The Swedish based POC gravity sport protection company recently released the trick Trabec mountain bike helmet, which comes in two flavors, the Trabec Race and Trabec. The helmet extends down the back of the neck, and it uses Aramid filaments combined with an In-mold Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) foam liner for maximum protection. The three-piece outer polycarbonate shell has optimized sections that don’t have seams in the most vulnerable areas, and its bonded to the reinforced core, for strength and lightweight. The comfortable and extremely safety engineered Trabec Race helmet, offers extra Aramid reinforcements than the Trabec, and weighs around 380 grams and costs $180.

The major components of a helmet, are the outer shell, the foam liner, the retention system and the padding. The hard shell helps spread the impact over a larger surface (specifically to the liner), accentuates sliding and prevents object penetration. The EPS foam helps prevent or reduce brain injury by managing the energy of an impact through its own compression or destruction. Its main duty is to slow the stopping process so that the head slows down during its inertial of the impact (deceleration), by cushioning and redirection.

Impressions
The Trabec Race is a pretty comfortable helmet, with enough padding in the proper places, and a good form fitting inner shape, that has adequate room to accommodate varying head geometries. It’s not the most fashionable looking helmet, and it looks sort of blocky and chunky perched on top of your head, but safety is its preeminent point, not fashion. The helmet offers excellent protection, coming deeply over the ears, and drooping far down onto the neck in an enduro type styling. The additional coverage certainly adds a great sense of reassurance for protection in case of a crash, and the hidden features such as the Aramid reinforcement and extra thickness of the liner, and the shell seams in non vulnerable areas, make for an extensive safety dominated package. The liner uses a web or grid of Aramid filaments molded inside the EPS foam, acting very much rebar in concrete or the skeleton inside a body, to works in a synergistic manner to offer strength, resistance and durability, and keeping things together throughout an impact. The thickness of the liner is close to 4 cm in places, which gives it the bulbous height and shape, but it creates a greater amount of material to envelope your noggin for protection. I liked the simple color scheme for the helmet, and the White kept the head from baking in the sun, although the lighter toned chin straps did stain after some usage. The three-piece shell, is comprised of the main upper piece which starts just over the ears and covers the top of your scalp, the rear piece which covers the back of your head, and then a long sliver piece that rolls around the entire bottom of the helmet.

Note: Aramid fibers are a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers. They are used in aerospace and military applications, for ballistic rated body armor fabric and ballistic composites.

The helmet has 16 large air vents with an internal air channel, which help with air flow, but it can still feel a bit warm compared to a highly ventilated cross country helmet. It is kept purposely rounded, without any extraneous pointed sections, so that during a crash it will roll better, and nothing will get caught or pinched in debris or terrain obstacles on your terra firma encounter. The visor is removable and will break away in a crash, and has an adjustable tilt, which is nice in variable light conditions, and allows you to either put it down for maximum coverage or up out of the way for more expansive viewing.

It comes with two sets of padding, one thicker than the other, which allows for micro alteration for varying head shapes and sizes. The helmet padding was durable and comfortable, dried quickly and wicked well, and they’re removable and machine washable. The padding was treated with Polygiene, which uses a natural silver salt, and has anti-microbial and anti-odor properties to keep the helmet fresh, so it doesn’t get the funk. The helmet sizing is adjusted by four systems, a chin strap, two ear adjusters, a rear circumference closure and a three-point height setting, the latter two being very much like the Giro Roc Loc system.

The straps are set or molded directly into the EPS foam, and the inner end piece of the chinstrap isn’t adjustable, so I ended up having to have the outer chin strap too close to the ear adjuster. I found that the side ear adjusters on the chin strap liked to drift downward, so I had to move them back up into place on occasion. The ear pieces didn’t have a clamp to snap down, and worked on tight friction with the webbing. On every ride, I used the rear closure and chin strap, opening them for spinning, and then closing tightly for technical terrain and running downhill.

The rear circumference system consists of two push button ratchets that click into indents, giving a good deal of adjustability for fitting and comfort. I could get it to work on the fly, but it was easier to loosen then tighten. To relax the fit you tapped the buttons, and they would easily loosen, while to close the system, you had to squeeze the buttons towards each other, and doing on the fly adjustments required you to reach over the top of the helmet. It usually worked just fine and clamped down tightly, but it occasionally would pop out of the ratchets indents, and the reach over the helmet was awkward to perform. I think the adjustment system, specifically the ear and the rear circumference adjusters, needs some refinement, as it just doesn’t function to the performance standards this helmet emulates towards.

The helmet has been very durable, and has shown no signs of wear, scratches and dings. Another nice little bonus is that it comes with a useful helmet bag, and I certainly wish more vendors would include a simple bag with their helmets?

Measured Specs:

• Weight (size XL-XXL) – 392.8 grams

Bottom Line
The POC Trabec Race is comfortable, well constructed and an eminently safety oriented helmet. It includes superb safety features, such as extended rear and side coverage, and an extremely thick liner with a grid of Aramid filaments reinforced into that EPS core, and a polycarbonate shell with optimized sections. The helmet is expensive, isn’t the coolest on a hot day, and the rear retention system was awkward to use, and the chin strap ear pieces like to droop out of place. What you do get is one of the most sophisticated helmets for protection and safety on the market, and POC has certainly pushed the science of gravity sport protection to the maximum, without compromising functionality or performance.

