Shark's own product title calls this colour "Bleu Steel," but the shell in hand reads as a matte gunmetal grey rather than a genuinely blue tone — there is a faint cool cast to it under direct light, but nowhere near enough saturation to call it blue outright, so the colour filter on this listing is set to Grey rather than repeating the supplier's own name uncritically. It is a quiet, businesslike finish, one shade darker in mood than the plain Blank decors without adding any printed graphic.

Plain, and described as plain

Shark's own copy for the Skwal Jet line stays entirely in everyday language — simplicity, mobility, clean lines — with no aerodynamic claim or spoiler anywhere in its materials, unlike the Jet Cup sibling built specifically around a wind-tunnel-tested rear fin. Dark Shadow is a finish name, not a performance one: it describes the steel-grey colour treatment, not a different level of engineering underneath. Positioned between the entry-level Blank decors and the pricier Venum graphic, Dark Shadow occupies the middle of this line's own range — a step up in finish without stepping up to a full printed design.

Shell and closure

Lexan polycarbonate, shared across the 2027 Skwal range, with a micrometric buckle closure — fine-step adjustment, single-motion release.

What ECE 22.06 actually tests

Homologation on this helmet is ECE 22.06, the road standard mandatory across the EU for newly type-approved helmets since January 2024. It is a genuinely stricter test than its 22.05 predecessor: eighteen impact points across several speeds rather than five points at one, an added oblique-impact test against an abrasive anvil that twists the shell instead of dropping it straight, and a scored Brain Injury Criterion for rotational forces the older standard ignored entirely. The visor, Pinlock insert and any comms unit stay fitted through testing. This model's paperwork carries Norme 2206, no FIM suffix attached.

Weight and neck load

1,395 g (+/-50 g) is Shark's quoted figure for the smaller of the two possible shell sizes. That weight sits above the head's own centre of gravity and is carried through every head movement across a ride, which is why even a modest difference in helmet weight is felt over a full day rather than in a single moment. Riders switching from a full-face helmet in a similar price bracket often notice the open face's lighter carry more than any specific gram figure printed on a spec sheet.

Ventilation

The ventilation system draws through two intakes up front and clears through two extractors at the rear. With no chin bar in the way, the path from intake to forehead is short and direct — a simple system, stated plainly on this model's own spec sheet.

Visor and Pinlock

Fitted here is the VZ670 visor family, shared with the Skwal Jet Cup and the LED-equipped Skwal i3 Jet — side-locking, anti-scratch treated, with a vortex generator worked into the edge. It ships with a Max Vision Pinlock 70 insert already fitted, its tension adjustable. Every tint beyond clear that Shark sells for this shell is racing use only; clear is the sole road-legal option for everyone.

Sun visor and everyday use

The internal sun visor operates on its own control, separate from the main visor, and the interior is shaped to avoid pressure on glasses arms. Shark names both SENA and Sharktooth intercom compatibility for this helmet specifically.

Fit

The size range covers XS through XXL. Whether that range is built on one shell mould or several is not stated by Shark for this model — the Jet Cup sibling has independent confirmation of two shells, this one does not, and the gap is left as a gap rather than filled with a guess.

Wind noise, honestly

It would be misleading to suggest this helmet rides as quietly as a full-face at speed — it does not, because the front is open and the visor sits closer to the jaw with nothing sealing against it. The visor's vortex generator reduces turbulence but does not remove that basic geometry. Shark publishes no decibel figure for this model, and this text does not invent one.

Where this sits on Shark's own price ladder

At 219.99 EUR, Dark Shadow Steel sits one step above the Blank decors — the cost of a distinct finish rather than a printed graphic.

Spare parts

A visor for this helmet is a stock item: Shark lists it in the same spares collection as the Skwal Jet Cup and the Skwal i3 Jet, sharing the VZ67005PINCTU Pinlock 70 part.

What this helmet does not protect

Worth stating plainly at this price: this helmet has no chin bar. A front or low-side impact that would load a full-face's chin section finds nothing equivalent here — the jaw and mouth area is open, by design. The ECE 22.06 certification above tests the shell, retention and visor as fitted; it cannot test coverage that does not exist.

The steel grey itself

The matte grey finish has a faint cool undertone rather than a warm charcoal, which is presumably what earns it Shark's own "Bleu Steel" naming, but it reads as grey, not blue, against the actual product photography. It sits between the plain Blank decors and the black Dark Shadow colourway in this line, without directly matching either. Under overcast light, which is when most commuting actually happens, the grey reads close to neutral; it is only under strong direct sun or artificial light that the cooler undertone becomes obvious enough to notice without looking for it.

Who this suits

This colourway suits a rider who wants something less flat than plain black but still understated — a genuine third option in this range's neutral-colour set, not simply black or white with a different name attached. It is also a reasonable middle ground for a rider replacing a full-face Ridill 2 with something open-faced without wanting to spend up to the Venum decor's price. A neutral grey also tends to hide brake dust and road grime picked up while parked on the street better than a lighter colour would, a small practical plus for anyone without covered parking.