The second Raceblock colourway swaps blue for orange against the same black-and-anthracite blocking, gloss-finished and set out along the Skwal Cup's shell rather than printed flat across it. Same graphic language, warmer accent colour, same helmet underneath.

The shape at the back of the shell

Look at the Skwal Cup from the side and the rear of the shell rises into a distinct fin rather than tapering away smoothly — that raised section is the spoiler, and its profile was set through computational fluid-dynamics modelling before being checked in a wind tunnel, not sketched by eye. Its job is entirely functional: managing how air leaves the back of the helmet so it doesn't separate into the kind of turbulence that pushes a rider's head around at speed.

Rotation, not just impact

For decades, helmet standards mostly measured how hard a straight drop hit the head. ECE 22.06 — the standard the Skwal Cup is certified to, mandatory in the EU since January 2024 and stricter than the 22.05 it replaced — adds a Brain Injury Criterion that scores rotational forces as well, because a glancing, twisting fall is closer to how most real crashes actually load the head than a clean vertical drop is. To get there, the test rig also grew from five impact points to eighteen, added multiple impact speeds, and introduced an oblique-impact test against an abrasive anvil that deliberately induces that rotation — with the visor, Pinlock and comms fitted, as the helmet is actually worn. No FIM suffix on this model: road certification, not competition.

Where the air goes

A front intake feeds air in; two rear exhaust vents let it back out. Straightforward rather than elaborate, and it stays out of the way of the spoiler's job at the back of the shell.

Reading the manufacturer's figure correctly

Manufacturers almost always quote a helmet's weight for its smallest shell size, because that's the lightest number available — and Shark's 1,580 g (+/-50 g) figure for the Skwal Cup is no exception: it's measured on the first, smallest shell. A rider taking L, XL or XXL is on the Skwal Cup's larger shell, and should expect a somewhat higher real-world figure for the identical helmet. Compared with the roughly 1,250 g to 1,800 g spread across our own road-legal full-face range, this figure sits mid-pack rather than at either end.

Construction, briefly

Two shell sizes in injection-moulded polycarbonate, a multi-density EPS liner tuned differently across the shell rather than uniform foam, and a double-D ring closure — mechanical fastening over a quick-release buckle, for a fit that holds under load.

The Raceblock orange finish, in use

Orange against black and anthracite is a genuinely visible combination in daylight traffic, and the gloss finish keeps it looking sharp — bug spatter and road film wipe off with less effort than on a matte shell, at the cost of showing fine scuffs a touch more readily. The orange panel is placed to stay legible from the side as well as head-on, the angle most other road users actually see a helmet from at a junction. Alongside the blue-accented Raceblock decor in the same range, this orange version is the warmer, higher-contrast option of the two — worth cross-checking both before deciding, since the shell, the spoiler and every technical spec underneath are identical between them.

The choice comes down to which accent colour a rider actually wants to see in the mirror every morning, not to any functional difference between the two.

Sun visor, intercom, glasses

Crown-slider sun visor, glasses-friendly cheek pads, tool-free outer visor, and a shell built to take an intercom unit — small conveniences that matter more on a daily ride than in a spec comparison.

Proportional sizing

Two shell sizes underpin the six-size run from XS to XXL, avoiding the single-shell compromise where either small heads carry too much bulk or large heads get too little shell.

What's built in, not what's claimed

Rather than quote a noise figure no one has actually measured for this model, here's what's built to manage it: a perimeter seal at the visor aperture and a chin curtain at the base of the shell, both there to close air gaps rather than leave them open to whistle.

Positioned between entry-level and electronics

Shark's road range opens with the Ridill 2 at €189.99 and the D-Skwal 3 at €219.99 — both without the Skwal Cup's aerodynamic shell. This decor lists at €319.99. Above it, the Skwal i3 (€319.99–€399.99 by decor) and Skwal i Cup (from €329.99) add an LED brake-light system on top of a broadly similar shell, which accounts for most of the price gap.

The one part that wears

Visors take the brunt of daily wear on any helmet, and Shark sells replacements for the Skwal Cup directly, in the same spare-parts collection as the Ridill 2, D-Skwal 3 and Skwal i3 — a scratched visor is an order, not a write-off.

What a "Skwal" search might mislead you on

Search for star ratings or LED brake lights under "Skwal" and you'll find results — none of them belong to this helmet. No SHARP rating exists for the Skwal Cup itself; SHARP has rated the Skwal, Skwal 2 and D-Skwal, not the Cup. No LED brake light either — that's fitted to the Skwal i3 and Skwal i Cup. This model's homologation is ECE 22.06 only, with no FIM suffix, and it carries no MIPS liner, no electronic quick-release system, and no tear-off posts on the visor.

In the box

The helmet, a Pinlock 70 insert fitted ready to use, and Shark's five-year warranty cover, registered on delivery.

Choosing the orange Raceblock over its blue sibling costs nothing in terms of certification, weight or aerodynamics — the decision is purely about which palette a rider prefers, which is exactly how a colourway choice should work.

Specification

• Model — Skwal Cup Raceblock
• Ventilation — 1 intake vent, 2 exhaust vents
• Visor — Optical class 1, anti-scratch visor, Pinlock 70 insert included
• Weight — 1,580 g nominal, lighter shell, +/-50 g spread
• Shell — Polycarbonate shell, multi-density EPS, two sizes
• Homologation — ECE 22.06 certified
• Sun visor — Internal anti-fog sun visor, crown slider
• Closure — Double-D ring buckle
• Warranty — 5 years from purchase
• Interior — Removable Alveotech liner, machine washable
• Sizes — XS to XXL across 6 sizes
• Country of origin — Manufactured in Portugal

Size guide — all measurements