Strengths

• Aramid filament reinforced EPS core
• Liner thickness
• Comfortable
• Adjustable, removable and breakaway visor
• Safety engineered throughout

Weaknesses

• Expensive
• Heavy
• Can get warm
• Ear piece on chin strap – creep downwards
• Rear circumference adjuster – awkward to tighten on the fly

Overall Rating: 4 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Trabec Race Specs:

• Visit the POC Trabec Race website
• Sizes: XS-S, M-L, XL-XXL
• Colors: Orange/White, White/Orange, Black/White

The stylish All Mountain helmets are comfortable, with smooth and rounded lines, has good coverage and adjustment systems, and a trick and superb adjustable visor. The helmet incorporates some innovative safety features, such as a three piece shell and a reinforced foam liner, and has a well engineered ventilation system, with 17 vents. In comes in five colors and three sizes, to cover the gamut of styles and fitting.

The helmet uses the industry standard In-mold EPS liner with polycarbonate shell, for impact absorption, durability, ventilation design and strength. For additional safety, the liner uses their Roll Cage, which uses a reinforced web of DuPont Nylon molded inside the EPS foam, and the shell uses three separate pieces for reduction of scratches and abrasions.

Giro XAR – Impressions
The helmet has a fairly round shape, with smooth lines throughout, and only the rear has any distinctive angulation. The colors and graphics are subdued (except for the Matte Neon), and I really liked the Black with Cyan/Lime lines of my test helmet. It has good coverage for your head, and has a nice extended rear section for additional protection.

The chin strap system is sort of interesting for a modern helmet, as both sides are molded directly into the liner, and are not attached in the usual manner to the rear circumference adjuster. The side adjustment claps for the chin strap are easy to open and close to make the proper and even tension around the ear, and they stay locked down without any slippage. Since the straps are attached, it did take some extra fiddling to get everything set properly.

The helmet stabilization system for the XAR is called the Roc Loc 5,  and it uses a small wheel to adjust the circumference strap, which reaches around 75% of the inner helmet, and has a three position vertical setting. This gives plenty of adjustability for proper fit, although I do wish the wheel was a bit larger, since it can be difficult to use with gloved hands. The vertical position fitting, has three very distinct clicks, and it’s simple to squeeze or spread it with one hand to find the required spot. I sometimes found that when I had the wheel cranked down hard for downhills and technical terrain, that I got a slight binding around my temples and the front of my head?

The ventilation system is pretty nice, and was especially noticeable when getting some speed going, which allowed optimal functionality. The system has 17 Wind Tunnel vents, which are designed with an active vent and an internal exhaust channel to pull in the cool fresh air and expel out hot stale air. The air channels rise above the head to let the air move freely. On steep slow climbs it did seem to get warm, although that is a common issue for most helmets.

The inside of the helmet uses their X-Static padding, which dried quickly and wicked well, and was adequately comfortable, but was a bit on the thin side, and a touch more thickness would be preferable. They also need to add some padding in the rear, especially by the Roc Loc 5 system, as it can be irritating if you’re bald, have thin hair or don’t wear a skull cap. The padding is made with 99.9% pure silver, and has anti-microbial and anti-odor properties to keep the helmet fresh, so it doesn’t get the funk, and they’re removable and machine washable.

The bell winner for this helmet is their P.O.V. adjustable visor system, which uses an internal clutch mechanism that allows 15-degrees of vertical rotation. It’s a pretty darn sweet feature, and it was nice to alter the tilt for varying light conditions and the type of terrain being ridden. The 15 degree’s meant it could be pushed down for good extended coverage, or rolled up out of the field of vision. I really liked that I could have it lowered for long climbs and the flats for maximum protection, to keep the sun out of my eyes and off my face, and then I could roll it up for technical terrain or going downhill, when you wanted a spacious and panoramic field of view.

Measured Specs:
Weight (size Large)- 356.5 grams

Bottom Line
The XAR is a great helmet, that is comfortable, with excellent safety features, and has a good fit adjustment system, which uses a combination of the Roc Loc 5 and the chin strap, to work in synergy, and provide a secure and solid fit. The wheel on the Roc Loc 5 needs to be enlarged, since it’s difficult to use with gloved hands. The prize winner on the XAR is the P.O.V. adjustable visor, which is functional and highly useful. The ventilation system with the 17 Wind Tunnel vents does a good job of moving air through the helmet, especially when moving with some speed. The X-Static padding wicks and dries perspiration, but it’s on the thin side for maximum comfort, and needs to be added to a portion of the Roc Loc 5.

Strengths

• P.O.V. adjustable visor system
• Comfortable
• Chin strap side clasps
• Safety features – liner Roll Cage and three piece shell
• Good Ventilation

Weaknesses

• Roc Loc 5 adjuster wheel is too small
• X-Static padding is too thin
• Needs padding on the Roc Loc 5 system

MSRP – $130

Overall Rating: 4 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Giro XAR Specs:

• Visit the Giro XAR website at http://www.giro.com/us_en/products/cycling-helmets/xar.html
• All Mountain, trail riding, Endurace/Marathon XC, Super D
• In-mold EPS liner w/ polycarbonate shell – This process fuses the helmet’s outer shell with its impact-absorbing EPS liner. It allows the XAR to be lighter, more durable and better ventilated.
• Roll Cage – This reinforcement is a tough web of DuPont Nylon molded inside the helmet’s EPS foam liner. It provides an extra measure of strength and integrity that you’ll never notice unless you need it.
• Hardbodies – The XAR molds three, separate outer shells to the EPS foam liner. This complex construction keep the foam protected from scratches and abrasions.
• P.O.V. adjustable visor – This visor is anchored by a patented internal clutch mechanism that allows 15-degrees of tool-free, on the fly vertical adjustment. Best of all, it won’t rattle or come loose over rough terrain.
• X-Static Padding – In addition to being very comfortable, our X-Static pads provide anti-microbial properties to help keep your helmet fresher, longer. The pads are also easily removable and machine washable.
• Roc Loc 5 – This helmet stabilization system allows you to easily dial-in both helmet fit tension and adjust vertical position wit a single hand
• 17 Wind Tunnel vents, internal channeling – This design combines active vents with internal exhaust channels that thrust fresh, cool air over your head while forcing heat and stale air out.
• Colors – Black with Cyan/Lime lines, Matte Black with Gray bars, Metallic Orange with Blue/Yellow lines, Matte Metallic Brown with Orange bars, Matte White with Gray bars.
• Sizes – Small 20″- 21.75″ (51-55cm), Medium 21.75″ – 23.25″ (55-59 cm), Large 23.25″-24.75 (59-63 cm)
• MSRP – $130

