The matt black Midtown is the plainest of the top-line Y.10s and the one where the finish quality is the only thing you are paying for. Same shell, same sun visor, same buckle as the 119-euro version.

What an open-face helmet does and does not do

🔵 There is no version of this helmet that protects your jaw, and no amount of equipment elsewhere changes that. What the Y.10 does instead is do the jet job properly for the money: two shell sizes, a drop-down sun visor, a micrometric buckle and three market approvals.

The open-face category under ECE 22-06 covers everything except the chin.

About the Midtown Black finish

It is worth being straightforward about what the Midtown premium buys, because the specification does not change anywhere in this range: shell, two shell sizes, drop-down sun visor, micrometric buckle, liner and all three approvals are identical from the cheapest Y.10 to this one. What differs is the paint and the detailing. In matt black that difference is at its least visible, which makes this the version to choose on appearance alone rather than on value. 🔵 Matt hides the handling marks a city helmet accumulates and holds dust more visibly than gloss; it is washed rather than polished.

Polyfusion, two shells and three approvals

🔵 If you are comparing inexpensive jets, the two questions worth asking are which ECE revision the helmet holds and how many shell sizes the range uses. Plenty of budget open-face helmets are single-shell and still sold to 22.05.

The Y.10 is ECE 22-06 across two outer shell sizes, with DOT and NBR approvals alongside.

The sun visor, the peak — and the clear visor that is not there

An open-face with a drop-down shield is the most practical urban combination there is: you get the openness of a jet with something to pull down at a low sun, and nothing to change over at the roadside.

🔵 The limitation is that the shield is tinted rather than clear, and the helmet ships without a clear visor. Plan eyewear accordingly.

Airflow on an open-face

🔵 Winter is where a jet's ventilation stops being a feature and becomes a limitation. There is no way to close the face opening, and no amount of layering makes an open-face a December helmet.

In its season it is the most comfortable thing you can put on your head. A two-stage top vent is fitted to some Y.10 versions.

Interior, glasses and the buckle

Two things to check when trying this helmet on. First, that it does not rock forward when you nod — that is a size problem, not a strap problem. Second, that your own glasses go on and off without catching.

🔵 The liner is cut slim for exactly the second point, and the buckle is a fine-adjustment micrometric ratchet.

Intercom — and the 45 mm limit

🔵 Fit the speakers before you commit to a route. Universal recesses accept audio sets up to 45 mm, and the slim glasses-friendly liner leaves less spare depth than a plusher interior would.

The microphone routing is straightforward on an open-face — there is no chin bar to work around.

1325 grams, and the rest of the honest list

🔵 No independent safety rating exists for this helmet. SHARP has no Y.10 entry — the five-star „Nexx Y100" is a different model, and a full-face rather than a jet — and there is no ADAC or Snell result.

What it does hold: ECE 22-06, DOT FMVSS 218 and NBR7471:2015. Weight is 1325 g ±50.

Choosing the right size

🔵 A jet shows a bad fit sooner than a full-face does, because there is no chin bar spreading the load. A helmet slightly too small will press at the temples within twenty minutes; one slightly too large will lift at the back at speed.

Try it on properly. Two outer shell sizes cover XXS to XXL.

When something wears out

The drop-down shield lives inside the shell and is therefore protected from most damage — but it also collects fingerprints and dust in a way an outer visor does not, because it is the surface closest to your eyes.

🔵 Clean it wet, never dry. Replacements are available if it is scratched.

Where it sits in Nexx's range

Among urban helmets the Y.10 is unusually complete for the money and unusually clear about what it is. City speeds, short journeys, daylight riding — and a full-face for anything else.

🔵 Nexx's Y.100R is that full-face, on a related shell platform, for around 55 € more.

In the box

• Nexx Y.10 jet helmet — Midtown Black MT (Polyfusion shell, two shell sizes)
• Peak
• 🔵 No clear visor — the integrated drop-down shield is lightly tinted and is the only screen supplied
• 🔵 No intercom — the helmet is prepared for universal systems up to 45 mm; the system is a separate purchase

Size guide

Specification

• Model — Nexx Y.10
• Part number — 01Y1001377011
• Colour — Midtown Black MT — Matt black, Midtown line
• Homologation — ECE 22-06 (UN) · DOT FMVSS 218 · NBR7471:2015 — 🔴 no CCC on this model
• 🔴 Chin protection — none — this is an open-face helmet and has no chin bar
• 🔴 Safety rating — none for the Y.10. SHARP's five-star „Nexx Y100" is a different model — and a full-face, not a jet. No ADAC or Snell result either
• Helmet type — Jet / open-face, urban
• Shell — Polyfusion thermoplastic; two outer shell sizes (XXS–L / XL–XXL)
• Weight — 1325 g ±50 — the lightest helmet in Nexx's range
• Sizes — XXS to XXL (seven sizes)
• Sun visor — integrated ultra-wide drop-down, lightly tinted, deployed by a fine tab on the edge of the lens
• 🔴 Clear visor — not supplied — the box contains the helmet and a peak. For night or wet riding, add glasses or goggles
• Peak — included
• Ventilation — active system for urban climate control. 🔴 An integrated two-stage top vent is fitted to some versions only — not range-wide
• Retention — micrometric quick-release buckle
• Interior — fully removable, washable and breathable; slim shape cut to work with glasses
• Communication — prepared for universal systems with audio sets up to 45 mm — no system supplied
• Impact liner — expanded polystyrene — crushes once and does not recover; replace the helmet after any real impact
• Serviceability — liner, padding, peak and drop-down sun visor all available as separate parts
• Intended use — city and everyday riding at urban speeds — not a high-speed or long-distance helmet
• Replacement guidance — after around five years of use regardless of condition, and immediately after any impact
• Glasses — the liner is cut slim specifically so spectacle arms pass without pressing
• Peak fitting — tool-free — the peak can be removed for a plain silhouette and refitted in seconds
• Care — wash the liner by hand a few times a season; never wipe the sun visor dry, as road dust scratches it permanently
• Manufacturer — Nexx Helmets, Portugal

• 1x Nexx Y.10 jet helmet (Polyfusion, two shell sizes)
• 1x peak