The Pinlock lens is a thin plastic lens with a small silicone gasket that runs around its edge. The lens is meant to fit on the inside of a Pinlock compatible visor ( 72 helmet manufacturers are currently listed on the company’s website) and this helps reduce or eliminate the issue of the visor fogging up in cold weather. The lens installs by slotting into two small posts that are positioned on either side of the visor. These posts have a tiny screw built in that allows you to make minute adjustments to make sure the lens fits snugly.
The Pinlock system works in two ways – the silicone gasket generates a thin pocket of air between the visor and the pinlock, which acts as an insulator and prevents the buildup of fog. Then, the lens itself has a hydrophilic coating that absorbs moisture and further reduces the chances of fog creeping in.
There are three types of lenses – the Pinlock 30, Pinlock 70 and Pinlock 120. These numbers denote how strong the fog-clearing abilities are, and the 70 and 120 models also come as Pinlock ‘Max Vision’ lenses, which basically allow a wider field of view. The 30 model is a standard shape, whereas the 70 and 120 models are custom-fit to different visor designs. My Arai, for example has brow vents built into the visor, so the Arai-specific Pinlock lens gets cut-outs to fit around these vents. You can get a Pinlock lens in clear, smoke or yellow tints, but what I’ve done is buy two clear lenses and install one each in my clear and dark visor.
As for how they work. One word – superb. I didn’t face any fog issues across any riding conditions. Even during a rain-soaked, near-freezing ride through Spiti, there was just a hint of fog build up at the edges, but my line of sight remained clear. If you ride in the cold and your helmet supports it, the Pinlock lens is absolutely worth using.
Where: www.pinlock.com
Price: Rs 1,700
Dinshaw Magol
Gavin Rodrigues
Azaman Chothia
