The Hyper layout in its dark form — red and grey banding over black, which turns a bright racing graphic into something considerably more sober without changing the geometry.

1350 grams, and why that is the headline

What 1350 grams buys you is not comfort in the shop; it is comfort on the third tank of fuel. Helmet weight is cumulative in a way almost no other specification is.

🔵 Quoted at ±50 g on a mid-size shell.

HPTT shell, three shell sizes and ECE 22.06

Three shell sizes is the single specification here that separates the Rapid III from cheaper full-faces, and it is not a marketing distinction — it changes both the fit and the external proportions at the ends of the size range.

🔵 Eight sizes across those three shells.

No independent safety rating — and the trap that goes with it

🔵 No SHARP entry, no ADAC test, no Certimoov result. That is the complete state of independent evidence for this helmet, and it is a shorter list than we would like.

The 2-star score attached to the name „LS2 Rapid" online belongs to the FF353, which this helmet replaced.

About the Hyper black and red graphic

Something specific about red is worth knowing before choosing it. Of all the pigments used on helmets, red is the most vulnerable to ultraviolet: the organic pigments that give a red its saturation break down faster than the inorganic ones behind grey, blue and black. That is why a red helmet that lives on a parcel shelf fades across a few summers in a way a grey one does not. Modern clear coats carry UV inhibitors and slow this a great deal, so it is a reason to store the helmet sensibly rather than a reason to avoid the colour altogether. On the road red performs respectably — better than black, well below white — and it separates cleanly from both tarmac and hedgerow. 🔵 Keep it out of prolonged direct sun, wash it wet, and dry it with a clean soft cloth rather than wiping it dry. Set against the white Hyper at the same price, this is the quieter and dirtier-forgiving of the two, and measurably the harder to see. If most of your riding is daylight and dry, that trade is easy to make. If a good share of it is grey commuting in November, the white version of the same graphic is the better tool for the job and costs the same.

What this helmet does not have: an internal sun visor

🔵 Stated plainly so it is not discovered later: the Rapid III has no sun visor of any kind inside the shell.

It has a clear outer visor, prepared for a Pinlock insert that is not supplied, and that is the whole of the optical system.

Chin and top intakes, channelled EPS

🔵 If you ride mostly in traffic, ventilation matters less than the brochures suggest. There is no airflow at a standstill regardless of the vent design, and what helps at that point is a pale shell rather than a clever one.

Above about 40 km/h the arrangement here is a good one.

Anti-fog — prepared for, not supplied

Fitting an insert changes the visor slightly — a faint line at the lens edge, and occasionally a rainbow in the sealed air pocket in certain light. Both are normal and both are a small price.

🔵 The Rapid III takes a Pinlock 70 MaxVision, sold separately.

Lining, closure and everyday comfort

A ratchet closure is the right choice on a helmet fastened several times a day. It works in gloves, without looking, and needs no threading.

🔵 Its one weakness is that the preset length can drift. Re-check it after the first few rides and each season after that.

Where it sits in LS2's range

If you already own a 22.05 helmet and are considering replacing it, the case is straightforward: the current schedule tests more impact points, at more speeds, with a rotational assessment the old standard had no equivalent for.

🔵 The Rapid III is an affordable 22.06 helmet.

Care and replacement parts

The maintenance routine is short: wash the shell with warm water and a soft cloth, wash the lining in cool water a few times a season, never dry-wipe the visor.

🔵 Do those three and the only things that will end this helmet are age and impact.

In the box

• LS2 FF820 Rapid III helmet — Hyper, Black, grey and red (HPTT shell)
• Clear outer visor, fitted
• Chin curtain, fitted and removable
• Breath deflector, fitted and removable
• 🔵 No internal sun visor — this model does not have one
• 🔵 No Pinlock insert — the visor is prepared for a Pinlock® 70 MaxVision™, which is sold separately
• 🔵 No second visor and no intercom — both are separate purchases

Size guide

The commonest sizing mistake is buying for comfort in the first minute rather than fit over a season. New padding is at its thickest on the day it arrives.

🔵 Snug now, correct in six months.

Specification

• Model — LS2 FF820 Rapid III
• Part number — 168200831
• Colour — Hyper — Black, grey and red
• Homologation — ECE 22.06
• 🔴 Safety rating — none. SHARP has no entry for the FF820, Rapid III or Rapid 3 (brand list checked directly). The 2-star result under „FF353 Rapid" belongs to the previous-generation helmet — different shell, different standard — and is deliberately not carried over. No ADAC or Certimoov result either
• Shell — HPTT injection-moulded thermoplastic; three shell sizes (2XS–S / M–L / XL–3XL)
• Weight — approx. 1350 g (±50 g), mid-size shell without accessories
• Sizes — 2XS to 3XL (eight sizes)
• 🔴 Sun visor — none. This helmet has no drop-down internal shield — unlike LS2's FF808 Stream II, FF811 Vector II and FF817 Challenger II. It is most of the reason it weighs 1350 g
• Visor — clear outer visor, scratch-resistant, tool-free change
• 🔴 Anti-fog — prepared for Pinlock® 70 MaxVision™ — the insert is NOT included. The pins are fitted; the lens is a separate purchase
• Ventilation — chin and top intakes feeding channelled EPS, with rear exhausts — two intake paths, one more than the FF817. 🔵 Assessed from the published construction; no independent airflow measurement exists
• 🔴 Wind noise — left unrated — no independent measurement is published for this model
• Retention — ratchet buckle
• Interior — hypoallergenic, antibacterial, fully removable and washable. 🔵 No branded wicking fabric (no COOLMAX or X-Static) and no magnetic wind deflector — both appear further up LS2's range
• Included — chin curtain and breath deflector, both fitted and removable
• 🔴 FIM homologation — none — a road helmet, not eligible for FIM-sanctioned competition
• Serviceability — visors, cheek pads in several thicknesses, complete lining, chin curtain, breath deflector and vent covers all available separately
• Replacement guidance — after about five years regardless of condition, and immediately after any impact

• 1× helmet
• Carrying bag
• Reflective stickers