The matte version of Mekarium keeps the same graphic as its glossy siblings but drops the shine: a dark anthracite-and-carbon base with a red accent swoosh running up from the chin toward the crown, rendered flat rather than reflective. It costs slightly more than the glossy Mekarium decors, a small premium this listing accounts for below rather than glosses over.

ECE 22.06 does not care about the finish

A darker, flatter topcoat does not change the test result: UNECE R 22-06 still applies here exactly as it does on every glossy sibling. That standard added more strike points than 22.05, tested at multiple speeds apiece, plus a rotational-force score the previous rule never included.

What sits under the matte coat

Peel back the finish and the shell classification reads "Fibre" on Shark's own listing: fiberglass and carbon woven together, not a one-material carbon-aramid build, formed across two mould sizes around an EPS core stepped in firmness. Matte or gloss makes no difference here -- the structural layer underneath matches every other decor in the range.

Weight, felt over hours rather than minutes

The lighter of the two shells weighs 1,465 g according to Shark; the larger sizes, built on the second mould, run a touch more. Thirty seconds trying it on in a shop tells a rider nothing about that number -- a full day in the saddle does, where the load on the neck from a heavier lid turns into fatigue well before anything more obvious.

Ventilation designed to close as well as open

Three intakes up front, two extractors at the rear, both tied into Shark's double-Venturi airflow system built to keep working below motorway speed as much as above it. An independent Visordown test confirms the chin-bar vents and rear exhaust ports actually shut, so this shell copes with a hot summer commute and a sealed-up winter one alike -- rated decent, not outstanding, by that same review.

The VZ300 visor, shared and standard-equipped

Spartan RS, Spartan RS Carbon and this decor all draw from the same VZ300 visor platform. Optical class 1 glazing spans 2.8 mm to 2.2 mm, secured centrally rather than at the side, arriving with a clear Pinlock 120 insert already in place. Daytime road riders get blue, pink and red iridium finishes; smoke, silver and rainbow stay strictly track-only.

Everyday usability

The internal sun visor, UV380-coated against fog, drops via one external slider, no glove removal required. Its mount lifts off tool-free, the shell is cut for glasses arms, and this helmet pairs with Shark's Sharktooth comms as well as SENA units.

What is fitted for protection, and what is not

An EPS liner graded through several firmness stages absorbs impact energy under the shell, and the strap closes with a double-D ring rather than a buckle that can loosen under load. Shark's own Emergency Release hardware frees the cheek pads without twisting an injured rider's neck -- functionally an EQRS. MIPS never appears in Shark's documentation for this helmet, and none is claimed here.

Interior comfort and sizing

ALVEOTECH antimicrobial fabric lines the interior, shaped into 3D morphological cheek pads per the collection copy rather than flat pads relying on foam bulk. Independent testing confirms the whole interior -- pads, neck roll, skull cap -- is removable for washing. Six sizes span XS to XXL across the two shell sizes used throughout the range.

Matte versus gloss, and the price gap that comes with it

A matte finish costs more to apply correctly than it looks: it has to hide surface imperfections a glossy clear coat would show, and it has to stay uniformly non-reflective across curves and panel lines that catch light differently. Shark prices this Mekarium Mat decor slightly above its glossy siblings -- a small but real premium for the finish, not for a different shell or spec. Buyers choosing between the two should weigh that against the graphic tier below: the Mekarium pattern itself does not change, only how the light plays across it, and the small surcharge buys a genuinely different look on the same shell.

Where the Mat premium sits on the Spartan ladder

Shark's own data shows four real steps: Spartan RS Fibre at entry level, Spartan RS Carbon above it, the non-carbon Spartan GT Pro with Sport-GT comfort but no carbon shell, and Spartan GT Pro Carbon on top. Within that top step, this matte decor sits above the glossy graphic tier and below the Replica graphics.

Wind noise, honestly reported

No independently measured decibel figure exists for this helmet, so none is quoted. BikeSocial's road test of the 22-06 generation credits a tighter, elasticated neck roll built specifically to cut wind noise, at the cost of a slightly harder helmet to don; Visordown separately describes wind noise in normal use as kept to a relative minimum. Neither is a lab measurement, and neither is treated as one here.

Spare parts

A joint visor listing on Shark's site fits both the RS and the GT Pro, and the Range Book shows the VZ300 hardware shared across three related Spartan models. A scratched visor does not mean replacing the helmet.

What this helmet does not have

No MIPS or comparable rotational-impact liner is fitted, and none is claimed. This visor platform is not documented as tear-off compatible. SHARP's listing is for an older, separate Shark helmet -- 4 stars, tested August 2021, no "Pro" in the name -- and that rating is not carried over here.

Specification

• Model — Spartan GT Pro Carbon Mekarium Mat
• Shell — Carbon-fiberglass composite, density-graded EPS, two shells
• Weight — 1,465 g on the smaller shell, Shark data
• Homologation — ECE 22.06, UNECE R 22-06 code NCO
• Closure — Double-D ring
• Ventilation — 3 intakes, 2 extractors, double-Venturi effect, all closable
• Visor — Central lock, optical class 1, 2.8-2.2 mm, Pinlock 120 fitted
• Sun visor — UV380 anti-fog internal drop-down
• Interior — Removable, washable ALVEOTECH lining, 3D cheek pads
• Warranty — 5-year warranty
• Country of origin — Thailand origin
• Sizes — 6 sizes total, XS-XXL