The helmet is sort of a cross between a full faced and normal design, offering excellent rear and side coverage, supreme comfort, and some unique features, especially in regard to safety. It uses the industry standard In-mold EPS foam construction, with a durable high gloss outer polycarbonate shell, and meet the US and European certification standards. It features a flexible visor, eight venting hole, and comes in a wide range of colors, two sizes (Sm/Md and Lg/X-Lg) and weighs in at 300 grams. Urge Bike Products is based out of Cogolin, France, and is co-owned by multiple time World Champion Fabien Barrel, who also does product testing and development for the company. I tested the L-XL Flash Sand model.

The Urge Endur-o-Matic helmet is an extremely comfortable helmet, and was easy to wear for long periods of time. The inner shape and supple padding feel proper, and it seems to be shaped like your head, cupping it, almost like your wearing a skull cap, without any bind or pinch spots. Like any helmet, their last or mold might not fit your particular head, so always try and get a test fit if possible.

The helmet has a simple chin strap, and uses different padding for sizing alterations, instead of the usual high tech adjustment or retention system.  Outside of choosing the proper size for fit (Sm/Md or Lg/X-Lg), the helmets come with two sets of machine washable pads of different thickness (5mm and 10mm), which allow the adjustments for a customized fit. I used the default thinner padding within the helmet, and found it fit just fine. The padding (one front and one rear), is held in place with Velcro, and is quite soft, cushy and thick, and has excellent wicking capabilities. The ‘Gangsta’ style front pad, which receives the major portion of perspiration,  extends 15mm below the shell,  and it gets a constant flow of air while riding, which offers effective drying, and keeps the sweat from dripping into your eyes.

The helmet has eight cooling or venting portholes, which are all 30mm in size (half dollar),  four at the front, two on top and two at the rear. They are positioned and designed to create a Venturi effect, and work in synergy with the visor, which enhances and directs the airflow. Although the holes do help ventilate, this is not a roadie styled maximum air conditioning unit, and it can get warm, especially when moving at slow speeds when the visor can’t do it’s turbo boosting assistance.  If the front pad gets too damp, it can be pulled out and slapped on your thigh to get rid of excess moisture, and this odd method does the job surprisingly well. The venting system is somewhat problematic, and it can get a bit toasty on really hot days, but the temperature compromise needs to be weighed against the benefits of the excellent safety features.

The flexible visor really extends out over the front of the helmet, acting as an excellent sun guard, greatly aiding in keeping the face from getting heat flush and a sun beating. In addition the visor offers rain, snow and hail protection when it’s encountered, which I got to test in spades during the usual Colorado Winter and Spring weather conditions. I added a small piece of protection tape under the middle of the visor and helmet interface, since it seemed to scratch up the helmet as the visor moved back and forth on the helmets surface. The visor is bolted down on its sides, but it’s pliable and loose enough not to cause issues when crashing, and it deforms easily without breaking, and doesn’t get grabbed by the ground and cause head twisting. It worked like a charm on the several small crashes I took, and it performed like the visor wasn’t really there.

The helmet has been very durable, and except for the spot under the middle of the visor interface (where it rubbed), nothing out of the ordinary  has shown signs of wear. Since it’s not a normally vented setup, when using any sort of video camera or night light, it requires a stick on mount, much like a full faced helmet requires. I really liked the extra protection that the helmet offered, as it not only extended far down the neck and towards the ears, but the helmet shape meant it really cradled the head. The cradling or cupping of the head meant the helmet didn’t flop around or feel sloppy, and felt as though it was an extension of your noggin. It felt much safer since it seemed to encase, envelope and wrap around the head, offering a great degree of protection and serenity when pushing the edge into ugly heinous terrain. The overall round shape of the shell meant it rolled better during a crash, and had fewer tendencies to get caught or pinched in debris or terrain obstacles.

The outer shape, and colors were nice, and it was an ideal compromise between a full face helmet and a traditional vented bike helmet, and you certainly would never be mistaken for a roadie! When I got ready to drop down into the gnar, all that was needed was a tightening of the chin strap, and you were ready to go. The decreased proliferation of venting holes also meant fewer tree branches could penetrate or get caught, whether riding through a wooded area or during crashes, and the same scenario for small stones and other debris.

Another nice little bonus is that it comes with a useful helmet bag, and I ended up using with many other helmets for travel protection. I wish more vendors would include a simple bag with their helmets?

Bottom Line
The Urge Endur-o-Matic is a comfortable, well made, durable and safety feature laden helmet. The additional rear and side protection, encapsulation of the head, flexible visor, and round shape, decreased object penetration, offer excellent safety and peace of mind. The great  comfort is produced by a synergy of the helmets shape and plush padding, and offer long day pleasure. The venting works decently, especially when moving, but at slower speeds and on hot days it can get warm. The ‘Gangsta’ styled front pad dries and wicks sweat, and keeps it from dripping into your eyes.

The Urge Endur-o-Matic is an excellent safety featured helmet, and one that I always like to use again, especially when riding in ugly technical terrain.

