Nexx X.LifeCountry review | Flip-front adventure helmet tested

Date reviewed: May 2025 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: From £439.99 | nexx-helmet.co.uk

The Nexx X.LifeCountry on review here is a flip-front adventure helmet that, on paper, offers pretty much everything I’d want. The modular design means it’s easier to pay for fuel, talk to people and get a good burst of air when it’s hot, while the peak should keep low sun out. And if it’s as good as the X.LifeTour I reviewed here – which in many ways is a similar construction – then surely it’s got the potential to be one of the helmets of the year.

I’ve been wearing it on a 2019 BMW R1250GS and 1999 Kawasaki ZX-6R to find out if it’s worth the £80 extra for the peak and camera mounts…

Outer Shell

The Nexx X.LifeCountry on review here is the carbon-fibre ‘Terra’ with blue and red graphics, but there’s also the option of white and orange, grey and yellow or grey and red, as well as a plain carbon-fibre model, which is the most expensive due to the carbon weave having to be cosmetically perfect. Or choose a composite fibre shell in graphics or plain colours. The models come with different accessories, so here’s a breakdown of the pricing…

The finish on this Terra model is great, with the blue graphics having a metallic sheen under the matt top-coat. There are also small reflective sections at the brow, on the sides under the chin-bar, and on the bottom of the lining, along with a small reflective cross on the rear.

The chin section is opened with an easy-to-operate button on the front (even in thick gloves), and it locks fairly securely up once lifted. This seems to be better than the similar (but no peak) X.LifeCountry, though over time this new helmet has loosened off a bit.

There’s also a red slider tab on the left to lock the chin bar open that’s hard to get at in gloves, but I’ve not had the need to use it.

Shoei’s Neotec 3 doesn’t have a locking tab at all, the chin bar staying up securely without the need for it. While it takes a lot of head shaking to get the Nexx’s chin bar to drop, and it’s not done it to me when riding even bumpy roads and tracks, I would like to see it a little more secure without the lock being needed.

The X.LifeCountry’s chin section locks back down securely and easily in use, without the need to jiggle it or worry that it’s not properly seated.

Life the X.LifeTour, two action camera mounting point are supplied; one that screws into the top and positions the camera to the rear of the top vent, and another that puts it on the left.

An Allen key is included for the two screws that hold the side plate on, but you’ll need a PH2 screwdriver for the fixing on the top.

There’s no printed instruction manual supplied with the X.LifeCountry – just a QR code on a piece of paper that takes you to this link for all the Nexx owners’ manuals.

A three-year warranty is standard, with an extra two years if you register online.

Nexx X.LifeCountry peak

The Nexx’s peak has a removable, extendable front section that allows you to set it a little further forward if you want. If you want to ride without it, there are blanking inserts supplied (it doesn’t matter when you lose them as they don’t do much), but without this extension the peak that’s left doesn’t reach far enough out to be visible from within the helmet, which means it does nothing to block out low sun when tilting your head. Particularly in autumn I tend to do most rides in a peaked helmet as it’s more effective than using a dark visor or drop-down sunshield.

In clean air, the peak doesn’t make any excessive noise and doesn’t cause any buffeting. It will of course add strain to your neck – especially when turning your head or looking up at higher speeds – but on most helmets you’d usually remove the peak if doing a lot of motorway speeds.

Behind the standard screen of my R1250GS though (with it at any height), the buffeting caused by the screen translated to a drumming and shaking of the peak and into the helmet, which hit just the right frequency at about 45mph to make my cheeks jiggle.

The drumming sound is unpleasant at times, though at higher speeds I found it less noticable. Following lorries on the motorway also causes the helmet to catch in the turbulence and shake from side to side.

The Arai Tour-X5 is my benchmark in adventure helmets (it’s not got a flip-front), and though that benefitted from some wheel weights stuck to the peak to reduce any drumming, it’s still better in many ways than the one fitted to the X.LifeCountry. And it’s easily removable.

The peak fitted to Nexx’s own X.WED 3 is also better than we have here. It’s the same shape, but it’s attached slightly higher, and it’s isolated with foam dampeners. There’s some drumming, but not the discomfort when buffeted by a screen.

