The coolest helmet...

Graculus

... I'm talking temperature BTW.

I've got a £30 Specialized helmet, but I just get so hot that it spends half the time dangling from the handlebars!

Can anyone recommend a helmet (not too wildly expensive) that would be cooler to ride in.

THX

gregmorris234

Giro Hex

Jimbo.

The Hex is an MTB lid. I have a Hex, and Xen and an Ionos. The Hex and the Xens, whilst fine on an MTB, are too damn hot for road use, plus the visor obscures your vision when you've got your head down.

Set your budget, go to your LBS, ask for a road lid and try as many on as you can that are within budget. Whichever fits best(don't worry about brand!), buy it...

KillerMetre

I am starting to contemplate getting a cooler helmet but I am always discouraged by the fact that more vents = less impact protection and basically a weaker helmet.Considering that I can get a specialized SNELL approved helmet for £30 It seems stupid to pay 4x or even 2x the price for a helmet wth signinifcantly less protection for such a precious cargo.

Sorry if it seems like im hijacking your thread.

Jimbo.

The lids are just as tough! I mean, they wouldn't pass the relevant BS/EC/SNELL/whatever tests and be on sale otherwise.
There's a fair bit of work that goes into a roadie lid to account for the material "lost" due to the vents. Comparing my road to my MTB lids, the former has (in places) a thicker inner shell, seemingly tougher outer shell, plastic/CF reinforcement woven through the inner shell etc, etc.

Monty Dog

KillerMetre wrote:

I am starting to contemplate getting a cooler helmet but I am always discouraged by the fact that more vents = less impact protection and basically a weaker helmet.Considering that I can get a specialized SNELL approved helmet for £30 It seems stupid to pay 4x or even 2x the price for a helmet wth signinifcantly less protection for such a precious cargo.

Sorry if it seems like im hijacking your thread.

You're paying for better quality materials and construction - there's no reduction in protection. IME top range helmets have better adjustment and security too.

STEFANOS4784

I recently got a Giro Atmos, didn't notice any difference between that and the Met 'Crackerjack' i hasd before from Halfords so lesson learned there :oops: :roll:

KillerMetre

Helmets with tonnes of vents are always more expensive.Due to higher production costs as the manufacturer has to put more resources into design,add internal bracing and ultra dense foam to attempt to provide equal protection to that of more modestly vented helmets.There is quite a large source of research which suggests the impact absorbtion of very dense foam is far inferior to less dense foam used in helmets with fewer vents.

A more expensive helmet does not mean better protection.

hopper1

Back to the original question...
I have a Giro Ionos, I bought on special offer at £100, and it's been really good in the heat, so far... Much better than Specialized MTB lid!

Woodchip

My Giro E2 sans peak is great. Not to hot and it matches my bike.

Oh, and it's comfy as well.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Given that my Giro Pneumo is now two and a half years old, which by all accounts read recently, should be replaced soon (despite not having anything like that ammount of time on my head).

Personally, I'm planning to pop down Millbrook Road West for a look at the Specialized Chamonix in the flesh, considering price (30 squids); snell approved; venting; large sizes available.

gregmorris234

Jimbo. wrote:

The Hex is an MTB lid. I have a Hex, and Xen and an Ionos. The Hex and the Xens, whilst fine on an MTB, are too damn hot for road use, plus the visor obscures your vision when you've got your head down.

Set your budget, go to your LBS, ask for a road lid and try as many on as you can that are within budget. Whichever fits best(don't worry about brand!), buy it...

Damn didn't see that it was a road thread!

Wappygixer

I think Catlike look a cool helmet as the vents are shape to funnel air into it.
Not cheap and not common either but ver ygood helmets

dbmnk

+1 on the Ionos - coolest I've had.

dbmnk

the coolest design goes to the casco, however

neil3072

try the 2010 model specialised echelon- great choice of colurs, 3 sizes, lods of vents- wore mine for the 1st time on a 100 miler last weekend- kep head really coll

Graculus

Many thanks for the replies! Much more useful than just reviews. The review of my helmet (Spec Air-8) said it has good ventilation - but not IMO.