Strengths

• Excellent extended rear and side protection
• Flexible visor
• Portholes have fewer foreign object penetration opportunities
• Round shape enhances crash rolling
• Padding is soft with great wicking properties
• Durable
• Comfortable

Weaknesses

• Venting system – can get warm sometimes
• Lack of adjustment and customization in the field
• Visor rubs on shell causing wear spot

Overall Rating: 4.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Urge Endur-o-Matic Specs:

• Certified to CPSC and CE EN1078 safety standards
• In-mold EPS foam construction with polycarbonate exterior hardshell
• Extended rear-of-head helmet construction to protect farther down toward your neck in the event of a backward fall
• Eight porthole-style vent holes – four forward, four in rear
• Flexible visor designed to enhance airflow into the porthole-style vent holes
• Velcro-affixed Urge Gangsta Pad – an interior comfort and sweat pad designed to dry while your ride, so it stays effective at absorbing sweat for longer
• Weight: 294 grams
• Sizes: 54cm – Small/Medium 54-57cm,  Large/X-Large 57cm – 60cm
• Colors: White & black, Black, white & red, Flash Blue, Flash Brown & white, Flash black & white, Flash Sand, Flash green & black
• Includes:  helmet, storage bag, two replacement pads, sheet of stickers, instruction guide
• MSRP: $109

The Kali Avita Carbon helmet is a stunning looking helmet, that was comfortable, durable, and full of innovative safety designs and materials. Kali and POC are some of the protection companies that are at the forefront of a new wave of helmet safety performance, and the aptly named Avita, which in Sanskrit means “protected” certainly defines their focus.

The major components of a helmet, are the outer shell, the foam liner, the retention system and the padding. The hard shell helps spread the impact over a larger surface (specifically to the liner), accentuates sliding and prevents object penetration. The EPS foam helps prevent or reduce brain injury by managing the energy of an impact through its own compression or destruction. Its main duty is to slow the stopping process so that the head slows down during its inertial of the impact (deceleration), by cushioning and redirection.

Features
The Kali Avita is their crown jewel of their XC helmets, and comes in two versions, the Carbon, which I tested, and the less expensive Texalium model. The Carbon is composed of two entities, the shell, which is made with carbon fiber, Texalium aluminized fiberglass and polycarbonate, while the core is made with their Contego EPS foam. Texalium was developed by Hexcel, the large advanced composite’s corporation, whom I remember mostly from their cool honeycomb ski’s of the 70-80′s. Contego is a special formula of Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS), that provides an excellent combination of densities for shock absorption. The helmet uses their Composite Fusion technology to incorporate the EPS foam as an integral part of the shell, much like the industry standard in-mould microshell. This process entails steaming small Polystyrene beads directly into the shell (in-mould), which then expand as a foam, and fuse to the exterior, giving better impact energy transfer and greater material connection strength.

The helmet includes many safety features, such as the extended rear coverage, the breakaway visor, the extra strong shell (carbon, fiberglass and polycarbonate), and the Composite Fusion technology. There is also a portion of the shell on the bottom outer edge of the helmet for additional strength and reinforcement. The helmet is well padded, and uses a rear mounted ratcheted floating retention system for fitting adjustments, has 22 vents, and a buckled chin strap with adjusters below the ear. The helmet comes in two sizes, small/medium and medium/large, and five color schemes, Pattern White or Black, Stars White, Black or Anthracite.

Measured Spec:

• Weight (medium/large) – 392.6 grams

Impressions
I really liked the Avita Carbon helmet, as it was quite comfortable, well constructed, and looks pretty sharp. It has six nice soft anti-microbial padding on the front 75% of the liner, while the rear retention system uses two slightly stiffer foam pads. All the padding except for the rear, was removable, so it could be washed when it started to get nasty or dirty.

The retention system floats, and is attached on the sides by the temple and then up inside above the ears, so it is free to move about, and it sort of self adjusts itself to fit the oddities of your head. The retention uses a dual ratcheted system, and could be used on the fly, especially for tightening, which was nice when you were approaching more technical terrain, but it was more difficult to loosen, and took some practice and technique to make that adjustment. The ratchets worked really well, and they wouldn’t accidentally loosen up on you during a ride. The chin buckle closure was quick and easy to use, and the strap adjustment had a locking clamp, as did the ear adjusters, so it stayed exactly where you left them. On really long rides when my head swelled up, and I found that the front of the helmet caused a slight bind, and although I could loosen the retention to alleviate it somewhat, but it was still an annoyance (my head shape?).

The 22 vents worked really well, and had a good throughput, and I never overheated, which is surprising since the rear ones seemed a bit constrained compared to the rest of the blocky holes. Attaching helmet camera’s was really simple, due to the placement and shape of the vents, and a nice flat spot on the top. I enjoyed the extended rear coverage (like a skate helmet), which protrudes downward decently, and it provided excellent sun and back of the neck and head protection. It also provided better fit, cradling a larger portion of the head, and it decreased the tendency for the helmet to roll backwards. The breakaway visor sat really low, which helped block the sun, but on occasion if the helmet creep forward and started to droop, you lost a tad of peripheral vision?

Bottom Line
The Kali Avita Carbon is a sweet helmet, that is well constructed, comfortable, looks nice, and has a plethora of safety features. It includes superb safety features, such as the extended rear coverage, the breakaway visor, a high strength shell, and the Composite Fusion technology. Highlighted features is the functional floating rear retention system, chin and ear strap locking buckles, good ventilation, and soft comfortable liner padding. The helmet is expensive, only comes in two sizes, and the inner shape might not fit every head, and the retention system ratchets are difficult to loosen when on the fly.