If your bike has a low or no screen, the Nexx X.LifeCountry’s peak will likely be fine, but it’s the kind of helmet that I’d guess will be more commonly worn by adventure and touring bike riders, rather than those on enduro machines, so many will want to take it off when it’s not needed, swapping it out for the supplied round ‘Street’ cover plates.

The ‘Street’ cover plates can be used in place of the peak

And that’s where we get to perhaps the biggest problem with this helmet…

To remove the peak you need to first pry the covers off either side using your fingernail or – as Nexx recommends – a flat-bladed screwdriver covered with a cloth.

Then you have to use a 4mm Allen key (which isn’t supplied) to remove the screw from one side. Don’t do the other side yet or the chin bar will fall off. No, really.

Pull the peak out of the way, replace the centre washer if it came off with the peak (ensuring it’s correctly positioned), then fit the appropriate ‘Street’ cover plate in the correct orientation (the left and right are different).

Now reinsert the screw before doing the same on the other side.

How to remove the Nexx X.LifeCountry peak

Step by step guide

I asked Nexx about the design of the peak, and was told: “At present, no modular helmet on the market offers a peak that operates independently from the visor mechanism. In current designs, the peak and visor are integrated, meaning the peak must rotate in unison with the front of the helmet when it is flipped open. This presents a unique engineering challenge for manufacturers, particularly in the adventure helmet category where versatility and functionality are key.

“At NEXX Helmets, we recognize this limitation and are actively exploring innovative solutions to decouple these mechanisms. Our goal is to enhance the modular riding experience by allowing greater flexibility and user control — and we are committed to pushing the boundaries of helmet design to achieve this in future product developments.”

Weight

On my scales, the size medium carbon-fibre Nexx X.LifeCountry weighs 1,941g, which is relatively heavy, though it hasn’t bothered me in use.

The website says 1,875g for this lid, while the sticker on the back says 1,725g without accessories, so as with the X.LifeTour, it’s weightier than the claims – I measured that to be 1,930g, compare to the claimed 1,800g, though it’s not clear what size helmet Nexx is specifying online.

Since the tougher ECE 22.06 standard came into force, some helmets have got a bit heavier, while others have stayed the same. I can’t really think of any that have got lighter. Some people do have concerns about ‘heavy’ helmets, but it’s the aerodynamics that tend to be the real issue. Head-on into still air, the X.LifeCountry is good, but any helmet with a peak will put more strain on your neck as you move your head around, especially at higher speeds.

Ventilation

The vents on the Nexx X.LifeCountry are basically the same as those on the X.LifeTour, but for some reason they seem a little less powerful. Perhaps the peak affects the airflow to the top to some extent, despite it not being blocked. There’s perhaps an expectation that an adventure-style helmet will have more powerful venting, like Nexx’s X.WED 3 for instance.

The chin and top vents are both open or closed only, feeding air across the face to the brow and over the head to the always-open exhaust.

When sat behind a screen, any helmet will potentially struggle to get air in through the chin, and sometimes the top vent, but if you do want more air, the Nexx can of course be used with the chin-bar up, like an open-face helmet.

Visor

There’s no lock to fiddle with on the Nexx X.LifeCountry’s visor, and thumb tabs on the left and right of centre make it easier to open with either hand.

It can be set just cracked open for a little more airflow, or the first stage is at 4.5cm (one at 2cm would have been great. Beyond this there are four more smooth ratchet stages until fully open.

The visor offers a good field of view, and on this Terra model includes a Pinlock 120XLT, which is the highest level of anti-fog performance, and provides ‘Extra Light Transmission’.

How to replace the Nexx X.LifeCountry visor

Step by step guide

As you can see in the video above, to remove the Nexx X.LifeCountry’s visor first you have to take the protective covers off the peak, then unscrew one side at a time using a 4mm hex key that isn’t supplied. Then unscrew one side of the peak, move it out of the way and put the screw back in the centre of the visor. Now take the other side of the peak off and replace that screw.

