In May 2024, I came across the Ather Halo Helmet, possibly through a video or a social media advertisement. As someone who enjoys motorcycles, accessories, and experimenting with new technology, I was immediately drawn to the “smart helmet.” I quickly booked and paid the booking charge of ₹499. During the booking, the quoted amount was somewhere between ₹12,000 to ₹15,000.
Fast forward to November 6, 2024, and I received a WhatsApp message from Ather stating that the Halo helmet was ready for shipment. The WhatsApp chatbot communication contained instructions for measuring my head size. After completing the formalities, I ordered a size L and paid ₹9,500. The helmet ended up costing around ₹10,000.
Purchase Experience and Customer Support
Unfortunately, the purchasing process was not without complications. I received the helmet on November 21, only to discover that it was too big despite following their measurement guide. The helmet wobbled badly, so I requested a replacement. What followed was an unpleasant customer service experience. My initial complaint via WhatsApp resulted in a request to email their support team. Despite several follow-ups over 8-9 days, nothing happened until I gave an ultimatum, threatening a chargeback request.
Once I done that, the replacement procedure began in few hours. It took another 13 days from the original delivery date before the replacement arrived on December 4. Throughout the procedure, I had to contact their support team every other day, which was exhausting. For a firm as inventive as Ather, this level of customer service was quite disappointing.
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Features and Build Quality
Let us now go on to the helmet itself. When looking at the helmet, you will find that the designers at Ather has surely taken a lot of inspiration from the SpaceX helmet! The Ather Halo is DOT approved, indicating that it passes important safety standards. It includes Harman Kardon speakers that produce high-quality sound with tremendous bass. The audio performance is noticeably better than that of my SMK Twister helmet, which used a third-party sound system. My white colored Halo is a dust and dart magnet, I would suggest not to get the white one. Apart from all these, here is a list of cons that I noticed in the helmet, most of which could have been avoided if they had paid a little attention while designing and developing the helmet:
Cons of the Aether Halo helmet:
- Not having a sun visor is a bummer for this helmet, which I completely overlooked. I use a prescription glass, which means that during a sunny day, I have to stop and switch between glasses.
- Lack of Anti-Fog System: Riding in cold, rainy, or foggy weather can be challenging. To clear the fog, you must crack the visor open and allow cool air to enter. Adding a simple pinlock antifog or something similar would have been nice.
- Wind Noise: Even with the visor covered and locked, there is noticeable wind noise at speeds exceeding 80 kmph. This is really annoying during highway rides.
- Sensor Malfunctions: While the helmet features sensors to detect wear, they may be too sensitive. When the straps hit the sensors when the helmet is stored, it activates and drains the battery overnight. This flaw is both inconvenient and unnecessary. To encounter this problem, I now charge my helmet daily.
- Cushioning: The cushioning is good for daily rides, but not as comfy as my SMK Twister, which feels more premium.
That’s all for the cons, here’s the good part about the Ather Halo:
- It’s a nice-looking and lightweight helmet. It is at least 100 grams lighter than my SMK. When stopping at the red lights, people surely notice the helmet and ask many questions.
- The microphone installed in the helmet works well and does a great job cancelling out the wind and street noises. You can easily take calls, and the people at the other end will hardly notice that you are on the street.
- The bundled charger supports USB-C and is both durable and convenient for wireless charging. A full charge lasts for a few days, which is okay since I charge it daily.
- I do not own an Ather scooter, but the helmet works flawlessly with my Harley Davidson X440, and the music control works smoothly via the vehicle’s controls.
One significant feature that is absent is an auto-answer capability for calls, which was available in my previous helmet arrangement. This would have been an excellent addition to hands-free communication.
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Verdict
The Ather Halo is an ambitious product that falls short in implementation. Priced at ₹10,000, it lacks critical features such as a sun visor and anti-fog capabilities, suffers from wind noise, and has irritating sensor difficulties. While the sound quality and design are great, they do not justify the price when more dependable choices exist.
If you’re looking for a smart helmet, I’d recommend waiting for the next iteration of the Ather Halo, which may address these problems. Alternatively, you can choose an SMK Twister or LS2 helmet and connect it with high-quality speakers for a more complete experience at a lesser price.
For the time being, the Ather Halo remains a first-generation experiment with more disadvantages than advantages. Unless you’re an early adopter ready to ignore its drawbacks, you should skip this one.