Coming from both street and motocross riding brings your attention to the detail and the fit of what’s on your head in any riding environment. Nexx has collections in each riding style, from the tarmac to the dirt. The WED series is more focused on a modular ADV shape, and the WRL series is more modeled toward a motocross look with an ADV feel for longitudinal riding through the elements.
The ATIKA is part of a collection of hybrid models with versatile features many riders are looking for. My first initial observation is that its lightweight design feels like a high-end motocross helmet, but it has the texture and cushioning of a street helmet—dirt by design, ADV by origin.
One of the top features to note on the ATIKA is its X-PRO carbon fiber shell providing a light 1225g weight for handling and easy neck movement. Its construction has an extendable visor with adjustable swivel screws for visor changes or goggle placement. All are suitable for potential impacts with branches, debris, or the ground, and I felt solid knowing it was DOT tested.
As a bonus, it has a goggle strap holder to ensure the only thing moving on your adventure is you. Its moisture-wicking removable pads include emergency release capabilities and an easy-to-use magnetic button chinstrap for every kind of glove to snap on.
It definitely helped me save time fumbling with straps, and it was nice to know I could easily remove everything at the end of a sweat- and mud-filled day. However, the X-MART dry fabrics only dried fast when the helmet was off and not during my riding, and it felt like it was lacking in the ventilation department. Let’s dive into how NEXX’s ATIKA may be limited due to its configuration to look like a motocross helmet but act more like a touring full-face helmet.
We can see NEXX continuing their trend of using aerodynamic and high-quality material with their X-PRO carbon fiber shell, and it delivered. A body weighing 1225g is formulated to feel 10% lighter. It helped me feel less fatigued after a long ride and rivaled my motocross helmets’ streamlined look and feel. It looks sleek and ready for action.
And even after a day of single track riding through narrow trails with low-hitting branches, its glossy coat and construction held true for me. The extendable visor does not provide much more coverage but still felt like an added bonus. Easability of opening vents and using the magnetic chinstrap helped make me feel like I was always ready to go without struggling mechanically.
A brilliantly-placed camera mount opening at the top of the visor is another touch that made me appreciate this hybrid helmet. A proficient design ensures any type of action cam could fit there to record your adventures. There are also swivel screws on the side, making it easy to take them off and put your camera, visors, or goggles on.
Areas that could use work are the opening fit for goggles being more tapered. Considering that NEXX advertised this model for use with interchangeable visors and goggles, I felt it missed the mark a bit in this fit. My motocross goggles’ fit was just a bit off and left spacing where there didn’t need to be any. They should either sell specific goggles for this helmet or fix the fit.
I also would like to see NEXX incorporate removable magnetic pads instead of the pop-lock ones that can often break over time or after extensive riding. For a helmet made to try and do multiple things at a lavish price range, I would need it to meet the standards of competitors that have perfected the inside and outside of the shell.
I give points for it being DOT-rated and having emergency straps on the inside liners—making this feel more legitimate for long-distance touring or full-day enduro riding.
The Nexx X.WRL ATIKA comes in three different shell sizes: XS-S, M-L, and XL-XXXL. I opted for an XS-S fit for my 55.4cm head, and it was a perfect fit.
It felt like it accurately conformed to my head without having pressure points. The cheek pads with hidro straps provided easy on and off application with a smooth and nonresistant fabric. Additionally, these smart straps have an opening that allows you to attach the tube and mouthpiece of the hydration bladders, which was convenient and well-designed.
I could also adjust the inflation of the pads to my liking and even take out the neck roll if it needed cleaning from sweat or dirt. Overall, the interior materials provided a comfortable fit during my rides, and I never felt like I needed to adjust anything sizewise.
However, throughout my ride in the desert, the moisture wick material didn’t perform well. I could continuously feel the fabric’s heat and didn’t think that the inside material dispersed heat or dried moisture fast enough for this to be an all-year riding helmet. Riders should be wary of longevity before taking the helmet off, which brings my score down.
The helmet’s construction is smooth, aligned, and solid—but often, the comfort of my pads didn’t meet what I needed for ventilation. The Atika is equipped with two extra vents in the brow area to allow airflow directly to the forehead and superior vents beneath the action cam spot and mouth area. The vents were easy to open with gloves but lacked the depth needed to reach all around my head and have enough airflow to dry the inside pads while riding.
Riding on a temperate day in the mid-70s, I felt like my head was roasting, and I needed to take the helmet off more than once in a three-hour ride. The lack of real ventilation was suffocating. I could see where Nexx took their design from their ADV models and implemented more of an MX style with carefully placed vents, but the missing piece was their depth. The fact that there just wasn’t enough ventilation to match that of my other helmets was apparent.
There were times I felt airflow while gaining speed at a higher gear, but for most of my ride, it just didn’t cut it. For this helmet to be suitable as an ADV MX cross-over designed for a longer ride, it would need more vents to match the weight with greater depth into the helmet so all this moisture wick material can do its job. Verdict: comfortable to wear, stifling to keep on.
Not surprisingly, the Atika delivered precisely what I thought it would in noise protection—it’s average and status-quo in this department. Nothing to write home about, but most of the adventure and MX helmets I’ve had provided average or below-average noise protection, so I’m not surprised.
The cushioning pads on the inside did help make it feel like my ears were somewhat protected from noise pollution, but it could still use some work, especially if you’re riding on a two-stroke motorcycle. My ears weren’t ringing at the end of the day, but if I don’t have trouble hearing my friends yell at me through the helmet, there probably isn’t enough hearing protection. However, I am the type who would gladly trade in my future hearing if the safety and design features on a helmet outweigh the noise protection.
I’ve got to hand it to NEXX for pushing past their comfort zone and trying to incorporate features every type of rider would like. You don’t see that often, because it’s hard to pull off. This catdog of a dual sport helmet ended up feeling like it was trying to be too many things in one package and fell short in many categories that make the price feel just a bit too far-fetched for me to pay out.
The ATIKA is well-sized and smooth-operating. This outstanding shell felt safe, durable, and handsome in the packaging. With features made for people of action like its camera mounts, carbon fiber motocross frame, and safety-proof certification, this helmet would attract the attention of a harder-ridden crowd made for ADV, enduro, single-track, and touring.
However, the helmet under-delivers when you consider what it’s designed for. The inability to ventilate properly is a major issue in terms of how a helmet does on the road. I’d also prefer to see more high-grade features like additional sizes of interior cushions, superior noise-proofing, removable magnetic removable pads, and ones that are lighter and more sweat-resistant on the ride (not just when the helmet is off).
The ATIKA is a helmet I wouldn’t consider buying new for $689.99, but it’s worth watching to see how future models improve. Trial and error made products from competitors worth paying over a grand for, so I’m looking forward to NEXX’s new line of crossovers. For now, though, this helmet could use more R&R to meet the standards for real adventure helmets.
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