Strengths

• Extended rear
• Strong shell
• Floating retention system
• Comfortable

Weaknesses

• Expensive
• Only two sizes
• Might not fit every head shape
• Retention system hard to loosen on the fly

MSRP: $189

Overall Rating: 4 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Kali Avita Carbon Company Specs:

• Visit the Kali Avita Carbon website at http://www.kaliprotectives.com/bike/avita-carbon/
• Revolutionary mix of carbon fiber, fiberglass and polycarbonate materials
• Unique expanded coverage areas of EPS foam
• More than 20 aerations
• Safety compliance: EN 1078, CPSC
• Size – Small/Medium 54-58 and Medium/Large 58-64

The uvex (pronounced ew-vex) xp 100 helmet has been my main noggin protection for three months, and I have found it to be lightweight, comfortable, easily adjustable, with a large brim and excellent rear protection. The German made helmet has a plethora of features, that add not only to its safety, but to the comfort and usability of the wearer, plus I liked the wicked skull graphics.

Features
The xp 100 has a lot of nice features, mostly in regard to the fitting and adjustability system. It uses their proprietary IAS 3D+ ring (Internal Adaptive System), which is a rear mounted dial driven adjustable retention system. The system allows easy circumferential (length and width) and height adjustments, and can accommodate a wide range of head sizes, and headgear thicknesses used for inclement weather conditions. Simply twirl the dial, and the system tightens or loosens around the head.

The chin strap, named the Monomatic, is a button and ratchet closure system, which allows easy micro adjustments, and includes a nice wraparound pad for comfort.

There are extra large vents for cooling, and the front ones feature mesh panels to stop bugs from getting sucked into the inner helmet cavity. The straps come through the shell and are secured by toggles on the outside. A neat feature is the ability to swap the toggles for special ones that let you mount uvex LED’s to the helmet – rear-facing red centrally located at the back, and two forward-facing white ones on either side at the front.

The helmet is constructed with the industry standard in-mould microshell, which has a thick inner foam and a thin outer plastic protective shell. The foam is made with the shock-absorbing polystyrene (expandable polystyrene foam or EPS) material. The outer shell is split into two large pieces, and is made from the Makrolon polycarbonate material, which is the same impact-resistant material that Uvex’s eyewear lenses are made from. The shell has been extremely rugged, and has shown no signs of wear nor abuse, which is a testament to the tough Makrolon material.

For technical fodder refer to Makrolon, Polystyrene, and helmet safety, refer to http://mtbreviews.net/helmet-tech/

Impressions

The first thing you notice when using the helmet is how easy it is to adjust it. A simple twirl of the IAS wheel and you can tighten or loosen the helmet around your head. It was quite easy to adjust the helmet’s tightness, even when wearing gloves, and on bouncy trails. I found it very beneficial to change the fit on the fly to suit the riding conditions, from mellower to more technical. I regularly ride with a helmet video camera, and when going through rougher terrain it’s nice to be able to crank the helmet tightly for good stabilization and isolation. The padding was quite pleasant, and I especially liked the thick pads at the front and apex of the helmet. They have vastly improved the padding on the IAS section, and it is now soft enough for even shaved head.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Monomatic closure system, which is a ratchet and button chin strap. It was incredibly easy to make small micro adjustments into how hard the helmet is pulled down onto your head. The usual process of moving the straps through the quick release buckle for adjustments is only needed once, and from then on any adjustments that are required (different headgear, hair style, riding conditions) is maintained by the Monomatic system. The 1/2 inch of adjustment of the system was more than adequate for any situation that I encountered. It has a nice wraparound pad that covers the entire ratchet section, and I usually didn’t have a pinched neck from using the system, though on occasion my neck, goatee or beard would get caught.

I really appreciated the visor extension from the helmet, and it gave excellent sun coverage, and it was easily detachable if required for packing. The rear of the helmet shell extends downwards quite far, and offers superb protection to the back of the head and upper neck. In addition, it made the helmet fit better since it cradles a larger portion of your head, and works in synergy with the IAS. The extra coverage it provides, and the decrease in any tendency for the helmet to roll back is a purposeful safety feature.

The excellent adjustment system, great padding, lightweight, and shell geometry, made the helmet very comfortable, with no pressure nor pinch points, and it was fine for any of the multiple hour rides that I regularly participate in.

Measured Spec

• Weight: 250.6 grams

Bottom Line

The uvex xp 100 is an excellent, well made and feature filled helmet. The German made helmet has plenty of safety and comfort features, from the usable and functional IAS 3D+ and Monomatic closure system, the extended visor, and the dropped rear of the shell. I found the helmet comfortable for long rides, and thoroughly enjoyed the easily adjustability for fit, which could even be done on the fly, no matter how ugly and bumpy the terrain was. The Makrolon shell has been amazing durable, showing now signs of wear and tear, though the White matte did show stains and dirt. The only small issue I had was getting pinched by the Monomatic closure.

Strengths
-Monomatic ratchet/button chin strap
-IAS adjusting ring
-Makrolon shell
-Comfortable
-Dropped rear

Weaknesses
-Neck pinched by the Monomatic
-White Matte finish shows stains and dirt

MSRP $99

Overall Rating: 4.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Visit the uvex xp 100 website

uvex xp 100 Company Specs and Features:

• Made in Germany
• Inmould technology
• IAS 3D+
• Monomatic
• Safety standards: European – EN 1078 / TUV GS, US – CPSC
• Colors: Hang Loose, Black Matte, White Matte
• 1 Size:  fits 55-60cm
• FAS chin strap system
• No insects
• Anti-allergic inner lining
• Changeable inner lining
• Cross shield
• IAS ring with reflecting sticker

I have been wearing the Rudy Project Sterling helmet on and off since late winter, and it’s a pretty sweet helmet. The Sterling is the new to 2010, and is their top of the line road helmet from the Italian manufacturer. The helmet is a great-fitting, well-ventilated helmet that offers plenty of protection, and is extremely comfortable.

