Its that time where I’ve suddenly realised that all my helmeta have either had one crash too many or are about 5 years old and due to be replaced. Always liked my xen for big rocky days out and also have a super slinky race option…

so whats good for a: general trail use, twatting about and having fun (not going down the urge piss pot with a rim effort as they look gash) but any other recommendations?

B: light, vented to buggery and good for a world of pain?

*awaits pics of gimp masks etc…For option b!*

I’ve got something that’s vented for buggery but they won’t protect your head

Giro feature for playing in ? (try it on; strap’s a bit primitive)

I’m loving my ‘catlike vacuum’.
Looks weird, but is really comfy for my roundish head!
I found Giro helmets never felt like they ‘fitted’.
Pop to halfords as they’re as cheap as the online places..

DrP

CRC have Fox Fluxes and Strikers in their sale, both ace- Flux has a tiny wee bit more coverage, Striker still has good coverage and is much lighter and just a bit more evolved- better straps etc. Replaced my Flux with a Striker and can highly recommend it.

Isn’t this supposed to be the new kid on the block??

I’ve just got a Bell Super and am pretty pleased with it so far. It’s replaced an Urge Enduromatoc jobbie which is a bit old and stinky now.

It looks a bit more normal (although I quite liked the Urge helmet) but it fits much better.

I tried an IXS on and that was really comfy. It felt lighter than the Bell and will probably be a bit cooler. They both fitted well so it came down to looks and availability. I prefered the looks of the Bell and I could get it in the size and colour that I wanted.

iXS Trail. Really liking mine, light and comfy.

at 85 quid it’d better make the tea too.
i have had a giro feature for a year or so, bought for about 45 quid. pads have fallen apart in the wash – literally. i washed them for the second time and they’ve separated in to three layers. 🙄
have ordered some new ones from one of the 3 places i could find them and, hopefully, with a following wind, they’ll be with me in june. FFS.

I really rate the Catlike helmets. I have the Whisper Plus and a few of the guys I ride with have the Mixino. Both great for road and MTB – you can buy a peak too.

Was gonna suggest the Fox helmets but Northwind has already beaten me to it. I got a flux to replace my Xen and find it just as comfy.

Another vote for a Flux, and I paid full price!

I recently tried on a Troy Lee Designs A1, it will be my next helmet!

I’m liking my lazer ultrax. Decent value at 55 and the auto head retention thing is really good. Built in rear light as well which is handy. Feels much better built than other helmets I have had at similar price.

The A1 is really comfy but was a bit too much money for me.

As ever….whatever fits best.

Just bought a Bluegrass Eagleye. Very impressed with the fit and the ventilation. Quick review here after I compared it to the Bell Super.

budget?

Spesh Tactic and Tactic II have been reliable and comfy for me, nice halfway house between weight and protection and they’re only about £40

Guess it really depends on if you wnat to spend mega bucks or get something cheaper especially if you’re a frequent helmet basher.

I’m still using an older S-Works as a super light race lid and haven’t looked at current options.

*only keep going with the big S as they fit me really well and have a decent crash replacement plan and there’s always loads in stock locally for me to try on.

Catlike Whisper, the 2014 model. Just bought one, fit’s like a glove and IIRC it’s the lightest on the market.

(I’m normally a Giro fanbouy, not any more)

Replaced my Xen with a Bell Super, as it fit my head unlike the rest of the giro range (weirdly) & feels even better on than the old xen(s) I’d had previously. I like a visor you can adjust, unlike the foxes and others. On the downside there not the lightest of helmets and the plastic screws are really rubbish (replace them with metal un’s, before they snap in half)

Just bought the On-One brand trail helmet which suits my head. Bargain at £20.

My brother bought the enduro version and is finding it too warm.

The Tictac 2 seems really nice, good shout that… I’m a tart, didn’t like the colours but it felt like fantastic value.

Just bought a Bluegrass Eagleye. Very impressed with the fit and the ventilation. Quick review here after I compared it to the Bell Super.

Interesting comp between the two helmets. I’ve not tried a Bluegrass helmet but find that the Bell fits me really well. I must have quite a generic shaped head because the IXS felt good too as did the A1. The only brand that I’ve struggled with is Specialized.

