K2 Ally Helmet Review
Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The K2 Ally Helmet is a women’s specific ski/ride helmet that is actually sized for a women’s head. The K2 Ally Helmet is not only perfectly sized, available in XS, S, and M, it also extremely lightweight at 394 grams or 13.9 ounces. Don’t let the lightweight and smaller size fool you; it is also packed with awesome features, making the K2 Ally my go to helmet for this winter.
K2 Ally Helmet Features
The K2 Ally Helmet features the K2dialed Fit System, which allows the wearer to get a customized fit, all the way around with a twist or crank of a dial featured at the base of the helmet in the rear. The adjustment system is easy to operate with one hand and adjusts evenly around your head to avoid any pressure or tension points that may cause headaches. Above is a graphic of how the system works. The chin strap also features an easy loop pull, which allows you to shorten the strap with one hand, when needed and the extra flap can be easily stowed under one of the elastic straps on the chin rest.
The K2 Ally Helmet, despite being lightweight, keeps your noggin plenty warm thanks to its’ soft micro-fleece liner. The liner features soft fleece over the ears, forehead, along the center of the helmet, and at the rear. Breathable mesh is featured at the top right and left, in the high heat areas. The transition between soft fleece and mesh is seamless, no odd pokes or uncomfortable zones, thanks to flat lock seams. The liner is integrated with the adjustment system and audio system, and can easily be removed for washing (which I have yet to do) and reinstalled in a few minutes. The ear flaps provide excellent coverage over the ears; yet on super cold days I have been adding a Buff or baclava underneath, with plenty of room to spare thanks to the adjustment system. The chin strap also features the super soft fleece to prevent any awkward rubbing.
The Ally Helmet keeps your head warm, fits well, and keeps your day interesting with a pre-installed audio system. Music while skiing? Yes, please! I always avoided ear buds with my other helmets because I felt that it was such a hassle to put the ear buds into the helmet and remove them each day. K2 has you covered with their very own Level 3 Baseline Audio system: the earpads feature low profile speakers that are virtually unnoticeable and a small audio port in the rear of the helmet to connect to your device. The device cord is a generous length and allows me to stash my phone in a chest pocket or down in my ski pants, without tugging on my head or feeling restricted. The cord features a volume control and a pause/play feature that allows you to use your phone remotely. I have yet to use the hang up/answer functions with the audio set up, as my iPhone works best in airplane mode on the mountain to avoid a drained battery within 2 hours. There is no skip button, so make sure to put your music on a playlist that you plan to enjoy all day long. The volume of the speakers is adequate, as I like to be able to hear others on the lifts and on the slopes. If you are hard of hearing or love to rock out with loud tunes, the speakers will not do that for you, even with the music up full on your device plus the speakers turned up. I think this is a good thing, keeping people safe and aware on the slopes.
Style and Function
The K2 Ally Helmet is available in three colors for the 2013-2014 season; red, white, and black. I tested out the red helmet and loved its’ shine and simplicity. There is a small lip or brim to keep that features a teal accent color and two vents along the front and rear. The white and black colors appear to have more of a matte finish and additional graphic details.
I have tried the K2 Ally Helmet with my new K2 Captura goggles and there is no gap when using the K2 combo. I have also paired the helmet with my Smith I/OS and Bolle Duchess goggles, and there is a very small gap between the goggle lens and the helmet with both, but almost unnoticeable.
The K2 Ally Helmet retails for $129 and is a great option for ladies that want protection, style, warmth, and tunes while on the slopes.
For more info, visit www.evo.com/k2.