Rudy Project Sterling
The Sterling helmet has a ton of ventilation holes, 18 to be exact, so it ventilates well and really helps cool your noggin. The helmet comes with an inner bug stopper net with incorporated padding, a second full padding set, a storage bag, and a visor. I really liked the plush helmet bag, something that always seems to lack from most manufacturers, it was a nice accompaniment. The Sterling comes in 2 sizes, a small/medium and a large, and is available in an array of 6 color choices with matte finishes. I tested a size large, and it weighed in at 369.5 grams, which included the inner mesh and visor.

Rudy Project uses a composite skeleton (skeletal system and in-molded shell) to strengthen the helmet, while retaining some wildly open set of sculptured ventilation holes. The opened skeleton removes some surrounding material for increased airflow, allowing for efficient cooling. There is also a “Eyewear Dock” built into the exposed skeleton to hold the arms of sunglasses, which is handy on long climbs or when low light conditions are encountered.

Padding
The removable inner mesh net covers about the frontal 2/3rd’s of the helmet, and I found it to be quite comfortable, and I used it instead of the optional pads. Being removable also makes it easy to wash, to remove accumulated gunk. Either padding system attaches using small Velcro patches that are glued inside the helmet’s shell. The plush suede like padding was soft, and has a comfy tactile feel on the skin, and since it was attached o the netting, the pads didn’t drift. The net does a good job of keeping errant bugs from getting into through the front vents, and it can be adjusted to floating within the helmet  depending on how you attach it to the Velcro pads. The padded chin strap was a nice feature, which added greatly to the comfort level of the helmet. On extremely hot days, the net can trap heat somewhat, but the ventilation holes do an excellent job of cooling things off.

I found the visor a bit small, and along with the somewhat blunt front end of the helmet, it didn’t offer as much sun protection as comparable helmets.

Retention System
The Sterling has an excellent adjustment system that uses a comfort ring along with their retention dial system called the RSR7. I really liked the RSR7, it pulled very evenly, and was easy to adjust, even with gloves on. The RSR7 allows a finely tuned fit, and auto adjusts for both height and circumference with the turn of the dial, giving a secure fit without any excess flopping around on your head. I found the adjustable side straps difficult to use and adjust, but most troublesome was their propensity to breaking apart.

I broke 4 of the adjustable strap buckles in a short period of time, so I contacted Rudy Project about the breakage issue (they were aware of it), and they sent me an updated version that was slightly beefier. The new version lasted a good deal of time, but unfortunately they also broke. I gave up, and used some athletic tape from my first aid kit as a stop gap measure. Mountain biking can be a bit tough on helmets, with a lot of tossing it on and off, getting it caught on hydration packs, etc., but a buckle should stand up to the abuse.

Bottom Line
The Rudy Project Sterling was a comfortable helmet, with a great retention system, and a unique composite skeleton, that offers strength, durability and good ventilation. The inner net (aka the bug shield) is a highlight feature, being soft and well padded, and is easily removed for a washing. The excellent adjustment system that uses a comfort ring along with their RSR7 retention dial system, is easy to use (even with gloves), and makes fitting a breeze. The Sterling features an open, ventilated design with 18 huge vents and an exposed skeletal frame, which is very trick looking (form and function).

The adjustment strap buckles are a design flaw, and Rudy Projects needs to go back to the drawing board, since it takes away from an otherwise excellent helmet.

Strengths
- Inner mesh net
- Padded chin strap
- Retention system: RSR7
- Venting system

Weaknesses
- Visor is too small
- Adjustment strap buckles break to easily
- Adjustment strap buckles are difficult to use

Overall Rating: 3.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

MSRP: $224.99

Sterling Specs
Weight:

S/M: 12 oz / 349 grams
L: 13 oz / 374 grams

Size:

S/M: 54-58cm, 21.25″-22.8″
L: 58-62cm, 22.8″-24.4″

Retention: R.S.R. 7 Disc

Certifications:

CE 89/686 EEC
EN 1078
CPSC 12.03
AS/NZS 2063

url: http://www.e-rudy.com/index_inner_detail.php?group_id=3&item_id=HL515901US

I have been using the POC Cortex DH full faced helmet for several months now, and it has been comfortable, durable and safe. The helmet offers a plethora of protection and features, which are all engineered with safety in mind, and my crashing and tumbles have shown it to be an ideal candidate for the wicked world of rocky gnarliness and speed.

The Swedish based POC company was predominantly a snow sport protection company, and they have always had safety at the forefront of their research and technology. They have recently morphed over into the biking protection world, and their full faced Cortex DH helmet is their epitome of safety standards. The POC Cortex DH uses an innovative 2 layer shell, a lightweight carbon fiber wrapped around their aramid (aromatic polyamide) reinforced in-mold liner. The liner has a thin shell of polycarbonate covering the multi-impact Super EPP (expanded polypropylene) core. The double overlapping shell design, uses their VDSAP (Ventilated Double Shell Anti Penetration), allowing a fully ventilated construction with maximum comfort without sacrificing penetration resistance or impact energy management. The helmet will eventually be equipped with the patented MIPS system to reduce the rotational forces to the brain in case of an oblique impact.

Wow, that is a head full of techno babble, but when it comes to safety, and especially with my noggin, I am all for it!

The chin bar size and distance have been optimized for protection, without sacrificing breathability. The Cortex DH has a plethora of vents, over the top, the sides, under the visor, and next to the ears. They have something they call “Ear Chambers”, which are designed for increased equilibrium, balance, and ability to hear better on the trails.

