Take the Skin decor's exposed carbon weave and drop the gloss: this finish is matte from crown to chin, a flat, non-reflective carbon surface with none of the graphic package carried by the decors above it. It sits at the entry price of the Carbon range, alongside its glossy sibling, and shares every certification, every piece of equipment and the same two-shell-size platform as the rest of this line.

What the road certificate actually requires

Matte paint changes nothing about what sits underneath: UNECE R 22-06, the same standard behind every finish in this range. Against the retired 22.05 rule, testers now strike more points on the shell, at more than one speed apiece, and record rotational force, a measurement the older standard never took.

Fibreglass and carbon together, under the matte coat

Under the matte finish sits a shell Shark categorises as "Fibre" on its own pages: fiberglass and carbon woven together rather than a solid carbon-aramid construction, in two dedicated shell sizes over a foam liner that varies in firmness by zone. The coating changes how light reflects off it, not what the shell is made of underneath.

Neck load, hour by hour

1,465 g is Shark's own count for the first, smaller shell; the second mould, used for larger sizes, adds a bit more. That figure only really means something spread across time: a two-hour ride carries it differently than five minutes trying the lid on in a shop.

Ventilation, with a genuine closed position

Three front intakes and two rear extractors move air on Shark's double-Venturi system, built to keep working at low speed rather than only at motorway pace. Visordown's independent test confirmed that both the chin-bar intakes and the rear exhaust vents actually close, letting the same shell run hot-weather airflow or a sealed-up winter setup -- decent, not exceptional, an assessment repeated here rather than inflated.

The visor: central lock, Pinlock standard, tint rules

This decor carries the VZ300 visor platform, shared with the Spartan RS and Spartan RS Carbon. Optical class 1 glazing tapers from 2.8 mm to 2.2 mm, opened and closed through a central grip with central locking, and comes with a clear Pinlock 120 insert already fitted. Iridium blue, pink and red finishes are approved for daytime road use; smoke, silver and rainbow tints stay racing-only, not road-legal.

Sun visor and day-to-day handling

A UV380 anti-fog internal sun visor operates from a single external slider, usable one-handed with gloves on, and the mount detaches tool-free for cleaning or a tint change. The shell carries a groove for glasses arms, and Shark lists this model compatible with its own Sharktooth intercom and with SENA units.

Safety equipment, stated plainly

Firmness-graded EPS handles the impact absorption, and the strap closes with a double-D ring rather than a buckle that can work loose under load. Cheek pads pull free via Shark's own Emergency Release hardware, sparing an injured rider's neck any twisting -- functionally an EQRS whatever the branding. MIPS does not appear in Shark's own documentation for this model, and none is claimed here.

Interior build and sizing

ALVEOTECH antimicrobial fabric lines the inside, shaped into 3D morphological cheek pads per the collection copy. Independent review confirms the pads, neck roll and skull cap are all removable for washing, not fixed in place. Six sizes run XS to XXL across the two shell sizes used throughout the range.

Why matte, specifically

A matte clear coat over exposed carbon does two things a glossy finish does not: it kills reflections that can catch a rider's peripheral vision in bright light, and it hides the small surface marks a glossy coat would show up under direct sun. It is a functional choice as much as a cosmetic one, and it costs the same as the glossy Skin decor -- the lowest price in the Carbon range.

This decor on the Spartan price ladder

Shark's own data lays out four real steps: Spartan RS Fibre at the bottom, Spartan RS Carbon above it, the non-carbon Spartan GT Pro bringing Sport-GT comfort without a carbon shell, and Spartan GT Pro Carbon on top. This matte Skin decor sits at that top step's entry price, matched only by its glossy sibling -- every graphic decor in the same range costs more for the same shell and the same certificate.

On wind noise, honestly

No independently measured decibel figure exists for this helmet, so none is quoted here. An independent BikeSocial test of the 22-06 generation notes a tighter, elasticated neck roll engineered specifically to reduce wind noise, at the minor cost of a slightly harder helmet to put on; Visordown separately describes the wind noise in normal riding as kept to a relative minimum. Both are editorial impressions, not lab measurements.

Spare parts

The same replacement-visor listing that fits the Spartan RS also fits this GT Pro, per Shark's own site, and the Range Book shows the VZ300 hardware crossing three related Spartan models. A scratched or clouded visor does not mean replacing the helmet.

What this helmet does not have

No MIPS is fitted, and none is claimed in Shark's own materials for this model. This visor platform is not documented as tear-off compatible. SHARP rated a separate, earlier Shark helmet, listed without "Pro" in its name, at 4 stars back in August 2021 -- that rating stays with the helmet it was measured on.

Specification

• Model — Spartan GT Pro Carbon Skin Mat
• Shell — Fiberglass and carbon, EPS graded in density, two mould sizes
• Weight — 1,465 g, smaller shell, Shark's own number
• Homologation — ECE 22.06 / UNECE R 22-06 NCO
• Closure — Double-D ring
• Ventilation — Double-Venturi, 3 in / 2 out, all closable
• Visor — 2.8-2.2 mm optical class 1, central lock, Pinlock 120 factory-fitted
• Sun visor — UV380 anti-fog drop-down sun visor, internal
• Interior — 3D cheek pads on a removable, washable ALVEOTECH lining
• Warranty — 5-year cover
• Country of origin — Thailand
• Sizes — XS to XXL, 6 sizes