POC’s Octal: will it play in the dirt?

Despite the rise of the high-coverage trail helmet (a rise in which POC played no small part), we still see a good number of riders going peakless off road.  Some prefer the look, others like to see low-hanging branches coming, a few want to run the lightest helmet possible, and still others simply broke their peak and found that they were fine going without.  We’ve even seen peak-less POC Trabec helmets at the races, their owners looking for all the world like brightly-coloured ping-pong balls.

So it’s with this in mind that we’ve taken notice of POC’s new road-oriented Octal helmet.  Part of the brand’s forthcoming AVIP (Attention, Visibility, Interaction, and Protection) range, the Octal boasts more coverage than most “road” helmets, more vents than many “trail” helmets, and an impressive sub-200g weight in all but the largest size.

Sizing has been updated since the image above was created: SMALL: 50-56 cm; MEDIUM: 54-60 cm; LARGE: 56-62 cm

Impact performance aside, the AVIP line is designed to maximise cyclist visibility- as important in the context of Mountain Rescue as it is with other road users.  As a result the Octal will be available in Zink Orange, Helium White, and (less visible but quite handsome) Garminum Blue.  Their size keeps the vent count down, but combined with deep internal channels they certainly look capable of moving a good volume of air.  The full shell coverage should keep handling damage to a minimum.

Should something go horribly wrong, “and the victim is knocked unconscious, scanning the [printed I.C.E. label] will allow passers-by or medical personnel to identify the victim and get correct medical information such as blood group or allergies that can be vital for correct care.”  Genius.

So what to you think?  Would you be tempted to take the Octal off road?  Or should we lobby for a peak’d version for XC use?