Buy the LS2 Advant X. It carries genuine DOT + ECE 22.06 with P/J dual homologation - the current revision, with the oblique rotational-impact test, approved to ride open or closed - in a forged-carbon shell at about 1,550 g. The Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer is verified at ECE 22.05, not 22.06, and weighs about 1,890 g. Who the Scorpion is for: the hot-weather commuter who genuinely wants a helmet that converts all the way to a true open-face, and who is making the certification and weight trade knowingly. That is a real use case; it is just not the default one.
Both certifications below are verified rather than assumed - the LS2 from its homologation and the Scorpion from a detailed review of the helmet, both cited at the foot of the page. We do not crash-test helmets and we have no lab. One note on the Scorpion in particular: a few marketplace listings claim ECE 22.06 for the GT930 and we treat that as unverified. The documented approval is 22.05 P/J.
Head to head on the specs that decide it
| | LS2 Advant X | Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer |
|---|
| Certification (US) | DOT + ECE 22.06 P/J | DOT + ECE 22.05 P/J |
| Shell | Forged carbon fiber | Polycarbonate |
| Published weight | ~1,550 g | ~1,890 g (XL) |
| Shell sizes | Two across the range | Not published as a scaling claim |
| Converts to open-face | No - flips up 180 degrees | Yes - chin bar and shield come off entirely |
| Sun visor | Yes, drop-down | Yes, drop-down |
| Retention | Micrometric ratchet | Micrometric ratchet |
| Comms provision | Channel for LS2's Cardo-based 4X | Speaker pockets |
| SHARP result | Not tested | Not tested |
The certification gap is the headline, and it is a real gap
ECE 22.05 and 22.06 are not two labels for the same test. 22.06 added an oblique impact test that loads the helmet at an angle to measure rotational acceleration - the mechanism behind a large share of serious brain injury - along with more impact points, a wider range of test speeds and accessory testing. A 22.05 helmet was never put through it. That is why the Advant X wins this comparison on the first line and why we rank certification above everything else; the full detail is in ECE 22.06 explained.
Both helmets do share the P/J code, which is worth knowing because most flip-ups do not: P/J means the helmet is approved in both the closed and open positions, so riding with the chin bar up is within its homologation rather than outside it. Most modulars are approved closed only - see are modular helmets safe?
340 grams is not a rounding error
The weight difference here is roughly 340 g, which is about three quarters of a pound sitting on top of your neck at the end of a lever. On a 20-minute commute you will not notice. On a four-hour day, or in stop-start traffic where you are turning your head constantly, it is the difference between arriving fresh and arriving with a sore neck - and the Advant X is lighter than many one-piece full-face helmets, let alone flip-ups. We explain why grams matter more than the number suggests in helmet weight explained.
LS2 Advant X - the one to buy
The Advant X is the certification-and-weight bargain of the modular class: genuine ECE 22.06 with P/J in a full forged-carbon shell at about 1,550 g, with a drop-down sun visor and a channel for LS2's Cardo-based 4X comms. Who it is for: the rider who wants a flip-up, wants the current standard and refuses to carry 1,900 g to get a sun visor.
The honest cons: the 180-degree flip mechanism and modular seams make it louder at highway speed than a one-piece carbon full-face - carbon does not fix a seam across your face. It uses a micrometric ratchet strap rather than a Double-D ring, which some riders dislike on principle, and only two shell sizes cover the whole range, so the fit at the extremes is more padding than shell. There is no SHARP result. Full detail in the LS2 Advant X review, and against the premium benchmark in LS2 Advant X vs Shoei Neotec 3.
Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer - buy it for the conversion or not at all
The GT930 earns its name. Unlike a normal flip-up, which parks the chin bar above your forehead, the Transformer's chin bar and shield come off completely, leaving a genuine three-quarter open-face - and it holds P/J homologation, so riding it open is approved. Add a drop-down sun visor and a friendly price and you have a helmet that covers three configurations nothing else in this bracket matches. Who it is for: the hot-climate commuter who wants a full-face in winter and an open-face in August from one purchase.
The honest cons: it is ECE 22.05, not 22.06, which is the whole reason it loses this comparison, and the heavy polycarbonate shell at about 1,890 g is the heaviest lid in our modular coverage. It is not the quietest helmet either. If the conversion feature is not genuinely something you will use, there is no argument for it over the Advant X. See the EXO-GT930 review, the budget head-to-head in HJC i91 vs Scorpion EXO-GT930, and the ADV sibling in EXO-AT960 vs EXO-GT930 - note that the AT960 does carry 22.06, so Scorpion publishes the current revision when the helmet holds it.
HJC i91 - the cheaper third option, with its own caveat
If both of the above are more than you want to spend, the i91 is the honest budget answer: one of the cheapest flip-ups from a major brand that still ships DOT-approved with a Pinlock-ready HJ-33 shield and a drop-down HJ-V12 sun visor, and it is ready for Smart HJC / Sena comms with no external bolt-on. Who it is for: the commuter who wants a comfortable flip-up with a sun visor for the least money.
The honest cons: the US Amazon listing is marketed DOT only- HJC's European i91 exists in both 22.05 and 22.06 variants depending on production date, so we do not assert 22.06 on the US unit; confirm the label on the helmet you buy. The polycarbonate shell is heavy at about 1,720 g and not as refined as a composite. Detail in the HJC i91 review.
Which one, in one line each
LS2 Advant X if you want the current ECE revision and the lightest flip-up for the money - which is most riders reading this. Scorpion EXO-GT930 only if the full open-face conversion is a feature you will genuinely use, and you accept 22.05 and 1,890 g as the price of it. HJC i91 if budget is the binding constraint and you can live without a named ECE revision. Whichever you pick, measure your head first - how to measure your helmet size - because the Advant X covers the whole range on two shells, and that makes fit checking more important, not less. The ranked class list is at best budget modular helmets and all modular helmets.