LBS is a Specialized dealer, so a couple to try there. Will also definitely look at Giros too.

cjw

dbmnk wrote:

+1 on the Ionos - coolest I've had.

+ 1. Started off on MTB with Giro Xen but got very hot then switched to Ionos for exactly the reason your finding, and - as long as you're moving - it is actually cooler than riding without a helmet (I've tried).

Infamous

dbmnk wrote:

the coolest design goes to the casco, however

Casco is italian for helmet, would you wear a helmet that was made by a company called "Helmet" ?

skyd0g

Infamous wrote:

dbmnk wrote:

the coolest design goes to the casco, however

Casco is italian for helmet, would you wear a helmet that was made by a company called "Helmet" ?

It may be well vented, but it looks like the type of thing you'd wear after being discharged from hospital after having a lobotomy. :shock: IMHO

dbmnk

Infamous wrote:

dbmnk wrote:

the coolest design goes to the casco, however

Casco is italian for helmet, would you wear a helmet that was made by a company called "Helmet" ?

If it was made by German? Yes!
Don't deny the cool looks of this helmet!
I would never buy it though, since it has leather pollster, and imagine the smell of that after a couple of warm rides. Not to say I don't think it's near being a cool (as in cold) helmet.

gabriel959

Infamous wrote:

dbmnk wrote:

the coolest design goes to the casco, however

Casco is italian for helmet, would you wear a helmet that was made by a company called "Helmet" ?

It is also the Spanish word for helmet. It sounds a bit daft tbh.

cougie

I love the look of the catlike whisper - and that must be pretty airy ? I don't care about the name.

greeny12

Giro ionos - not only v v cool in the summer heat it's also bloody comfy as well, especially for those with a larger head, like yours truly!!

kozzo

Specialized Propero

bigal.

Just recently went from a Giro atmos to the Catlike Whisper plus and have to admit that the catlike does what it says on the tin.

I have noticed an increase of air on my head as I generally heat up quite quickly so am sensitive to temp when riding and with the Catlike I seem to be enjoying cooler riding which is either down to the helmet or a recent haircut. The catlike does look good as an added bonus.

stevenmh

I am pleased with the Selev XP and considering the temperatures here that means it must work as best it can.

Graculus

Just to follow up on my original query...

Following the advice here I got the Giro Ionos last week for my birthday, and I cannot believe how much better it is, so thanks all you who recommended it!

I notice that I still get quite hot peddling uphill, but I suppose I just need to go faster

redddraggon

cougie wrote:

I love the look of the catlike whisper - and that must be pretty airy ? I don't care about the name.

On a hot day it feels like I'm wearing a wooly hat when I wear my Whisper.

murphdog

God forbid that I ever encourage merely throwing cash at the problem, but...

I used to have a Giro MTB helmet, bought about 7 years ago for around £50 - I can't even remember which model. It always seemed pretty good. Anyway, I got into road cycling about two years ago, and used this helmet for over a year. In a moment of madness one day just over a year ago I popped into my LBS and paid a small fortune for a Giro Atmos. If anything it was (and is) less comfortable when you put it on. To this day it leaves red marks on my forehead (I have a very strangely shaped head!) The benefit becomes soooo apparent however once you've been riding a while. No longer do I have sweat p*ssing down my face and all over my sunglasses. Worth it's weight in gold for the ventilation! Mind you, the pads have rotted so I'm onto the replacement set!

fungus_the_muffin_man

I bought a LAS Squalo over the cat like whisper the other day. Its a huge improvement on the Giro I had previous. It has 28 vents in total ( I just counted them :oops: ) Has an all over insect mesh and a winter inner to put in place of that when it gets colder. Its uber comfy and also quite cool looking 8)