None of these helmets are losers, but there can only be one winner in this shootout. That winner is the Lazer Jackal. It puts the head-protection puzzle together like no other and is one of those pieces of gear we are always happy to be wearing.

The Lazer Vento KinetiCore is an impressive and innovative helmet that mixes decent airflow with a new fitting system and good looks, and avoids giving you the mushroom-head look of some aero helmets.

The Lazer Jackal KinetiCore is a nicely designed Trail-bike helmet with above-average ventilation, good comfort, a fairly middle-of-the-road fit that should work for a lot of people, and a 5-star safety rating from Virginia Tech’s helmet testing lab. And in terms of the comfort-oriented claims that we’re capable of testing, the KinetiCore technology at the heart of the helmet delivers. It’s a really nice option, particularly for folks who’d prefer a relatively lightweight, low-profile helmet.

The Vento KinetiCore has proven to be a very comfortable helmet — so much so that Dave declared it “perhaps the most comfortable helmet” he’s ever worn.

Boasting a reasonable price tag and a whole host of advanced road cycling features, the Lazer Strada KinetiCore helmet sticks to the brand’s promise of passing the savings achieved from use of its proprietary safety system to the end user. With a full five-star independent safety rating, a great fit, sleek design and lightweight construction, this is a fantastic road helmet for the money.

Lazer has introduced an interesting new impact protection system with KinetiCore, and in the Jackal has a very competent and high-performing helmet, with an excellent fit and competitive weight.