Here's the comparison that cuts to the heart of this whole site's argument. The Klim Krios Pro and the Scorpion EXO-AT960 both carry genuine US DOT + ECE 22.06 — the same current certification — but the Krios Pro costs roughly three times as much. So this page answers a blunt question: with certification held equal, what does the flagship money actually buy?
Certification: a genuine tie
Both hold genuine US DOT + ECE 22.06, the current rotational-test standard. This is the point: certification is notwhat you pay the flagship premium for. A ~$300 polycarbonate modular and a ~$900 carbon convertible can — and here do — carry the identical mark on the shell. Anyone who tells you the expensive helmet is "safer" because it costs more is skipping the part where you read the certification.
What the carbon buys: weight and quiet
Real things, just not certification. The Krios Pro is around 1,450 g of full carbon; the AT960 is around 1,860 g of polycarbonate — a ~410 g difference you feel as neck fatigue on a long day. The Krios Pro is also quieter and more refined, and its carbon shell simply feels more premium. For a rider doing big daily mileage, that weight and quiet are worth real money — that's the honest case for the flagship.
What the AT960 gives up — and gives back
It gives up weight, quiet and finish. It gives back a lot: it's a modular you can flip open, it has a drop-down sun visorthe Krios Pro lacks, and it runs three configurations — all for a third of the price. So it's not simply a "worse" Krios Pro; it's a more versatile, feature-rich helmet that trades weight and refinement for practicality and value.
Who each is really for
The Krios Pro is for the weight-conscious, mileage-heavy adventure tourer who wants the lightest genuine-22.06 lid and will pay for carbon. The AT960 is for the rider who wants the same certification, modular convenience and a sun visor without spending flagship money, and who can live with the polycarbonate weight and highway noise. Both are honest choices; they're just aimed at different budgets and priorities.
The verdict
If low weight, quiet and premium feel justify the spend for how you ride, the Klim Krios Pro is genuinely worth it. If you want the same current certification plus modular flexibility and a sun visor for a third of the price, the Scorpion EXO-AT960is the smart-money choice — and you're not compromising on the mark on the shell to get it. See the Krios Pro review and AT960 review.
How we picked
We compiled published specifications, cited each helmet's certification (DOT, ECE 22.06, Snell, SHARP) from the standards body or manufacturer homologation, and aggregated owner reports, then scored against a published method. The scores are judgments from documented research — not measurements we took. We do not run a crash lab. Certifications reflect the US-market build; where it differs from the European version, we say so and cite it.
