The filter and battery housing looks a little like a mohawk. Photo: Shellios

If you’ve ridden around the world, you’ll know: Sooner or later, you’re in a stinky situation. Literally. Or you’ll get stuck riding through dust-clouds on unpaved tracks. Now Indian helmet manufacturer Shellios has tackled the problem nose-on with the Puros, a full-face helmet that supplies you with HEPA-filtered air.

The Puros has an integrated air purification system with a blower fan which takes in air at the back, and pushes it through an easily replaceable H13 Grade HEPA filter to swirl about your face. The company claims that this is the “First Clean Air Helmet for Commuters” and specifies more than 99% efficiency with PM (particulate matter) 2.5. It also says that the filter reduces the pollution content of the filtered air by better than 80% as per tests by a National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited lab, in accordance with ISO/ IEC 17011. So it does not sound as if these are wild claims.

The replaceable filter looks standard. Photo: Shellios

The fan is cordless with a dedicated LiON battery rechargeable power supply with a Micro-B Type charging port. Shellios claims that it reduces visor fogging and ‘feeling of suffocation”. The shell is fiberglass and the helmet has a one year warranty (India Only).

The control for the fan is a single button. Photo Shellios

As yet, the helmet is BIS Certified under IS:4151 (Indian Standard for Safety Helmets) only, so you would be taking a chance wearing it elsewhere. Mind you, Shellios does quote a shipping cost to Europe on its website. Shipping all over India included in the price, which is 4500 rupees (A$83, US$56). The only sizes at this stage are Medium (580mm) and Large (600mm).

Shellios also describes the air pollution that it expects the helmet to ameliorate. The details are worth quoting here. Ground level or “bad” ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight. PM stands for particulate matter (also called particle pollution): the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Breathing air with a high concentration of carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen that can be transported in the blood stream to critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, which are possible indoors or in other enclosed environments, CO can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and death. Short-term exposures to sulfur dioxide can harm the human respiratory system and make breathing difficult. Children, the elderly, and those who suffer from asthma are particularly sensitive to effects of SO2. Once taken into the body, lead distributes throughout the body in the blood and is accumulated in the bones. Depending on the level of exposure, lead can adversely affect the nervous system, kidney function, immune system. Breathing air with a high concentration of nitrogen dioxide can irritate airways in the human respiratory system. Such exposures over short periods can aggravate respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, leading to respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing.

Ground level or “bad” ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight.

PM stands for particulate matter (also called particle pollution): the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Breathing air with a high concentration of carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen that can be transported in the blood stream to critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, which are possible indoors or in other enclosed environments, CO can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and death.

Short-term exposures to sulfur dioxide can harm the human respiratory system and make breathing difficult. Children, the elderly, and those who suffer from asthma are particularly sensitive to effects of SO2.

Once taken into the body, lead distributes throughout the body in the blood and is accumulated in the bones. Depending on the level of exposure, lead can adversely affect the nervous system, kidney function, immune system.

Breathing air with a high concentration of nitrogen dioxide can irritate airways in the human respiratory system. Such exposures over short periods can aggravate respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, leading to respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing.

We have to come clean here and admit that Shellios does not make any claims about eliminating the unpleasantries of riding through a smelly area. But the filter would have to at least reduce it a little, wouldn’t it?