I need a new helmet to replace a Troy Lee A1 – some shelves fell on it. Looks fine, but I don’t really want to chance it. Any good deals on something similar out there? Favourite so far is a Fox Flux for £40, but I’m open to suggestions.

Got a 7IDP M4 for my son recently, and it’s a great helmet at a bargain price.

Got my son a Giro Fixture – really nice fitting lid, especially seeing as it’s a one-size job. Lightweight and looks good too.
(More expensive MIPS options are, of course, available. 😆 )
(ref the 7 IDP one, had to get him something to replace that because he found the adjuster (roc-loc contraption) too low and it dug into his neck. So if you want one of those, worn about 10 times, you can have it for p&p 🙂 )

Giro Montaro can be had for £65 or less depending on colour / size / MY18 / 19

I went from an A1 to a Fox Flux. The fox feels a bit cheap and the padding in comparison to the A1 is nowhere near as comfy, but still perfectly adequate. You get 2 sets of pads with the fox which is a good thing. Very good value for money though in that it fits well, has big vents and doesn’t cost the earth. Visor is a bit flimsy and the bolts for it can come out but otherwise all good.

@DezB – thanks for the offer, but I prefer to go new with helmets (and the boss doesn’t mind me spending a bit more ‘cos apparently she quite likes my brain on the inside).

@joemmo I could only find them anywhere near that price in small, which won’t fit my not inconsiderable cranium.

@Painey – yeah I figured the A1 has probably spoiled other helmets for me, but I can’t *quite* justify the price of them when there’s stuff like the Fox available for so much less (Yes, I appreciate the irony of this after what I just said to DezB). As long as it’s better than the horrible On One jobbie I tried I’ll be happy I think.

One on have some fox flux look-alikes cheap !!

Giro Chronicle – ace and reasonably priced.

Stif had sweet protection bushwhacker 2’s with mips for £99

I’d struggle to look past the planetx ones to be honest, I think they’re £15 atm for the enduro ones. Billy bargain.

The On One/PX are a bargain if they fit your head shape. I tried the enduro and XC ones and my head didn’t like the shape 🙁 Good quality for the money though!

As above, but 2 strips of self adhesive draft excluding foam sorted the fit from wobbly to ‘snugg’. I just stuck them on the lower rear part of the lid where the bony protusions are on my skull

I’d vote Giro Chronicle if you want to spend middling sort of money. If you want cheap I like the Decathlon Helmet I bought a few years back for under £20. Light with loads of vents and fits pretty well.

Just ordered a Flux for £40, cheers all. I tried one of the On Ones a while back, it didn’t fit my head at all.

Bell Catalyst MIPS £45 at merlin

I bought one of the On One helmets but it doesn’t fit my hairless head and dugs in to the back of my shiny dome. Only worn to try on. Anybody want it for cost of postage or free if you live near Macc and are willing to collect?

It’s a medium size btw

Well the Fox arrived and it was dented with a bent visor. And now CRC are sold out of them. Brilliant.

Now tempted to spend a bit more and get either an A1 or Chronicle MIPS.

Is MIPS any actual good in a crash? Or just a gimmick?

Is MIPS any actual good in a crash? Or just a gimmick?

Oh lordy. Definitely not a gimmick..
It benefits a particular type of crash, if you’re planning to have those. 🙂

link

Cheers @DezB, that was an interesting read. To be fair I generally don’t plan on crashing at all, but in my experience they can happen in all sorts of ways.

Might give the MIPS a go.

Experts on the internet say MIPs isn’t useful in most situations in an MTB and that hair is just as good.
Experts on the internets have, of course, extensive qualifications and have conducted significant research studies with a sample size of definitely-more-than-anecdotal.

I’m currently trying to find a new helmet. All the contenders have MIPs or equivalent.
Currently a toss up between a1, a2, and Leatt DBX 3. I know the Leatt and a1 non MIPs fit really nicely, just waiting to try an a2 and a1 MIPs.

I’m the same, I know a non-MIPS A1 fits well so I’m tempted to give the MIPS version a go.

I thought Barney’s post on that thread was interesting (I’ve not read all the links though) – basically saying that it’s only useful in fairly specific situations as you say, but better to have it than not.

I tried on a Fox Flux recently, it was absolutely enormous. I mean it fitted fine, but the helmet itself was so big, I looked like a Yield sign

I recently bought a leatt dbx 3.0 with their own version of MIPs.

Unfortunately I got to test the performance/safety out of the helmet in question a few weeks ago when I ended up spending 5 days in hospital after suffering an intracerebral haemorrhage due to a heavy MTB crash/severe head trauma.

Hit a blind drop/crest on grass at around 25-35mph (according to my Garmin fenix 5)
Which also featured some heavy sunk steps that only became visible as I was in the air above them, I landed front wheel first on one of the steps after failing to clear the whole lot! and knocked myself clean out!

The consultant thinks the helmet saved me from potential brain damage and possibly worsem

I wouldnt hesitate to buy another Leatt, will be buying another one in the next few days, as despite saving my head, it is a really comfortable helmet and fits great.

The only downside is the visor, when raining it does run into your eyes a little, but a small issue really