Now you can remove the visor and replace it as normal, before going through the same process to replace the peak again.

Incredibly, these are the same screws that hold the chin bar in place, so take them both out and the whole thing comes off.

This is more of a faff than any other visor system I’ve used. Surely the most simple solution would have been to use a larger diameter threaded insert to hold the chin bar on, with a screw for the peak that goes into a threaded hole within that; it’d be a lot less faffing, less worrying for the user, and it could have been a plastic screw with a thumb-tab or slot for a coin.

On a happier note, the drop-down sunshield is operated with a slide on the upper right of the shell, and comes down to provide superb coverage, barely letting any light leak in at the bottom. Nexx has done a great job here, and I hope more helmet brands will go as far to make a shield that pretty-much eliminates light from the edges.

Lining

Also made entirely at the Nexx factory, the X.LifeCountry’s lining is soft, comfortable and easy to remove and refit for cleaning. You should hand wash it only, though I tend to put liners in a helmet bag, knot that up then pop them in the machine on a gentle cycle.

Fastening

The micrometric ratchet fastener fitted to the X.LifeCountry is quick and easy to use even with gloves on, and once set initially gives a secure fit every time.

Like the X.LifeTour, the silicone sleeve on the back of the ratchet tongue moves around, restricting the available length a little. Probably because I’ve got used to it now, but it proved less irritating with this helmet.

Fit

Always try any helmet on for yourself before buying, checking for pressure points or discomfort. On my head at least, the Nexx X.LifeCountry is sized as I’d expect, and fits perfectly. Like the X.LifeTour, it’s noticeably more comfortable than the X.WED 3 and X.WST 3. After an hour I felt it was a touch tight on my cheeks, but that’s all.

Nexx X.LifeCountry Noise

The X.LifeTour, which doesn’t have a peak, is a surprisingly quiet flip-front helmet, and while the X.LifeCountry on review here can suffer from an annoying drumming in some situations, it’s otherwise pretty good. Like any helmet though, you must wear earplugs.

For more information on why earplugs are vital with any helmet, and advice on which are the best, click here.

Can I fit my own intercom to the Nexx X.LifeCountry?

The Nexx X.LifeCountry is designed to be fitted with Nexx’s own Sena-based integrated comms system for £169.99, or the Bluetooth/Mesh X.COM 3 Pro reviewed here for £339.98. If you want to use your own device you’ll need to stick the unit slightly to the rear above the blanking plate, but it’ll still be within reach. The speaker ports in the EPS liner are 46mm in diameter and 12mm deep.

As with other brands, if you buy an intercom at the same time as the helmet from most stores, you’ll not pay VAT on the comms system, saving 16.66%.

Three alternatives to the Nexx X.LifeCountry

There aren’t that many choices when it comes to flip-front adventure helmets and we’ve not reviewed many yet, but here are some other options…

• Schuberth E2, from £589.99 | Said to be basically a Schuberth C5 (which we really like) with a peak and extra venting, this could be well worth considering. We’ll be reviewing the Schuberth E2 shortly.

• HJC i80, from £199.99 | The i80 superceeds the C80 we’ve reviewed, but this offered good value for money and while it still needed a screwdriver to remove the visor, it wasn’t as faffy as the X.LifeCountry. Full review of the HJC C80 here.

• Arai Tour-X5, from £599.99 | The benchmark in adventure helmets, and it’s incredibly versatile… all it’s missing is a drop-down sunshield. Read the full review of the Arai Tour-X5 here.

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the helmets we’ve tested here  and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.

Nexx X.LifeCountry review: Verdict

I can’t help thinking that the Nexx X.LifeCountry has been rushed to market. The drumming and shaking from the peak isn’t a problem for those with a low screen on their bike, and it will vary between machines, but to have made it such a faff to remove seems like quite a poor design.

It’s a shame as I’ve been impressed with Nexx helmets – which are made entirely in the company’s own factory in Portugal – but the lack of high-performance venting, the awful visor removal system and the inability to take the peak off quickly and easily make it feel dated and hard to justify, especially at the fairly premium price.

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