I’ve put together some thoughts on the new (2014) Met Parachute full-face helmet, thinking it might hopefully help others looking to buy a new helmet.

Background – I wanted a a lightweight and well ventilated full-face helmet that could give added facial protection (compared to my open face helmet) as I learned to jump and tackle more gnarly stuff. Being in my late 40’s combined with being in between jobs, means I want to avoid getting hurt as much as is practical….The clincher however was meeting a chap in my LBS who had gone OTB at a local trail centre (wearing a open face helmet) and needed the services of the air ambulance and over 80 stitches to rebuild his lips and nose….and that was on just a red route.

I’d already used a Bluegrass Goldeneye open-face helmet and found it very comfortable, light and very well ventilated. So looking at the Met Parachute (same company who make the Goldeneye) made sense. Previously I’d also used a Bell Super helmet which I found to be poorly ventilated when compared to the Goldeneye.

The 2014 version of the Met Parachute is a new design that replaces the previous model. I have no experience or knowledge of the earlier model, but understand that this new 2014 model is a completely different design.
The 2014 Met Parachute seems to be based on the Bluegrass Goldeneye open-face Helmet, but with the addition of a fixed (non removable) chin-guard.

The helmet is moulded with a large number of vents and a number of deep internal air channels running back to front. The soft internal padding is removable and is a cloth style padding, with the exception of the forehead padding which is a gel pad system. The only problem I found with the Gel padding is that when you sweat (and I really do when on a good climb) the Gel padding doesn’t really divert the sweat and it does tend to drip down over your face. I don’t know if a different front padding material would help with this, but it’s worth noting.

The Helmet has a ‘traditional’ ratchet style adjuster at the rear, which is adjusted once the helmet is on, to give snug fit around the head. I take a 57cm helmet and so bought the Medium size (54-58cm). There is also a large (59-62cm) size available. The medium helmet fits me perfectly, with the padding providing firm contact points over the full extent of my skull. When adjusted and fitted, there is no play at all and I can shake my head and it won’t move at all.

The internal straps are padded and substantial (far better quality than most MTB helmets I’ve seen), Connected to the head straps is the chinstrap which uses a D-ring fastener system (as per Motorsport helmets). Personally I would have preferred a snap-latch system like most MTB helmets use, as this is quicker and easier to use, especially with gloves on. The chinstrap is also on the shortish side and a few extra inches of length would have helped with fastening.

The Helmet is supplied with two different sized sets of internal cheek-piece padding. these fasten in/out using press studs and enable you to get a good snug fit between the chin-guard and your cheeks.

The Helmet has a MX style peak, which is adjustable. A cloth bag is supplied with the helmet as is a GoPro mount ( haven’t used this yet).

I have worn the helmet on a couple of rides now and although both were carried out on cool days (around 10 deg C) I can confirm that the Met parachute appears to be only marginally warmer than my Bluegrass Goldeneye open-face, which is an impressive level of cooling for a full-ace helmet. This combined with it’s low weight means I’m sure you could ride XC/Trail Centres using the Met parachute and be as cool and comfortable as when wearing the average open face helmet. I can confirm that the Met Parachute full face is definitely cooler than my Bell super open face. I had considered getting the new Bell Super 2R full face, which appears to be based on the same design as the Bell Super Open face helmet, but after the poor cooling performance of my Bell Super I decided that the Met parachute would be a better bet (I should point out however that I have not worn a Bell super 2R or done any comparative testing between Met parachute and Bell Super 2R).

The Met parachute appears to be aimed at ‘Enduro’ and AM riders, with some of the EWS riders using this helmet at the tail end of the year. In saying that, with it’s lightweight and well ventilated design it seems to be a good choice for any MTB rider who’s looking to preserve his/her good looks and health, when pushing their riding boundaries.

I haven’t yet tested the crash protection the helmet offers, but bearing in mind the ASTM F1952-2032 rating and that when wearing it does feel a solid and high quality design, I’m sure this helmet will protect as well as any in this weight range.

Pros

– Very well ventilated and cool in use
– Well made
– Comfortable
– Light (700g)
– Rated to ASTM F1952-2032

Cons

– Expensive (around £150)
– Gel padding on forehead does let sweat drip down
– would have preferred snap-catch fastener on chinstrap, rather then D-ring

Link to manufacturers website

Disclaimer – I have no connection with Met, Bluegrass, or any other MTB equipment manufacturer or reseller. These are my personal opinions, based on my own experience.

