I ended up ordering a carbon flex from Rocky Mountain. It was on clearance for $350! Considering their $650 price tag, I was all over it. Thanks for the recommendation
All the upper end helmets are really good. 6D is a great helmet, but they offer very little in the way of rider support and discount. If you look at all the upper end helmets, they are all offering some type of impact system. From what I have seen, most of these systems only have a benefit in the low to mid impact range. I don't care what the helmet brand is, all will result in some kind of a concussion in a very hard impact......of which will result in the need to replace the helmet.
There is a lot of marketing that goes into safety equipment and the fear of injury and the unknown. I am not advocating for less safety equipment, but after spending time around a few former professional racers like Tyler Villipoto, Ryan Hughes and Destry Abbott as they have taught, what you find out is that some safety equipment can cause as many problems as they claim it can prevent. there are plenty of documented cases of neck braces causing broken backs in the T4-T8 and broken collar bones, that make you wonder if they have prevented as many injuries as they have caused. Position and form on the bike is as important in preventing a crash that can result in an injury as a piece of protective equipment is. On the helmet end, I think 6D makes a great product, and I am currently wearing one, I am just not certain that the extra weight of the helmet does not create other problems. Currently I am hoping that we get good offer from Shoei so that I can get into a lighter helmet.