Impressions
It was a nice warm day to take the POC Cortex DH full face helmet out for its maiden voyage. The helmet comes in 2 sizes (M-L and L-XL), and my 59.5 cm head fit just perfect in the L/XL size. I am used to wearing a street motorcycle helmet, so it felt pretty normal shoving my head into the helmet. At first the upper edge of the helmet padding seemed slightly hard, and it poked me in the brow, but after wearing it for a few minutes it softened. It was surprisingly comfortable, and I had no pinch spots. It comes with two sets of cheek pads (thick and thin) for fitment, and has a removable liner, which is a nice touch for cleaning purposes.

The only trouble is, how the heck do you spit with it on?

Once you start moving the subtle ventilation ports actually start working just fine, and the helmet stays fairly cool (for a full faced helmet). The adjustable visor offered lots of shade relief for the face, and acted as a great air scoop. I wore sunglasses with the helmet, since I completely forgot about getting a set of goggles for it, and like any full faced helmet some sunglasses might not fit properly. I immediately felt a greater sense of security wearing the helmet, and it even made me creep up the speeds in many sections of my usual rock gardens. I always worry about what could happen if you took a chin dive onto the rocks with a normal helmet? Sure it will do fine for a head first shot (done plenty of those), but what about chin first or anything oblique? I have taken a couple of minor tumbles with it on, and I worked just fine, and I felt a lessened impact in direct comparison to a normal helmet. It is nice to know that it’s a multi-impact helmet, and will not need to be tossed away after most crashes.

Measured Weight: 2.26 lbs / 36.2 oz / 1025 grams

I had to get used to the subtle roar that the wind would create when you got going, which was due to a combination of the vents and the visor, and it sounded like after burners kicking in. I got to speak with someone when I had the helmet on, and I had no issues with a conversation, so the little ear opening/ports do just fine. Sometimes while moving along, the air movement makes some strange noises, and you swear someone is walking and talking on the trail near you, like ghostly voices! I had worn my normal helmet when I rode up the trail, figuring (rightfully so) that I was going to get quite hot with a full faced helmet. If any sort of long uphill slogs are going to occur, then it is highly suggested to strap the big boy on your pack, and stick with a usual helmet until the danger zone begins.

Revvin’ up your engine
Listen to her howlin’ roar
Metal under tension
Beggin’ you to touch and go
Highway to the Danger Zone
Ride into the Danger Zone

Yes, I know it’s Kenny Loggins, but the darn song started to poke around in my head.

With the Cortex on, I did a long rolling traverse out in the sun, and it was fine until I started to pull up some steep terrain and my head built up some heat. Since I wasn’t moving fat enough, the venting system wasn’t coming into play, and I soon had to take the helmet off. Breathing inside the helmet was fine, albeit somewhat slightly constrained due to the tight cheek pads. One nice aspect is the front chin bar vent, which power jams air to straight you.

Helmets 101
The major components of a helmet, are the outer shell, the foam liner (SEPP for the POC Cortex DH), the retention system and the padding. The hard shell helps spread the impact over a larger surface (specifically to the liner), accentuates sliding and prevents object penetration. The foam helps prevent or reduce brain injury by managing the energy of an impact through its own compression or destruction, and it does that by converting a small part of the crash energy to heat. Its main duty is to slow the stopping process so that the head slows down during its inertial of the impact (deceleration). Our heads are soft and malleable, and the brain itself moves around inside a gelatinous ooze (cerebrospinal fluid). A major issue in crashes, is the coup-contrecoup (brain rebound) injuries, which can cause concussions, contusions, DIA’s (diffuse axonal injury) and even epidural hematoma.

Bottomline
All things considered, the POC Cortex DH is an excellent helmet! POC is at the forefront of safety in regard to multiple sports (snow, bike, skateboard) protection, and the Cortex DH helmet is the epitome of their substantial engineering and research prowess. I not only felt safer while riding the steep and gnarly, but I found myself riding with more speed and freedom down the trails. The multi-impact, anti-penetration and impact softening abilities are really nice features in this safety juggernaut. The ventilation works fairly well, but even for a full faced helmet it was slightly warm. The helmet was comfortable, lightweight and the simple buckle closure system was easy to adjust and put on.

I am looking forward to more continued adventures in the Danger Zone using the fine POC Cortex DH!

Strengths
-Light
-Comfortable
-Removable Liner
-Multi-Impact
-Safety engineered!

Weaknesses
-Slightly warm
-Expensive
-Only 2 sizes

Specs
Color: White
Size: M-L (55-57cm), and L-XL (58-60cm)
Weight: 1050 grams
Outer Shell: carbon
Inner shell: PC
Membrane: Aramid
Core: SEPP
Fit: LD Foam
Comfort: SynVal
MSRP: $599

POC Cortext DH url: http://www2.pocsports.com/products/showproduct.asp?category=10-Bike&id=10310

The uvex (pronounced ew-vex) Supersonic rs helmet has been my loyal companion for quite a while now, and I have found it to be lightweight, comfortable, easily adjustable and having excellent ventilation. The German made helmet has a plethora of features, that add not only to its safety, but to the comfort and usability of the wearer.

Features
The Supersonic RS has a lot of nice features, mostly in regard to the fitting and adjustability system. It uses their proprietary IAS ring (Internal Adaptive System), which is a rear mounted dial driven adjustable retention system. The system allows easy circumferential adjustments, and can accommodate a wide range of head sizes, and headgear thicknesses used for inclement weather conditions. Simply twirl the dial, and the system tightens or loosens around the head.

The chin strap, named the Monomatic, is a button and ratchet closure system, which allows easy micro adjustments, and includes a nice wraparound pad for comfort.

There are 23 vents for cooling (yea, I counted them), with the big ones at the front featuring mesh panels to stop bugs from getting sucked into the inner helmet cavity. The straps come through the shell and are secured by toggles on the outside. A neat feature is the ability to swap the toggles for special ones that let you mount uvex LED’s to the helmet – rear-facing red centrally at the back and 2 forward-facing white ones on either side at the front.

