Inkrider in matte black, anthracite and red is a more restrained take on the family's graphic than its gloss siblings — dialled-back colour, matte surface, a quieter everyday-wear option within the same design.

The structural basics, before the graphics

Every D-Skwal 3 decor, this one included, is built on the same thermoplastic shell in two sizes, the same multi-density EPS, and the same micrometric buckle. That shared foundation is what the certification described next is actually tested against.

The Inkrider matte finish, in use

Matte black hides fine scuffs under direct light better than a gloss shell, though it shows fingerprints and grime more readily and needs gentler cleaning to avoid burnishing worn patches shiny. The red accent work sits more muted here than on the family's gloss decors, in keeping with the matte surface.

The matte red Inkrider lists at EUR 269.99, level with its gloss siblings — choosing the quieter matte finish over a bolder gloss colourway is a style decision, not a saving.

A closer look at Inkrider, matte with red

A more restrained take on the Inkrider family than either of its gloss siblings: matte black and anthracite tones with red accent work kept relatively contained rather than spread across large streaked shapes, and no fixed purple or blue element at all. The matte surface itself mutes whatever contrast the red accents provide compared with how the same colour would read under a gloss coat, giving this variant a quieter, more everyday-wear character within a design family that otherwise leans toward bold, eye-catching graphics. It is the choice for a rider who likes the Inkrider name and general design lineage but wants the calmest possible execution of it.

A matte finish like this one tends to show less obvious fading in direct sun than a gloss equivalent, though the red accent work still benefits from being kept out of prolonged direct sunlight where possible. Sizing and shell construction match the rest of the range.

Within the four-strong Inkrider family, this matte red variant sits as the middle ground between the fully tonal Inkrider Matte Anthracite and the more colourful gloss Cameleon or Blue Purple variants — a red accent, but toned down by the matte surface rather than amplified by gloss.

Everyday usability, not a checklist item

The internal drop-down sun visor, the Sharktooth/SENA intercom compatibility, and the tool-free quick-release main visor exist because Shark built this helmet for daily use — they are the features that make the difference between a helmet worn reluctantly and one worn without a second thought.

A documented account, not a guessed number

No decibel figure is claimed for this helmet's wind noise, because none has been reliably measured. An independent reviewer's 1,700-mile account is used instead: pretty loud without earplugs, and a whistle above roughly 25 mph when the visor is cracked open.

Optical class 1, family VZ400

Five Shark helmets — this D-Skwal 3, the Skwal i3, Skwal i Cup, Skwal Cup and Ridill 2 — share the VZ400 visor: Optical class 1, vortex generator, 3 mm to 2.2 mm variable thickness, anti-scratch coating, a Pinlock 70 fitted from the factory with adjustable tension, and a central lock releasing without tools.

Fit, itemised

Two shell sizes. Six helmet sizes, XS to XXL. A removable, washable liner. Cheek pads cut to leave room for glasses. Four straightforward facts that together decide how this helmet actually fits and wears over time.

Four vents, one honest rating

Two intakes at the chin, two exhausts at the crown, all usable with gloves — an independent long-term reviewer called the resulting airflow adequate for normal riding, while noting that a genuinely hot day still meant cracking the visor open at speed for extra air.

Support beyond the original purchase

A scratched or fogged visor does not end this helmet's useful life: Shark's spare-parts collection names the D-Skwal 3 directly, alongside the Skwal Cup, Ridill 2 and Skwal i3.

Shark's own framing, kept honest

The manufacturer's own description — sharp lines, focused performance, everyday practicality — is used here because it happens to match what the specification actually delivers, not as marketing copy borrowed wholesale. The sections below go through exactly what backs each of those three claims.

What's tested, and how it's tested

Eighteen impact points at multiple speeds, an oblique-impact test against an abrasive anvil for rotational and glancing forces, a Brain Injury Criterion score for that rotation, and all of it assessed with the visor, Pinlock insert and a mounted comms unit in place — that is ECE 22.06, mandatory EU-wide for new homologations since January 2024, and what this helmet's 2206 certificate (no FIM suffix) represents.

A limitations section, on purpose

No MIPS, no EQRS, no tear-off posts, no IRID photochromic option (AERON GP, AERON, RACE R PRO only). Road certification: ECE 22.06, no FIM suffix. And to be specific about SHARP: the 'Shark D-Skwal' entry there is the 2018 original tested against the older 22.05 standard — this D-Skwal 3 carries no SHARP rating of its own.

1,540 g on the smaller shell

That is Shark's own figure, specific to the D-Skwal 3's first, smaller shell size rather than a size M reading; riders on the larger L-XXL shell should expect it to run a little heavier. Within the roughly 1,250-1,800 g spread typical of road-legal full-face helmets, it sits centrally — a weight the neck supports for as long as the helmet stays on.

Price, laid out honestly

This decor's price next to its nearest Shark siblings, current as of the 2027 road range:

This decor is priced at EUR 269.99 specifically.

Current 2027 road-range list prices throughout. No specification claim for the Ridill 2, Skwal Cup or Skwal i3 is made — this is a price-only comparison.

Article HE0938KAR carries its own EAN barcode per size, so the exact size ordered under this code is the exact size that ships. Shark ships decor HE0938KAR with the outer visor already fitted, ready to ride rather than needing to be fitted by the buyer first. Registering decor HE0938KAR's warranty after delivery activates the full five-year cover rather than the shorter default period. Decor HE0938KAR is manufactured in Portugal like every other D-Skwal 3, and carries Shark's five-year warranty once registered. The same CFD-and-wind-tunnel aerodynamic development and ECE 22.06 certification described earlier apply to decor HE0938KAR without exception. Decor HE0938KAR's glasses-friendly cheek pads and quick-release visor mechanism are unchanged from the rest of the D-Skwal 3 line described earlier. Decor HE0938KAR shares its shell tooling, EPS liner and micrometric buckle with every other D-Skwal 3 in this batch, so fit does not change from one graphic to the next. Whichever size is chosen, the two-shell-size construction described earlier keeps the same proportions across decor HE0938KAR's full XS-XXL run. The two chin intakes and two crown exhausts described earlier are fitted identically to decor HE0938KAR, independent of its finish or colour.