Shoei Qwest

Just came back from the local cafe to find Shoei's new touring helmet on my desk. The Qwest is billed as a universal touring helmet so I guess that covers my daily commute in London. First impressions are certainly good. The helmet has been finished to a high standard and features removable cheekpads and a double D fastener.?

It feels slightly lighter than the Arai Condor that I have been wearing for the last couple of years. More importantly it has a Sharp rating of 5 as opposed to the Condor’s lowly score of 2, despite a similar price tag.

Shoei’s aim with the Qwest was to come out with the best possible touring helmet. Their development department was briefed to find the best balance between a comfortable, lightweight and effective noise-cancelling helmet that would be a pleasure to wear.??

So is it better than my old Condor? I’ll post a full review once I have covered some miles in it (rather than wearing it at my desk whilst typing this).