New Giro Merit helmet is built around ball-and-socket Spherical Technology and features dual-density foam liner. SRP £189.
Fifteen vents – including the cute pair of intake ones right at the front – with internal channeling. Roc Loc Trail Air retention. M-m-m-m-MIPS! Adjustable peak. Rubberised goggle gripper at the back. Anti-stink pads. Spherical Technology.
Spherical Technology? Essentially this is separate inner and outer helmets that are joined together with a network of elastomers. This allows the outer helmet to move independently to the inner helmet. The Merit uses two different types of EPS foam: a softer one for slower impacts and a harder one for faster impacts.
As with a lot of things, it’s probably easier just to look at some pics…
Giro Merit Press Release
(February 22, 2022 – Scotts Valley, CA) Giro Sport Design, the cycling world’s design leader, today announced the release of Merit Spherical, a brand new, high-performance trail riding helmet built for fast, flowy trail riding and hard pedaling. Merit Spherical is built around Giro’s market-leading ball-and-socket Spherical TechnologyTM powered by Mips® and features Giro’s dual-density foam liner Progressive LayeringTM technology. It has deep coverage at the rear of the helmet and provides powerful airflow with 15 large Wind Tunnel vents for outstanding comfort. The helmet is available from authorized Giro retailers and www.giro.com for $220 US MSRP / €199.99 / UK £189 / $329.99 AUS.
“With the Merit, we wanted to give riders an helmet option with the added protection of Spherical Technology in a compact yet aggressive design. Through strategic vent placement and deep internal channeling, we maximized airflow through the helmet to allow heat to escape with ease—even at the slower speeds experienced while climbing,” said Giro Director of Product Development Ben Penner. “It’s the perfect helmet for putting in big uphill efforts before pushing it hard on the descent, as well as for trail riders who live for flowy, up-and-down terrain.”
Advanced protection is at the core of Merit, with Giro’s two-piece Spherical Technology powered by Mips® utilizing a ball-and-socket design to redirect impact forces in the event of a crash. Developed in the Dome, Giro’s world-class test lab, and in partnership with Mips®, Spherical Technology redirect
impact forces by allowing the outer liner to rotate around the inner liner during a crash. Spherical Technology seamlessly integrates Mips brain protection system between the inner and outer liner while also enabling Progressive Layering, with dual-density foam liners each designed to address high- and low-speed impacts.
In addition to the superior ventilation from 15 large Wind Tunnel vents, Merit also features deep channels built into the helmet’s EPS foam layer to assist in exhausting heat out of the helmet. Plush, quick-drying Ionic+ padding provides luxurious comfort as well as exceptional sweat absorption, odor protection and permanent antimicrobial performance. Additionally, Giro’s Roc Loc® Trail Air fit system makes fit and stability adjustments simple and fast while providing added comfort and durability for rough trail riding.
The Merit is also constructed using In-Mold technology, which fuses the tough polycarbonate outer shell to the helmet’s foam liner creating a permanent bond, helping to reduce weight and enhance durability. The shell also extends around to the inside edges of the helmet with Giro’s lower hardbody construction, to enhance durability.
Merit Spherical is available in size small, medium and large and features six colorways for men; Merit Spherical W comes in size small and medium and in three colorways for women.