The helmet is constructed with the industry standard in-mould microshell, which has a thick inner foam and a thin outer plastic protective shell. The foam is made with the shock-absorbing polystyrene (expandable polystyrene foam or EPS) material. The outer shell is split into two large pieces, and is made from the Makrolon polycarbonate material, which is the same impact-resistant material that Uvex’s eyewear lenses are made from. The shell has been extremely rugged, and has shown no signs of wear nor abuse, which is a testament to the tough Makrolon material.

Polystyrene 101
Polystyrene (Poly(1-phenylethane-1,2-diyl)), abbreviated as PS (recycling symbol “6″), is a polymer made from the aromatic monomer styrene (vinyl benzene ), a liquid hydrocarbon that is commercially manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry. Polystyrene and its origin can be traced back to 1839 when Eduard Simon, an apothecary (pharmacist), distilled an oily substance from a Turkish sweetgum tree, which he named styrol. About one hundred years passed, and various scientists conducted numerous experiments, before German chemist Hermann Staudinger discovered that heating styrol starts a reaction and produces macromolecules, this substance is now known as polystyrene. BASF began commercial manufacture of polystyrene in 1931, when they were part of the monstrous German conglomerate I.G Farben (BASF, Bayer, Hoechst, Afga, etc.). Post World War II the I.G Farben conglomerate was divided back up into the individual companies, and in 1952 BASF invented expandable polystyrene (EPS), which they called Styropor. An interesting adjunct is that Bayer invented Makrolon (used as the outer shell of the helmet) around the same time period.

Helmet Safety
The safety standards for helmets include a retention system, and an impact test, the latter is done using a hard headform dropped vertically onto a flat and shaped anvil at specific speeds. The US standard is to keep the g forces registered inside the headform below 300 g.

The major components of a helmet, are the outer shell, the foam liner, the retention system and the padding. The hard shell helps spread the impact over a larger surface (specifically to the liner), accentuates sliding and prevents object penetration.  The EPS foam helps prevent or reduce brain injury by managing the energy of an impact through its own compression or destruction, and it does that by converting a small part of the crash energy to heat. Its main duty is to slow the stopping process so that the head slows down during its inertial of the impact (deceleration).

The problem is that our heads are soft and malleable, and the brain itself moves around inside a gelatinous ooze (cerebrospinal fluid), so the testing with a hard headform may not be very appropriate for the human skull? One of the major things a helmet cannot prevent is the occurrence of coup-contrecoup (brain rebound) injuries, which can cause concussions, contusions, DIA’s (diffuse axonal injury) and even epidural hematoma.

I am a strong proponent of wearing a helmet, and it has saved my life and alleviated severe injuries in a couple of nasty bike and kayak incidents. I think more research into new technologies needs to be examined to further along the current helmet model.

Impressions
The first thing you notice when using the helmet is how easy it is to adjust it. A simple twirl of the IAS wheel and you can tighten or loosen the helmet around your head. It was quite easy to adjust the helmet’s tightness, even when wearing thick winter gloves. I found it very beneficial to change the fit on the fly to suit the riding conditions, from mellower to more technical. I regularly ride with a helmet video camera, and when going through rougher terrain it’s nice to be able to crank the helmet tightly for good stabilization and isolation. The padding was adequate, and I especially liked the thick pads at the apex of the helmet. I did find that the padding at the very back by the IAS section was a bit small and thin (the Velcro tab poked me in the neck), so I replaced it with some extra padding from an old helmet to alleviate the issue. I wish helmet manufacturers (not just uvex) would pad their entire wraparound carrier systems, especially where they drop down towards the neck. After a long day of riding it always seems that your neck gets slightly chafed by any of the systems?

I thoroughly enjoyed the Monomatic ratchet and button chin strap system. It was incredibly easy to make small micro adjustments into how hard the helmet is pulled down onto your head. The usual process of moving the straps through the quick release buckle for adjustments is only needed once, and from then on any adjustments that are required (different headgear, hair style, riding conditions) is maintained by the Monomatic system. The 1/2 inch of adjustment of the system was more than adequate for any situation that I encountered. It has a nice wraparound pad that covers the entire ratchet section, so I never had a pinched neck from using the system.

The 23 ventilation holes worked just fine (heck it still got hot, but what helmet doesn’t), and they provided plenty of cooling effect for my noggin. The front bug net worked quite well, and it kept a couple of pesky insects from getting sucked into the helmet and bothering me.

Between the excellent adjustment system, decent padding, lightweight and good ventilation, I found the helmet to be a very comfortable helmet, and it was fine for any of the multiple hour rides that I regularly participate in.

Measured Specs
Weight: grams
Size: x

Bottomline
The uvex Supersonic RS is an excellent, well made and feature filled helmet. The German made helmet has plenty of safety and comfort features, from the usable and functional IAS and Monomatic closure systems, to the ability to attach mini LED’s if desired. I found the helmet comfortable for long rides, and thoroughly enjoyed the easily adjustability for fit, which could even be done on the fly. The Makrolon shell has been amazing durable, showing now signs of wear and tear. The only small issue I had was the rear padding was inadequate.

Strengths
-Monomatic ratchet/button chin strap
-IAS adjusting ring
-Makrolon shell

Weaknesses
-Rear padding needs to be thicker and larger

MSRP $120

uvex Supersonic RS url

Specs:
Made in Germany
Safety standards: European – EN 1078 / TUV GS, US – CPSC
Colors: pearl/red/silver, silver fade, titan fade, silver/black/pearl, pearl/light blue/silver, blue/silver/pearl
2 Sizes: Small/Medium (285g, fits 52-58cm) and Large (300g, fits 58-63cm)