This summer at Crankworx Whistler, Leatt presented their upcoming 2024 Gravity 6.0 full-face helmet and Velocity 4.0 X-Flow goggles to a select group of MTB media. They kindly provided samples for review, so since then I’ve been riding with both pieces. The helmet and goggles have now officially launched, so here are the key details and my impressions of how they feel on the trails.
The 2024 Gravity 6.0 full-face helmet uses a new kind of carbon construction called M-Forge. This material flexes more than traditional carbon to help absorb impact energy, while keeping it super light. I found the Gravity 6.0 to offer great ventilation, comfortable interior padding, and a very reasonable weight.
Leatt’s new Velocity 4.0 X-Flow goggles introduce a new level of ventilation with their heavily cut-out frames. They proved to be comfortable and kept mud and water off my eyes (except for one specific incident). They also kept wind to a tolerable level, and are much cooler on your face than other goggles.
Gravity 6.0 Full-Face Helmet:
The 2024 Gravity 6.0 helmet boasts a new kind of carbon for most of its shell, called M-Forge. The M-Forge carbon is more flexible than traditional carbon fiber, so it helps reduce rebound to decelerate impact forces. The chin bar is made from composite, and beneath the shell is an EPS + EPO impact foam liner.
The Gravity 6.0 has 22 vents, and a fairly cut-out chin bar with a removable mud/bug guard.
Protection is a top concern for Leatt, so they’ve outfitted the Gravity 6.0 with their 360 Turbine Technology. Leatt says these pads reduce peak brain acceleration by up to 30% at impact speeds that can cause concussions. Since they can shift in all directions, the pads also reduce rotational acceleration of the brain by up to 40%.
To further mitigate impact forces in a crash, Leatt gave the Gravity 6.0 a breakaway visor. They also designed this helmet to work well with neck braces.
The Gravity 6.0’s Dri-Lex interior padding is breathable and moisture-wicking. It also has anti-odor properties and is washable. Leatt stuck with a traditional double D-ring chin buckle for this lid.
Leatt makes two shell sizes for the Gravity 6.0, but with different sets of interior padding, they can offer S/M/L/XL sizes. The size range covers heads from 55-62 cm.
As for weight, Leatt estimates 700-800g depending on size, but that seems a bit optimistic. My scale shows the medium Gravity 6.0 at 873g. The Gravity 6.0 helmet sells for $380. There are three color options: White Stealth, or Gold (as tested).
Ride Impressions:
Since Crankworx Whistler I’ve been riding the Gravity 6.0 helmet in the Whistler Bike Park and on my local trails. The first thing I’m happy to report is that it fits my head quite comfortably. I have a slightly shallow and narrow head, and the Gravity 6.0 sits right where it should be on me. The interior shape lines up nicely with my skull, and I never experienced any discomfort from this lid.
As this helmet is designed for DH more than anything, Leatt gave it substantial interior padding. The padding is comfortable, and the sizeable cheek pads keep the helmet snug without squeezing my cheeks.
I’ve measured my head at 56cm, but I’m wearing Leatt’s size medium helmet which is listed as 57-58cm. I got small and medium padding sets with the helmet, but the medium pads were tight enough for me. After all my test rides, the padding hasn’t packed out to any noticeable degree.
Ventilation:
My first ride with the Gravity 6.0 helmet was a three-hour summer session in the Whistler Bike Park. The weather was warm at the base and pleasantly cool up top with a good breeze blowing.
The Gravity 6.0’s ventilation is excellent. The big forehead vents are great; the entire top of my head and face were getting plenty of airflow. My head never felt hot in this lid, even while riding the gondola or hanging around the mountain’s base (and I left it on just to find out!). On my local trail rides, I also noticed good ventilation around my ears from the side vents. Leatt also shaped the helmet’s shell so there are no vents that get blocked by your goggle strap.
Now the Gravity 6.0’s ventilation is very good, but I have a hunch it could be improved upon. The interior padding partially or almost completely blocks several of the vents, and some areas have vent holes but they’re small. I wonder how much airflow could be improved by trimming the interior pads to keep all the vents unobstructed.
While this is really a well-vented downhill helmet, it is airy and lightweight enough that it can be worn for enduro/trail rides. I did a bit of pedaling in it and found it almost as trail-friendly as some fully enduro-focused full-faces.
I’m happy with this helmet’s weight; it’s not a heavy lid at 873g. Leatt said they felt some superlight full faces aren’t as confidence-inspiring as one that feels a bit more solid, so they kept the 6.0 on the light side but used every gram they could to ensure good protection.
One thing I wasn’t wild about is how the Gravity 6.0’s chin bar is a bit high. Thankfully it’s not visually problematic, it just leaves a little less field-of-view than most other full-faces I’ve worn. I was still able to pedal up climbs without it blocking my view of the trail below.
Visor:
I’m not a huge fan of the Gravity 6.0’s visor, as it’s not much help in keeping the sun off your eyes. The breakaway visor is non-adjustable and is fixed in a pretty high position. One day I was riding along flat ground facing the sun, and the visor wasn’t shading my face at all. Looking at the helmet, it’s obvious the visor is designed to direct airflow into the vents (which it does well). I still think a height adjustment would be ideal so the visor can block the sun better.
