Giro Merit: two helmets in one, literally

New Giro Merit helmet is built around ball-and-socket Spherical Technology and features dual-density foam liner. SRP £189.

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By ben_haworth

Get the full story here:

https://singletrackworld.com/2022/02/giro-merit-two-helmets-in-one-literally/

I’m trying to understand the information here, is it basically just saying we’ve done another helmet that uses the current standard of MIPS (as do many other brands) and has lots of vents to try and keep you cooler on rides?

Does it squeak when the inner and outer bits move in different directions like the Bell Super DH does?

we’ve done another helmet that uses the current standard of MIPS

also puzzled – noticed this on Giro’s snow helmets. At first throught it was their own proprietary alternative to MIPS (which presumably has a licence fee attached) but I see this has a MIPS sticker on it as well…

Looking at the pic of the inside it sounds like it’s moved from a thin plastic liner with the pads attached that moves to something further back in the helmet structure.

It’s the same tech as the MIPS Spherical on the Bell Super DH from what I can tell. I have no idea why they’re separating it from the MIPS bit in the marketing – as far as I know it was developed and designed by/in conjunction with MIPS – the difference is that you need to design the helmet around the tech, whereas ‘standard’ MIPS can be retrofitted to (most) ordinary helmets for an extra layer of protection.

This one has an inner helmet layer of polystyrene and an outer layer separated by the usual silicone attachment that standard MIPS uses. The main difference is that, as it doesn’t have to conform to the (ovoid) shape of your head as much, you can dial in extra movement in the event of a crash.

When you crash with normal MIPS, there comes a point after a few degrees of rotation where the MIPS layer and your head binds against the helmet. The idea of the spherical stuff (it’s not *really* spherical) is to increase the degrees of rotation before the forces are applied to your head.

Does that help?

I can’t say I’ve found my Bell Super DH to be squeaky at at, but it’ll be interesting to see whether this Giro manages to avoid the somewhat mushroomesque demeanour of the Bell…

I can’t say I’ve found my Bell Super DH to be squeaky at at all

It’s not so bad as an open face helmet but as soon as I put the chin bar on it squeaks quite badly.
Mrs has the same lid in a different colour/size and that does it too.

It’s not so bad as an open face helmet but as soon as I put the chin bar on it squeaks quite badly.
Mrs has the same lid in a different colour/size and that does it too.

Interesting! I guess it’s friction between the inner and outer shells, rather than the silicone attachments? I suppose some sort of lubrication (talc, graphite, – uh – olive oil?) between the inner and outer shell might help. Maybe I just have very greasy hair 🤣

I guess it’s friction between the inner and outer shells

Yep. You can push the two together to recreate the squeak.
I have actually tried silicone spray in there which kind of helped for a very short time.

To be fair, I have a regular Giro MIPS-linered helmet and that squeaks… I also have a Manifest, which looks a bit more quirky than this (and costs more!) that’s been silent.

I quite like the concept but genuinely interested to hear how this helmet will be faring after a couple of months worth of rain and grit in between the sliding elements. Let us know. Ta.

I posted on the forum about squeaky helmets about 3 months ago. I have a Bell 4Forty and several people replied that their Bell DH helmets squeaked. I played around with the height adjustment and it disappeared.
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/squeaky-helmet/

I quite like the concept but genuinely interested to hear how this helmet will be faring after a couple of months worth of rain and grit in between the sliding elements. Let us know. Ta.

Assuming it’s essentially identical to the Bell one (and given that Bell and Giro are basically the same company I expect this to be an iteration of it, if not exactly the same) I’ve ridden my Bell in a variety of different conditions for a couple of years now, both open and full-face, with no issues. It’s a little weighty, but it’s not unmanageable. I’m fully behind the idea, I just need this to be perhaps a little lighter and less mushroomy than the Bell SuperDH (in open config) and I’ll be happy.

I’m going to wait until it’s in the Evans sale for £35 like my last Giro MIPS helmet. Thanks Mr Ashley