• This topic has 13 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by RicB.
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  • Any reason not to pay the extra for MIPS?
  • jakd95
    Free Member

    Following a bike accident that resulted in a brain injury, I’m on the hunt for a new helmet (enduro style). Is there any good reason not to spend the extra bit of cash on on with MIPS? Something like a Bell Super 2 can be had with or without.

    I’m a bit more conscious of whacking my head now and anything that could potentially help reduce the severity of an impact sounds like a good thing?

    mintimperial
    Full Member

    I’ve got an original Bell Super and a Super 2 Mips. The Mips one is definitely quite a bit warmer, and condensation drips down back onto your head a lot sooner. Seems to condense on the plastic liner thing. I avoid using the Super 2 unless I specifically want the detachable full-facey-ness of it because of this. Only really an issue in summer though, really. It also seems to size up a little smaller for equivalent sizes, so watch out for that too.

    I’ve not actually smashed my head into anything immovable for a while now so can’t personally compare the relative safety of the two designs – although having said that I’m now pretty much guaranteed to nut a tree next weekend, so watch this space. I’ll try to alternate both helmets until I crash them, in the name of scientific investigation… 😉

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    It supposedly helps in certain types of rotational impacts, but it’s just one type of injury. Like any helmet, proving it really saves lives or reduces injuries requires repeating the same accident with and without, which doesn’t happen.

    For the premium for the licence to use MIPS I’m prepared to take the risk on a cheaper regular helmet. I had such a helmet with my big smash and got the usual “helmet probably saved your life”. Maybe did, they can’t really know but it’ll do.

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    chrisdiesel
    Free Member

    I’ve got the first version of the super 2r mips
    I’ve used it in Spain in Summer and never really had a heat issue with it.
    I’ve had a few side of head falls but not major impacts thankfully.
    After a face first fall years ago I now never remove the chin part and have just got used to it.

    coolhandluke
    Free Member

    You should buy the best helmet you either can afford or are prepared to pay for.

    I wouldn’t want to be regretting anything regarding my helmet while I’m doing an over the bars pirouette.

    On my over the bars pirouette manoeuvres, I can recall thinking,

    Body armour, check
    Elbow pads, check
    Knee pads, check
    Helmet, check
    Gloves, check
    It’ll be fine.

    I certainly wouldn’t want to be thinking

    helmet, wish I’d bought the better one, cross

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    If you can afford it then yes. Personally, I have the cash but can’t afford it as I think they are overpriced. I say that as all helmets sold pass all the required safety standards, so any above passing those is an extra I’m not sold on.
    You need to decide if the protection they claim to give is relevant to you and if so, have you got the cash for it.

    joebristol
    Full Member

    I’ve taken the approach that I only get one brain so when I’ve got a new helmet I went for one with mips.

    It may or not help depending on the next accident, but a helmet with mips wasn’t expensive it so I’ve gone for it. The same reason why I’ve got life insurance / critical illness cover / medical insurance and personal accident cover. Maybe a bit ott!

    Incidentally my helmet is a Giro Chronicle which I picked up for £61 from Winstanleys. Bargain!

    kayak23
    Full Member

    coolhandluke – Member
    You should buy the best helmet you either can afford or are prepared to pay for.

    I think this is the issue the op is asking. What is a ‘better’ helmet?. It’s not necessarily one that costs more.
    I don’t know and as mentioned, it’s a difficult thing to test conclusively.

    I had a bad stack a few weeks ago and smashed a chunk out of my helmet. I feel like it did its job though but difficult to say if better than one that cost a fraction of the £130 odd rrp.

    thepurist
    Full Member

    On my over the bars pirouette manoeuvres, I can recall thinking,

    Impressive! I get as far as “ooooh fuuuuuu THUMP!”. Are you stacking it from RedBull Rampage style manoevres to have time to read a checklist on the way down?

    Anyhow – surely the best helmet is the one that you’re happy to wear all the time. No point in having a fancy MIPS thing if it cooks your head and gets left at home, if it doesn’t fit as well, if it channels sweat into you eyes, it’s 2Enduro4U, it clashes with the color ways on your shredding-suit etc etc.

    Paul@RTW
    Free Member

    Have you had a look at the 6G version of MIPS? Similar idea but it’s a dual shell helmet : two thin polystyrene shells, one over the top of the other separated by rubberised ‘dampers’. It means that the helmet sits on your head like any other non MIPS so you don’t get the plastic cup right next to your head effect. It is a bulky helmet though but not too heavy and not overly hot relative to other ‘enduro’ style lids.
    I’d still be using mine if I could but after several, “it does fit me, it does fit me, it does…” rides, I had to admit it was a touch too tight and giving me headaches. That was a medium and the large was too large so what can you do?!

    chvck
    Free Member

    On the bell super 2 heat issues, I have the non mips version and I don’t wear it in summer due to it being too hot so that might not be a mips issue.

    STATO
    Free Member

    coolhandluke – Member
    You should buy the best helmet you either can afford or are prepared to pay for.

    I wouldn’t want to be regretting anything regarding my helmet while I’m doing an over the bars pirouette.

    On my over the bars pirouette manoeuvres, I can recall thinking,

    Body armour, check
    Elbow pads, check
    Knee pads, check
    Helmet, check
    Gloves, check
    It’ll be fine.

    I certainly wouldn’t want to be thinking

    helmet, wish I’d bought the better one, cross

    ..it’ll be fine… breaks neck; damn, forgot the neck brace.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    helmet, wish I’d bought the better one, cross

    This. We always said with sailing safety equipment you don’t want to be in the ocean having gone overboard watching the boat try and turn back for you and thinking “I am so pleased I saved £50 on my lifejacket” or “those PLBs are such a waste of £80”

    OP if you have had one injury I would guess the chances of another are higher so make savings elsewhere and buy the best you can

    RicB
    Full Member

    I’m not convinced by MIPS. There’s very litle, if any, evidence it makes a real-world difference and may in fact make things worse.

    – Most of the testing has been done using full coverage liners, not liners with great ventilation chunks cut out like a retail MIPS helmet would have

    – All of the lab testing is done with a helmet attached quite firmly to the fake head. In reality helmet fit will be looser so there’ll be a slip plane there anyway.

    – After a fair bit of investment the best Giro can come up with is “Giro believes that helmets equipped with this technology can reduce the amount of rotational force that may be transferred to rider’s brain in certain impacts“. Bit vague isn’t it; not even quoting a % reduction/change

    I’ll buy the best quality protection I can afford but wouldn;t specifically pay extra for MIPS

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