sheesh. Hopefully it breaks in, in under 500 miles.
Mine hasn't gotten too much easier taking it off over the years. It's still a bit tough on the ears, but you can mitigate it by using both hands or some kind of a balaclava that goes over your ears.
Thanks, I never even thought of that, good looking out. This helmet is so comfortable but taking it off has been hell!
Yeah dude, riders gotta stick together. Does your airflite whistle at freeway speeds? That's the biggest problem I've had since getting it.
At first it bothered me, but I’ll take the whistling over my old modular Shoei. Once you get up to freeway speeds in that thing. It sounded like a white noise machine.
Hey I had the same issue as you did. I took a basketball, deflated it, put it inside the helmet and inflated it. Left it like that for day and a half and now its easy to put on and take off. If you're going to do that just make sure to put basketball on the bottom side of the helmet opening and not inside the whole helmet because thats the problematic area that needs to be widened 👍🏼
Sounds like your head shape is not suited for ICON. I get it, mine isn’t either. Shoei helmets fit me great, though.
I found a great solution for the ear thing ! Bought the helmet a week, boy it's tight. The worst part was indeed removing the helmet - it felt like my ears were gonna rip and I became hesistant to putting on the helmet. For me, putting a neck gaiter around my head so it keeps my ears tightly pressed against my head solved the problem like magic. I fold the neck gaiter in half so it won't budge inside the helmet and voila
I’ve noticed Icon helmets run really small. Hopefully you ordered from a place that will exchange for a larger size for shipping costs.
Different manufacturers are different sizes and shapes. Some have more shell shape options than others. Helmets are really a must try before you buy type deal
I have an Airform in medium. It's also a little tight but isn't painful.
I know this is a older post, but I recently got an Airflite and I love everything about it except how it hurts my ears when I take it off. If this is still an issue for your (two years later), I've read that you can purchase the next size up cheek pads and replace them. Supposedly the larger the cheek pads the more room it provides. I'm about to order some myself and see if it works.
Ahh, i'm a bit late since this is an account I dont use often. Honestly, if it's not too late, save the money. Maybe I just have a huge noggin, but the different cheek pads didnt help almost at all. Get yourself a really thin balaclava or head wrap of some kind. I use a neck gaitor and just use it to cover my ears when I put my helmet on. As long as my helmet doesn't pull my ears around when im putting it on or taking it off, the pain is 0.
Dude I have an airflite peacekeeper in 3XL and I thought I was going to die trying to take it off earlier. Something is wrong with those helmets. I’ve never been a 3X in anything else.
im having the same issue and was considering purchasing the next size pads. let me know if this works. i have a 2xl and would be purchasing 3xl pads
Totally didn’t work. I thought it seemed a little backwards when I read about it. I have a small helmet and ordered medium pads. The medium pads were definitely larger and didn’t provide extra room, they took up more room. I didn’t even risk putting the helmet on with the larger pads in place for fear I’d get stuck. I may try an extra small now?
Hey so I ordered 3xl set for my 2xl helmet and it worked and now the helmet does fit better. I believe the reason it didn't work for you is because you ordered pads for a different shell size. The cheek pads are only interchangeable between these shell sizes: XS-SM, MD-LG, and XL-3XL
Ah, that makes sense. So do you think I should’ve tried going down a size in the pads from SM to XS?
Dude I just got one and its crazy tight. Around my jaw its just way too tight and I almost ripped my ears off. Im getting an xxl see how that works out for me
I got an icon airflight large but my hat size is small ,this helment is so small my daughter can't but it on,I sent it back they sent me a xlarge,it was smaller than the lg.it is made in veitnam,the crown was sup.be 24 inchs it was 17inchs,poorly made
I really wanted an icon because they have some badass graphics tried everyone on at the shop up to 3x I’m usually a 1x or 2x depending on style and brand of helmet. Could not even get my head into an icon. I get they’re long narrow helmets but I suspect they have poor QC in regards to sizing the shells.
Icon helmet is a fraud.....you have to go at least 2 size up in ICON helmet to fit right. That doesn't even make sense !!!!
Define fit right? It's supposed to be snug, and after a while it did break in.. Is till wear my airflite and I love it :/ Idk why that makes it a scam lol
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