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Firstly, I am very familiar with the Uvex Race 5 product. Having worn one for the past 3 years. Designed and manufactured in Germany, the fit and finish is superior. To my great pleasure for things of highest detail, there are no rough edges in any of the vents, has a great sizing and strap system that can be customized to fit perfectly with vertical movement of the head band, an adjustment knob, and easy to use button clip, as well as clips for easily adjusting the left and right ride where the ears are. The antimicrobial padding system is very comfortable and can be removed to be cleaned.
Wind tunnel tested? I can attest the aero influenced helmet slips through the air with very little drag when speeding 40+MPH down a hill or against the wind. It really is a pleasure to use in any weather, while not a perfect climbing helmet, there are enough vent to let heat escape and get some wind flow. Not to mention, the helmet is light in weight.
I simply love the fine finish, excellent customizable fit, and flexible adjustment system. After 3 years and over 10,000 miles in it, some of the rubberized parts are finally beginning to show signs of age but still fully functional.
Enter my next choice in helmet, the Kask Mojito (without MIPS). Designed and manufactured in Italy. The helmet is stylish looking, fits like a glove, and comes in a popular assortment of colors as well as team colors. The fit and adjustment systems are excellent. It also adorns the vertical adjustment hinge for the rear band. The padding is ample (which helps with the glove like fit) and enough vents to let good airflow. The helmet also includes removeable pads that can be cleaned between rides. Something like this makes a good climbing/summer helmet.
The KASK Mojito lacks the fine finish I see in most helmets on the market. There are rough edges in the vents and in the helmet I received, there is a bit of lip lip on the right inner vent on my helmet where the polycarbonate shell isn't perfectly molded onto the foam core. Otherwise the sleek look, glove like fit, and flexible adjustment system is very appealing.
Conclusion:
The adjustment mechanisms are pretty similar enough and flexible enough to be an even draw between helmets. The padding is a bit more ample on the KASK Mojito which gives it the glove like fit. Where the KASK Mojito gets the upper hand is the Italian styling, glove-like fit, and the availability in a greater number of color combinations and team colors also.
However, where the KASK Mojito doesn't meet the impeccable precision of other helmets on the market. With the rough edges in the vents and the polycarbonate not set into the mold well on the center vent on my helmet, quality control may be an issue.
In reflection, the ultimate perfect helmet would be the combination of both KASK's styling with Uvex's wind tunnel tested finish which is probably the Uvex Race 1 model. Here are additional links to road.cc reviews of the Uvex Race 1 and the KASK Mojito. In addtion here is a link to their Uvex Race 5 review.
FOLLOW UP: After visiting some local bike shops and comparing low cost to high cost helmets from Giro, Bontrager, and Lazer helmets in shop, I couldn't find one with any problems with the finishes that I have with the KASK Mojito I received. I will be returning it and trying a different supplier to see if the issue persists across the model or if I had just gotten a bad helmet that simply got past quality control.