Goggle compatibility was great with the Gravity 6.0. Leatt’s Velocity 4.0 X-Flow goggles fit perfectly with the helmet and every other pair of goggles I have fit into the face opening easily. While gearing up, it’s easy to feel the ridge in the helmet and line up your goggle strap properly.
For super sloppy days, Leatt provides a clip-on visor extender, which is translucent to allow light through. Since I was trying to get the X-Flow goggles splattered whenever possible, I never rode with the extender.
Overall I think the Gravity 6.0 is a nice looking lid, but the branding is a bit excessive. The word Leatt shows up 27 times on this helmet! It’s just my opinion, but I think the graphics would look nicer if they removed some of the Leatt logos.
Velocity 4.0 X-Flow Goggles:
Ventilation is the name of the game with Leatt’s new Velocity 4.0 X-Flow goggles. These goggles were designed around a chopped-away frame, which leaves the bottom completely open and has no foam in the top vents. They are intended to encourage DH or enduro riders who would typically wear sunglasses to enjoy the protection of a goggle without the usual added warmth or condensation.
Leatt kept the foam minimal to keep these goggles cool, but there is foam at the top and sides for comfort and to keep sweat from running into your eyes. The Iriz lens models get a triple-layer, dual-density foam with an anti-sweat fleece backing. The clear lens models get dual-density foam. Since there’s no need to seal the X-Flows against your face, they can be worn a bit looser than typical goggles.
The Velocity 4.0 X-Flow goggles are available with two lens options – Rideviz Iriz lenses with a permanent anti-fog and scratch-resistant coating, or RideViz clear lenses. If you’re familiar with Leatt’s goggles, you might know their lenses are bulletproof!
Leatt’s WideVision lenses provide 170° visibility. The X-Flow frames were designed to fit into helmets easily and to fit over eyeglasses.
The X-Flow’s mesh straps are designed to maintain airflow if they happen to block the vents on your helmet. The straps are 45mm on Iriz models or 50mm wide on clear lens models and have an anti-slip coating to keep them adjusted correctly. They also have silicone gripper strips to keep them secure on your helmet.
The Velocity 4.0 X-Flow goggles retail for $90 with mirrored Iriz lenses, or $70 with a clear lens. Frame color options are Blue, Red, or Granite (Iriz lens), Black, Stripe, or Timber (clear lens).
Ride Impressions:
The Velocity 4.0 X-Flow goggles fit my face well, and I found them comfortable. You might wonder if they would create any pressure points at the bottom of the sides, but after my first few hours wearing them I didn’t find this to be a problem. If anything, there is a bit more pressure on your nose than usual, but the foam padding was good enough to keep my nose happy.
Depending on how the goggles fit with your helmet, this can be slightly better or worse; With a Bell Sanction full-face, I felt less pressure on the nose than I did with Leatt’s Gravity 6.0 helmet or my ABUS AirDrop. At worst, it was still only a minor difference versus normal goggles and I never came home with a sore nose.
Protection:
With the huge vents on these goggles, you’re probably thinking water, mud, or dust might get inside the lens while you’re riding. I only had one issue with water getting in from the top vents, but otherwise, I never managed to get any spray or splatter in my eyes.
On one run in the very dry Whistler Bike Park, I chased a few riders through a serious cloud of dust and none of it got to my eyes. Through fall and early winter, I went for a few rides in wet conditions, in both light rain and wet snow. The open bottoms of the goggles didn’t allow anything to get up behind the lens, even with my open-faced Oakley DRT5 helmet providing no protection from below.
Once I had an issue with the top vents allowing water in – On my snowy ride the trees were dripping on my DRT5 helmet as I climbed, and when I put the goggles on for my descent, water dripped from my wet helmet onto the inside of the X-Flow’s lens. A little foam in the top vents would likely have prevented this.
I never had any issues with too much wind flowing through the goggles. On a near-freezing ride, I could feel the cold air flowing around my eyes almost enough to make them water – but not quite. On that ride, it occurred to me these goggles are comparable to a pair of larger-lensed sunglasses in terms of wind protection. You will feel air flowing all over your face with the X-Flows, but they kept the direct wind off my eyes well enough.
Condensation:
The upside of the Velocity 4.0 X-Flow’s generous airflow is they are far cooler on your face than most goggles. On hot days not sealing off half my face felt great, and my face remained much cooler than normal goggles would allow. I could only imagine anyone preferring full-framed goggles for sub-zero rides where you want to stay warm wherever possible.
One thing these goggles do amazingly well is resist condensation. From sweaty summer days to snowy rides, I never got any fog on the X-Flow’s lenses. Even after wearing them for short climbs and while pedaling home from the trails, I could not produce one bit of condensation. The Velocity 4.0 X-Flows easily beat any other pair of goggles I’ve ridden in this regard. You’d have to ride in a sauna to fog these things up!
My final comment on the X-Flow goggles is about one benefit you might not have foreseen. They provide excellent lower visibility, as you can actually see through the open bottom sections! This was a nice bonus when looking down to check your bike, or your phone, or enjoying a mid-ride snack.
