Load Off My Mind

I went back to my old Arai helmet this morning, just to test a theory that has been forming in the recesses of my brain. Riding has been more work than anything of late, and I decided to see if the helmet could make a difference. The Arai is about half the weight of my Nolan. It's also a damn sight quieter, too, I noticed.
After 20 miles in the thing, I'm sold. This doesn't mean the Nolan is no good. I still want it for those now improbable long solo trips. The flip-face alone makes it worthwhile, since there's no guarantee a paramedic knows how to remove a helmet without wrenching your vertebrae out though your trachea. And the sun visor is an amazing innovation. But I'm looking for ways to make my life less miserable right now, and the Arai seems to be one small way to do that.