HTH

I’d hate to have to read the long version if that is the mini! 😉

Oh, I can email you over the ‘extended cut’ version if you like 🙂

Good review that… Now smash your face off something to test it 😉

You mentioned the retaining/adjustment system… Is that an adjust-once, or do you need to redo it every time you put the hat on?

@Northwind – I’m sure i’ll try my best mate… hopefully part 2 of the review won’t be from bed 8 in the local A&E… 8)

The chinstrap retainer is a D-ring system, like a motorcycle helmet. You feed the strap through the two D-rings and then back under one of them, pulling it to the correct length as you do so. It’s a different approach to using a snap-latch system usually found on MTB helmets, where you adjust it to length once and just snap close the latching connector each time.

I can’t fasten it with gloves on and do find it more of a pain in the a$$ than a normal helmet.

(I don’t know whether the approvals ratings it has, mandated a D-ring system?)

Sorry, I meant the rear ratchet adjuster thing.

Think both my fullfaces (and all my motorbike ones) have d-ring straps, but some do work better than others- the ones on my old HJC were so fiddly, the ones on my Urge pretty easy. You’ll probably get used to it- I can do my arais with motorbike gloves on, you kind of learn the shapes rather than doing it by finger feel.

Still waiting to see if actually will be allowed in next years World and UK Enduro events

Ahh, ok.

You could leave the rear adjuster set and gently force your head in I guess, but I’ve preferred so far to slacken it off and re-adjust it each time (easy and quick even with gloves on)

@ wobem, I saw online that

Justin Leov (Trek Factory Racing) already used the new MET Parachute HES helmet at the Enduro World Series Races in Scotland and France

what makes you believe it isn’t already ok to use this helmet in UK/EWS? (is there an approved helmets list?)

“but with the addition of a fixed (non removable) chin-guard.”

Are yous ure?

I seem to remember a YouTube video being posted on here showing how to remove it.

@ peteimpreza – Good point, thanks. The chin-guard is indeed removable by removing some plastic bungs and then undoing four bolts with an allen key.

I’m guessing this is for damage repair, as well as initial helmet assembly. I wouldn’t class it as ‘removable’ from a user point of view, whilst out for a ride etc.

Maybe MET intend people to do this at home and alternate between open and closed face? However, I’d of presumed they would have implemented a easier fastner system if that was the case.

fwiw the Met parachute with the guard removed is a different helmet design to the Bluegrass Goldeneye.

@skydragon, Steve Parr’s still making up his mind what to allow for UKGE when his new fullface rule comes in next year. It’s going to be a tricky call for him, frankly the safety standards aren’t very helpful, there’s no real “full face standard” to apply.

(the Bell Super 2R hasn’t been tested to ISTM2032, but then neither have a lot of proper fullface helmets, so banning it on those grounds would raise questions about, frinstance, most 661 helmets. Not being ISTM-approved doesn’t mean it’s not safe but banning all non-ISTM helmets would be a big deal)

I’d be amazed if the Parachute doesn’t get approved tbh, but if you want a helmet for UKGE it’d be smart to wait til he announces his decision.

Thanks for explanation Northwind.

It’ll be a while before I’m at UKGE events with my current skills level, but it’s obviously a valid point for others to consider.

I thought the whole point of the parachute was that it was both a full face for those days when you need a full face, and an open face for the oether days, by virtue of the removable chin guard.

This was the intention of original parachute.

You can still do that julians, just not a job to be done trailside judging by the YouTube video.

You can still do that julians, just not a job to be done trailside judging by the YouTube video.

Does it work well as an open face? Comfy? Secure? Cool?

@ Julians – yes, the original/older MET Parachute chin-guard could be removed, by undoing 4 x external bolts (with a coin?) the new model is sold as having a non-removable chin-guard, although as per posts above a user could still remove the chin-guard.

Met’s website says

Our integrated fixed chin guard

and all their PR highlights that the chin-guard is fixed and non-removable.

I wonder why MET made this change? Perhaps something to do with approvals ratings?

You wrote

Does it work well as an open face? Comfy? Secure? Cool?

I haven’t tried it, but the helmet with the chin-guard removed looks very much like the Bluegrass Goldeneye, so it should be good.