I'm not sure I think it is that great or comfortable to be worth that much money, but I needed one and that was the only XL the shop had. I tried on a couple of Shark ones today, and 'think' they felt more comfortable, one was 250, one 350, much cheaper than the Shoei. I'll go back to try them when I'm wearing the GT Air to get a better comparison.
I like my Arais due to the fit. Agree the pods are a pain in the arse. First pod failure was on a lid less than 6 months old. It went when stopped at a garage, wasn't fun riding home without a visor However the lid did its job well when it really needed to. Also I managed to get a free replacement pod sorted bia Hrin Gericke/Phoenix so wasn't too bad. My replacement Arai is now 6 years old and both pods failed within a few weeks of each other last year. Replacement pod pack even after all that times means that the lid is still good to go for trackdays though.
Most important thing is the size/fit. My first helmet was a size large Bell that I bought online after measuring my head as per instructions, and reading from many reviews that you need to go up a size for Bell helmets. When I was looking for an upgrade I went to two local shops who had Arai/Shoei trained sales guys. They both sized me as a small, confirmed by trying on in the shop. I then went on to get a small Arai which felt perfect as first, but as it wore in I noticed it would "lift" at warp speeds. That didn't feel great. Long story short I had other problems with it and managed to swap it for a Shoei. The small NXR I have now is perfect. It is harder to get on and off but feels super snug and safe when on and at speed. No movement at all. Smaller shell will also be lighter, safer and quieter.
