A ¾ Shell MTB Helmet and REI Bike Bags [Gear Watch]

A new Kali helmet and Wolf Tooth chainrings plus a drone, bike, saddle, and bags in for test.

Gear Watch Wednesday is a weekly update on the latest mountain bike gear releases and products that Singletracks has received for test. Have gear news to share, or products you’d like us to check out? Email [email protected].

Photo: kaliprotectives.com

Open Face Kali Invader

We’re starting to see more open-face / half-shell mountain bikes helmets with extended ear and jaw coverage, including the new Kali Open Face Invader. The vented helmet ships with three sets of cheek pads to dial in the fit and utilizes a fumble-free Fidlock chin buckle. And like other MTB helmet updates we’ve seen this year, the OF Invader’s fit system can be adjusted not just around the circumference of the helmet, but also up and down.

  • Price: $225
  • Two sizes
  • Buy from kaliprotectives.com

Canyon Spectral CF 8 K.I.S. in for test

Matt has been riding Canyon’s latest Spectral build, the CF 8 K.I.S. for the past few weeks. The 150/160mm bike is chock full of features: it comes with a RockShox coil shock and Lyrik fork with the latest Charger 3 damper plus a SRAM GX AXS drivetrain. It’s also a mixed-wheel build and features Canyon’s K.I.S. steering stabilizer. Lastly, the Spectral CF 8 K.I.S. sells for a great price.

  • MSRP: $4,699
  • Buy from Canyon.com

HoverAir X1 camera drone

Following a successful Indiegogo campaign, the HoverAir X1 camera drone is now available for purchase. The sleek, pocket-sized design looks impressive, and the folks behind the drone claim it’s easy to operate. Look for a full review later this year.

  • Price: $439
  • Buy from thehover.com
Photo: Wolf Tooth.

Transmission-optimized Wolf Tooth chainrings for Race Face cranks

Want to run your Race Face cranks with your SRAM Transmission drivetrain? Wolf Tooth has Transmission-optimized chain rings with a 3mm offset designed to fit Race Face Cranks, available in multiple sizes and both oval and round configurations. In addition to fitting T-type chains, the 3mm offset version is also optimized for Super Boost chainlines according to Wolf Tooth.

REI Co-op bike bags

We’ve got a pile of REI Co-op bike bags in for test, including the snack and bar bags shown above. We’ll also be checking out the Co-Op handlebar roll and top-tube bag, so stay tuned.

SDG Allure V2 saddle

This version of the SDG Allure V2 saddle is sure to turn heads out on the trail! Mountain bike saddles tend to be black and boring, so it’s refreshing to see another take. Will it deliver comfort in addition to style? That’s TBD.