The Sena Outrush R is built to the DOT (FMVSS 218) standards. I have read on some sites that it is also built to more rigorous ESE standards but my helmet is not marked ESE.
First the cost. Purchased on Amazon, the Outrush R with built in comms is about half the cost of the new Neotecs without comms but I was pleasantly surprised at the quality none the less. While not in the same category as a Neotec, the build of the Outrush R is pretty solid and does not feel like a cheap helmet. I do like that the chin bar makes a solid click when locked. That said, Sena's metal locking mechanism does not have the 360 pivot lock Shoei uses. Not sure if that is a big deal in safety I just hope I never have to find out.
The polycarbonate ABS shell of the Outrush R is smaller than the Neotec and the entire helmet, with built in coms included, is about a half a pound lighter. It feels even lighter to me when wearing.
The Outrush R comes currently in two colors. Matte black and glossy white. I went with white in X-large just like my Neotec. The Sena is a snugger fit than the Neotec and sits higher on my head which I like. My Neotec seemed to always ride too low even with new comfort padding. Field of vision is about the same on each with the chin bar down.
I have put in about 130 miles with the Sena and while it is a snugger fit as compared to the Neotec, there are no hotspots. I wear glasses and it is a bit more of a hassle to get them on comfortably in the Sena. I am hoping as it breaks in this changes but be aware of this. Sena could easily rectify this with some contouring.
The chin bar locks down securely and also stays open firmly. The visor has two very stiff detents for keeping it open at different widths for ventilation, but it is missing the barely open detent position for defogging. I bought the version without Pinlock but Pinlock does have a lens for it that I will probably add when it is time for a visor replacement. The drop down internal sun visor is easy to operate with a glove on. It does ride closer to my face than the one in the Neotec did but does not interfere with my glasses. It is dark enough to fight glare but not too dark.
Ventilation. Nobody, in my experience, beats the Neotec for ventilation and neither does the Outrush R. I would call it adequate. It has vents on the top and in the chin and two exhaust vents in the rear. Also, the Outrush R is slightly more noisy but with earplugs in it is hard for me to tell the difference.
Bluetooth comms. The built in communication unit is probably a mid range Sena device. It has Bluetooth 5.0 and will connect up to 4 riders. It is NOT a mesh system. I usually ride alone so that is not a big deal to me. Pairing with my phone and GPS was easy. I do have to disable bluetooth on my phone first when connecting the helmet to the GPS and then connect my phone to the GPS so I can stream, make calls and get turn by turn instructions from my Nuvi. If I don't my phone grabs the connection to the helmet and prevents the GPS from connecting.
The quality of the speakers is fair. Mid range that is slightly tinny. They could be louder though. At higher speeds with earplugs in I can still hear them but not as loudly as I would like. I bought the Outrush R because the module has push buttons. A previous version had a rotating dial. The module is a bit awkward to reach as it sits more toward the rear of the helmet but I am guessing it cuts down on wind noise a bit. It is pretty easy to use but the quick start instructions basically only tell you how to turn it on. I had to go to Sena to find more in depth instructions on how to pair, answer calls etc.
I did receive one phone call from Mrs. stickyfrog while riding with the chin bar down. She said there was no wind noise and I sounded better than when talking directly on my iPhone.
Overall the Outrush R is not in the same class as the Neotec but it is decent in its own right and at less than half the cost with built in Bluetooth it was worth a try. I honestly thought I would be returning it being Shoei-spoiled as I am but I decided to keep it and give it a go for this season anyway.
IMPORTANT note. This helmet is advertised in some places as having a built in FM receiver which I fully expected to be there. When I followed the instructions for turning it on, however, it wasn't there. On further investigation I found that Sena decided to not install it on some versions of this comm module because they were facing extreme manufacturing delays and considered the FM receiver to be non-essential. If this is a deal breaker for you then double check with the retailer before ordering to be sure your version has it. I am going to write Sena a sternly worded letter typed with just my middle fingers.
Chin bar lock is not as robust as the Shoei 360 lock.