My Super is much snugger than the Urge (although I think the pads are old now which is part of the reason that its not as good a fit as it used to be). The only downside is that its still really warm; I was hoping that it would be cooler than the Urge but I don’t think it is and the pads don’t hold much sweat.

Another vote for the ixs trail helmet.. Good fit and looks the biz(in my eyes) 😀

My Super is much snugger than the Urge (although I think the pads are old now which is part of the reason that its not as good a fit as it used to be). The only downside is that its still really warm; I was hoping that it would be cooler than the Urge but I don’t think it is and the pads don’t hold much sweat.

….that’s the reason I didn’t buy the Super in the end. The super has pads which line the main outer shell of the helmet body which then site directly on yer bonce, whereas the Eagleye has a frame attached to the retention system which separate to the outer shell and that’s what sits on yer bonce, hence there’s loads more room for the air to get past your forehead, round yer bonce and out through the vent holes in the Eagleye. From my experience with the Urge I knew the Super would be better than the Urge but would still be too warm, where as with the Eagleye if I had hair I would be able to feel my locks flowing in the breeze beneath the lid. It really did make me smile when I felt the air rushing round my head on it’s first outing !

The only compromise is that the Super is slightly more comfortable than the Eagleye, which you’d expect if you cover your head in foam. The Eagleye could benefit from some foam over the retention system at the back because I’ve found it digs in a little if the lid has tipped back a bit, but this doesn’t happen much because the Eagleye is a lot more secure with hardly any movement compared to the Super and that’s again down to the separate frame system.

Did I say the green bits on the Eagleye also match my bike… very bling !!!

Two rides into my new poc trabec and really impressed. Light, comfy great coverage and doesn’t seem too warm so far. £90 after a bit if net bargain hunting. My wife has a spec s3 which is super lightweight and she really rates it

I found that my Super doesn’t shift at all (on my bonce). Even with the strips undone, it feels really secure.

The Urge holds sweat a lot which is both good and bad – it takes a while before it runs into your eyes but when it does let go, there’s a lot and it can take ages to dry out (which is probably why mine stinks). The Super doesn’t really asborb any, so it runs into your eyes sooner.

POC Trabec here too. Though in my case I was having trouble finding anything to fit my tiny bonce snugly.

Here’s one for you then… I’d like one helmet to rule them all; light enough for roadie use but with enough protection for the occasional shredding of gnar.

Any recommendations?

Interestingly looking into to it…there is no material reason such a uv degredation or alot of the stuff that shops seem to say that would lead to helemts needing to be replaced on a 3-5 year basis. So I may only need to replace my crashed one…awesomez

amazing what fear of claims and an ambulance chasing society combined with the need to sell new product hence the supposed life span issues can lead to

My vote is for the Urge All-M, with the Urge helmets it’s very reliant on it fitting the shape of your head as there is no adjusting, just multiple pads to swap in and out.

Fortunately they fit my head (also have an Urge Down-o-Matic) and are so comfy I forget I’m wearing the All-M in a matter of minutes.

With regards to the pads I love the fact the front pad absorbs sweat and have never got to the point where it starts to run down and be an issue.

I just make sure I wash the pads regularly with Halo (fantastic stuff and so glad I discovered it thanks to this site!) and they stay fresh.

I’m meant to wash the pads?!!

I really wanted an enduromatic but they only do 2 sizes and there’s very little adjustment so you’ve got to be pretty lucky for them to fit.

Trabec was such a disappointment, felt like they’d accidentally sent it out without the pads, uncomfortable the second it went on. Pretty heavy and bulky too- I’ll be honest, if I didn’t know the RRP I’d have assumed it was a £30 helmet.

The pads in my Urge have been washed but they still stink to high heaven.

If I press it against my head mid ride, it’s amazing how sweat comes out of the front pad. I nice stood side on to a stent breeze and it blew the sweat out…the lady next to me wasn’t impressed!

Vented for burgery and the pads stink?

Tazzy – a quick google comes up with a multitude of articles about the uv degradation of EPS. All the manufacturers state it as being an issue too… seems unlikely to be a sales pitch.

Catlike Leaf here,lovely fit,light,well vented.

Totally subjective but…

Uvex XP CC for a “trail” lid. A lot lighter than equivalent Fox’s, more comfortable, and cheaper. Looks good too.

KASK Mojito for an “XC/race” lid. None more comfy quite frankly, and worth every penny of the £120 they are!