I’m planning to get a new helmet this summer and the Charles Owen V8 sounds great from the descriptions. Has anyone tried one out or got one? Thanks!
Darn…I could’ve had a V8!! (sorry could not resist). No insight on the helmet - but you may mean SP8 
I think it is a brand new helmet model. Looks like the AYR8 but with a removable liner.
I’ve never tried the V8, but I have a friend who normally wears GPA helmets that said the V8 was the first CO helmet to fit her head.
Yes, I think it’s brand new, and in addition to the removable liner it sounds like it has a lot more ventilation than their other models. Generally the Charles Owen helmets fit me well, but the GR8 I have is hot!
I love my AYR8 but even it is like a sauna for my head on really hot days
https://www.smartpakequine.com/charles-owen-v8-helmet-11659p
There is the V8.
It just doesn’t look any more ventilated, but it’s just a picture so who knows!
Our tack shop took a good hard look at them last fall. It has a finer mesh over the vents (similar to the AYR8) which gives it a less vented look, if that makes sense. You can’t see all of the holes from a distance.
That being said we found it to be a much larger profile then the AYR8 that was not flattering. We also did not like the liner system. It didn’t snap in like One K and Samshield but was sorta crammed into a seam. Just not as secure as we expected from Charles Owen. At that time we decided not to carry it but we have been told that it has undergone a major redesign. We will take another look at it in August.
Best information I can give you!
Thank you Displaced Yankee–I haven’t been able to find one locally to look at or try on, and that’s the kind of info I hoped to get.
Ok…strangely enough I just bought one today! I think it looks nice. I tried on the GR8, the AYR8 and the V8. I like it, it was comfortable and I think looks nice, but I am going to see what my friends think. I do love the washable liners!
It’s an interesting helmet as Charles Owen takes a first leap into this segment of the market. The bowl of the helmet is different then the GR8 and AYR8. Like all helmets CO makes, this is a nice one but not one you want to buy without being fitted for and learning how to reinsert the lining after washing. Just some friendly advice from a Charles Owen dealer:)
I like the CO cleaner for my GR8, which yes, is hot and usually soaked after one ride :dead: much less two. But I sweat A LOT. It fits me well, so if the shape is different, then the V8 is one I’d not fit in well.
Reviving an old thread with a related question – Does the V8 fit the same as the AYR8? Or is there enough difference that you need to try them on and not just assume you would wear the same size?
I ordered a V8 in the same size as my AYR8 and it’s the same fit. I ended up going with another AYR8. You can read my review on my blog if you want.
http://2leftsocks.blogspot.com/2014/08/co-ayr8-wins-over-co-v8.html
I have a V8… I tried it on at Rolex last April and it was the only helmet that actually fit on my head. The actual helmet I bought was a little tight on the sides but all my friends say their CO helmets stretched with use. I can’t make a comparison to other CO helmets, but I can say that I can often feel the air moving through this helmet. I also really like the look of the harness, which is a smooth black leather instead of the suede-look.
[QUOTE=shadowanne;7856295]
I ordered a V8 in the same size as my AYR8 and it’s the same fit. I ended up going with another AYR8. You can read my review on my blog if you want.
http://2leftsocks.blogspot.com/2014/08/co-ayr8-wins-over-co-v8.html[/QUOTE]
Helpful blog, thanks!!
[QUOTE=akhunterrider;7631809]
I’ve never tried the V8, but I have a friend who normally wears GPA helmets that said the V8 was the first CO helmet to fit her head.[/QUOTE]
Same here. I like the V8 style (a bit of shimmer under the mesh covering the vents), but especially the fit. The forehead is unpadded (similar to Samshield) for ventilation but that also makes it fit a bit differently compared to other CO models.
