FOX DROPFRAME PRO HELMET REVIEW

Words by Travis Reill  |  Photos by Sourpatch

Over the past several years, we have seen the line begin to blur between trail bikes and enduro bikes. It is no surprise that helmets have followed suit, with three-quarter-style helmets becoming increasingly popular for aggressive trail mountain biking. In 2019, Fox released their popular Dropframe helmet. Since then, many have depended on the Dropframe for aggressive trail rides, light enduro races, and even the occasional day at the bike park.

Recently, Fox took the much-loved Dropframe Pro, made a few upgrades, and released the new model for 2024. We’ve had the new Dropframe Pro for nearly a year, with several different testers donning their new flagship 3/4 helmet. We’ve put in the miles, and here are our thoughts.

ABOUT THE FOX DROPFRAME PRO

Unlike the original Dropframe Pro, Fox only offers the new Dropframe Pro in three sizes—small, medium, and large—doing away with the XL size. Fox hopes to remedy this by making the Dropframe more adjustable, ensuring most people will find a fit within the 51cm to 63cm sizing range. Each helmet, regardless of size, includes three sets of pads, varying in thickness by 5mm. These pads have an Ionic+ anti-microbial liner, which can be removed for washing. The rear cradle has four adjustment points, allowing users to fine-tune where it sits on their head. Further adjusting can be done through the BOA Fit System, allowing more micro-style adjusting, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit for the rider. These various ways to adjust fit are encompassed inside a new head form mold, with the new Dropframe Pro fitting more like Fox’s full-face helmet, the Proframe RS.

A BOA Fit System wasn’t the only feature added to the new Dropframe Pro, with users of the previous Dropframe complaining about the fixed visor. In response, Fox added adjustability to the new Dropframe Pro, allowing for the visor to be set in three different positions, as well as a screw to set the visor in one of those positions. With the visor all the way up, a rider can now store sunglasses or squeeze a pair of goggles under the visor. Beneath the visor is also a place to mount your action camera. All of this, plus added ventilation and a FIDLOCK magnetic buckle.

If you are an e-biker or just like the extra safety assurance, you’ll be happy to know the helmet meets the NTA-8776 EBike certification. Perhaps additional coverage helped the e-bike certification, as The Dropframe Pro now has more coverage on the back of the head, ears, and jaw. And, of course, Fox continues to use Mips technology in their helmets, including the Dropframe Pro. The result? A five-star rating by independent testers, Virginia Tech, although with an ever so slightly worse score than the previous generation helmet.

Fox is offering the Dropframe Pro helmet in a range of colorways from mild to wild, for a retail price of $279.95.

THE DIRT

I am a sucker for a standard half-shell helmet. And, if I am being honest, a half-shell is plenty of helmet for most of my riding, especially in the warmer summer and fall. I only use a full-face when I ride a bike park (or am testing one for a review) and have only done a few rides using a three-quarter helmet like the Dropframe. So, without a doubt, these past few months have been the longest amount of time I have spent in a three-quarter helmet by far.

And if I were to rate my overall experience with the Dropframe Pro, I’d give it “two thumbs up.”

I appreciated the extra coverage and safety that the Dropframe Pro provided me on the trails. I believe this extra coverage resulted in a boost of confidence while riding, similar to wearing a full-face helmet but without the breathing and drinking constraints of a chin bar. The additional coverage on the back of my head and my jaw was a nice addition, allowing me to push harder on the bike. Perhaps it is all psychological, but that is okay with me.

The Dropframe Pro fitted and adjusted well to my head. Although it is almost twice as heavy as other half-shells I am used to – my large Dropframe Pro is just over 700g – the weight was hardly noticeable. And, as far as I could tell, the helmet vented well and was reasonably breathable. I say this with a caveat because I used the Dropframe Pro at the tail end of the winter months. Being an obviously larger helmet with more coverage than a half-shell, I feel like I benefited from the Dropframe Pro’s coverage on these chilly winter rides—especially my ears. That said, I never felt like my head was getting too warm or overheating while wearing the Dropframe Pro.

However, I imagine this helmet will be warmer during summer than a standard half-shell. I don’t believe this will come as a surprise to anyone.

What I took away from all of this was that the place where I live has the perfect setup for three-quarter helmet use. During the winter, we head out east, where there is less snow. Our winter trails are steeper, faster, and gnarlier than trails we ride during the summertime, and I appreciate the extra protection a helmet like the Dropframe Pro offers. It keeps my ears warm but also allows me to breathe, as there is a fair bit of climbing on those winter trails.

During the rest of the year, I probably will not reach for the Dropframe Pro. Unless I am riding at the bike park, a halfshell feels adequate for all of the trails I ride. And if I am going to the bike park, would I reach for the Dropframe Pro over a full face? Probably not. At nearly $300, many may feel that the Dropframe Pro, or any three-quarter helmet, is just too niche.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Despite Fox only having three sizes for their new Dropframe Pro, the helmet is highly adjustable and fits me well. It was great to see Fox taking feedback from reviewers and customers alike and adding features such as an adjustable visor. Fox’s Dropframe Pro is perfect for keeping your ears warm on those chilly morning rides while allowing you to rip down the descent faster and more confidently than before. Style is subjective of course, but we think it looks pretty damn good too.

Price: $279.95
Website: Foxracing.com

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