Spolt for choice: Sweet Protection joins the enduro movement

It’s starting to feel like there has never been a better time to fall on one’s head.  The mountain bike market is facing a flood of moderate-to-full coverage helmets, many taking advantage of composite materials and helmet technologies such as MIPS- no bad thing.  Today we have Sweet Protection jumping into the fray with their new Bushwhacker and Bushwhacker MIPS models.

Aiming to set the standard for trail helmets, the Bushwhacker is “a versatile mountain bike helmet offering extended coverage and unsurpassed ventilation in a sturdy, yet ultra lightweight package.”  With seventeen (count ’em!) vents, a five-piece in-mold polycarbonate shell, and extensive internal channeling, the Bushwhacker looks to be nearly as much ‘air’ as ‘there.’  The 300g claimed weight (M/L) doesn’t quite qualify as ultra light– but it is respectable in the trail/Enduro/all-mountain category.

The standard Bushwhacker will be offered in three sizes (S/M, M/L, and L/XL) and six colours ranging from stealthy camo to classic black or white to the more extroverted orange above and “Pacific Blue” on the Singletrack home page.  £139.99 will make one yours when they become available next March.

The Bushwhacker Carbon MIPS takes the standard Bushwhacker a couple of steps further: replacing select shell sections with carbon fibre and adding MIPS technology.  In short, the Multi directional Impact Protection System allows the helmet’s retention system to decouple from the shell somewhat during an oblique (sliding) impact, reducing rotational abuse to the brain.  Developed by brain surgeons (who are typically quite smart), MIPS should appeal to anyone who’d like to prevent their brain from moving independently of their skull.

The Bushwhacker Carbon MIPS will be shipping in the black and white shown above and in the top image.  The same three sizes will be available, though the MIPS system and carbon fibre add about 60g to the M/L model.  Price too: the Bushwhacker Carbon MIPS will sell for £199.99 come March.