What Helmets are Mags Rocking?

[evdog]

Giro Hex... haven’t found anything that fits as well as that helmet does.

Wearing a Hex as well. The original one I had fit better, they seemed to change the sizing a bit since. The small is now too small , the medium seems a bit to large now the padding has worn in. Through hot weather I've been wearing a bandana under it to help keep the sun off me, which helped the fit.

[GoldMember]

Smith Forefront. I'm happy with it but the sweatband is too small and gets saturated. Then the sweat starts dripping. Also, when I've taken the sweatband out and washed it, it has become delaminated over time and doesn't stick in the helmet as well as it should. I don't think it's going to last much longer.

[division.bell]

Rode with a Giro Hex for several years before receiving an Ambush in trade for a few hours spinning wrenches and setting up demo bikes.

The 360 degree retention system felt strange for the first ride only, and then has felt as comfortable as a well-worn ballcap since. I've tried on most of the lines from Bell/Giro/Fox/Smith as well as Specialized, and nothing has personally felt better on my head than the Ambush. On top of the better fit for me, it's lighter, and runs cooler than any of the other helmets I've used. Bottom line is it's the only helmet (non-fullface) I want to ride.

[XXX-er]

One that fits

and for fat heads like me that is the Giro Atlas

does any buddy else make a good XL bike helmet?

[John_B]

As posted above the Troy Lee A1 used to be good for my XXL head. Dunno what the newer version is like.

[milestogo]

Smith Forefront. I'm happy with it but the sweatband is too small and gets saturated. Then the sweat starts dripping. Also, when I've taken the sweatband out and washed it, it has become delaminated over time and doesn't stick in the helmet as well as it should. I don't think it's going to last much longer.

Call Smith customer service and they will ship you out new padding at no cost. Just did it last month.

[babybear]

I was going to say smith forefront too
The real game changer on this helmet is the way the helmet holds your glasses when you want to take them off (they fit upsidedown in that groove on the helmet) They dont really show that aspect on the website - which is odd bc it's dope and it works well. seems like the only way the glasses will come off is if you crash and then they'd probably fall off your face anyway. Works best with smith glasses but also my steezy cheap kmart glasses also stayed in quite well too
http://www.smithoptics.com/us/forefront

[WaistDeepGroomers]

I rock a Forefront too but kinda wish I hadn't gotten a black one (hot in summer) and wondering if others think the Koroyd stuff is blocking more thorough airflow through the helmet. Now that I've figured out the hack for mounting a lighting mount to the top (drilling a hole through your light mount into the screw hole under the gopro clip), I'm enjoying it a lot.

[MaineSkiAddict1]

I have been using a Scott Stego for a couple of years. I got one at a deep discount so, I figured even if MIPS is a marketing gimmick, I'll go with it. Venting is solid and it doesn't seem to retain as much moisture as prior helmets. The one nab is I haven't figured out a mounting solution for a light yet.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I don't even know what you look like but I can absolutely picture this.SNIP

State Flower of Montana, dude.

On a serious note, I just ordered a Hex.

[GoldMember]

Call Smith customer service and they will ship you out new padding at no cost. Just did it last month.

Cool, thanks for the tip!

[GoldMember]

I rock a Forefront too but kinda wish I hadn't gotten a black one (hot in summer) and wondering if others think the Koroyd stuff is blocking more thorough airflow through the helmet. Now that I've figured out the hack for mounting a lighting mount to the top (drilling a hole through your light mount into the screw hole under the gopro clip), I'm enjoying it a lot.

I've got the matte black with green Koroyd. I haven't really had a problem with overheating, even when I've ridden with temps around or over 100. Well, yeah, it's hot then but so is everything. My typical ride is an 18 mile loop over 1.5 hours and still no real heat issues. I think it breathes pretty good, especially compared to my old Giro, which was really hot but also about 20 years old. I'm really happy with the Forefront, other than the afore-mentioned issue with the padding.

[beaterdit]

Smith Forefront. I'm happy with it but the sweatband is too small and gets saturated. Then the sweat starts dripping. Also, when I've taken the sweatband out and washed it, it has become delaminated over time and doesn't stick in the helmet as well as it should. I don't think it's going to last much longer.

Someone beat me to the punch but yeah, Smith is great with that stuff. The rubber bits for your glasses too. I haven't done it yet but my buddy gets new helmets pads and glasses rubber bits free from them every year. Also, I rock this in place of the stock front pads, they all suck. Total game changer. Does take up more space than the stock pads so be aware.

As for helmets, I've been in the Bell Super line for a few years. The Troy Lee is DEFINITELY the most comfortable helmet I've ever tried. That said, the Bell fits me well enough and having the chin bar for spicier riding and racing where there's substantial climbing involved is nice. As mentioned, the visor is big enough to be functional in blocking the sun and flips up easily to accommodate goggles if you're that guy. Of course it's well known that this line IS NOT DH certified. That's pretty obvious to pick it up and look at it. So it's not a one and done helmet for all biking pursuits and I'll still rock a real DH dome (POC Cortex) for park and/or shuttle runs. Relative to other 'all mountain' helmets' though, the Super's still plenty robust.

From anecdotal personal experience, MIPS is legit. DEFINITELY helps a ton, nearly eliminates the forehead and scalp abrasions and tears from the helmet rolling on your head. Pretty certain it also eases eases the neck strain associated with head bonks for me as well. Life saving? Dunno but that stuff's enough right there for me buy MIPS every time.

Helmet color, I always go for something lighter. Black and/or dark blue, especially in a matte finish is just fuckin hot in the sun. Lighter colors and glossy finishes reflect way more of that radiation rather than absorbing it.

When the new Bell Super DH is available in December I'll be ordering one. Seems like it could finally be the Holy Grail 'one helmet to rule them all'.

[Peruvian]

I replaced my Giro Xar with a Shred Short Stack a month or so ago (thanks gravitylover). Much better sweat management as it no longer rolls down into my eyes.

[GoldMember]

Someone beat me to the punch but yeah, Smith is great with that stuff. The rubber bits for your glasses too. I haven't done it yet but my buddy gets new helmets pads and glasses rubber bits free from them every year. Also, I rock this in place of the stock front pads, they all suck. Total game changer. Does take up more space than the stock pads so be aware.

Thanks for the link, that may be a better solution. While it may take more space, the helmet's BOA system gives me enough adjustment that I think it will work fine. I may just replace the helmet with the MIPS version, anyway. That wasn't available when I got this one so the upgrade might be worthwhile.

[Peruvian]

MIPS worth it? Maybe, maybe not.

https://helmets.org/mips.htm

[stuckathuntermtn]

MIPS worth it? Maybe, maybe not.

https://helmets.org/mips.htm

I can't say my helmets have ever stuck when sliding or not been able to twist slightly. Doesn't seem worth it to me.

[beaterdit]

MIPS worth it? Maybe, maybe not.

https://helmets.org/mips.htm

See my post above. Like I said, maybe not life saving, but the noticeable improvements in small scalp injury from your helmet, and neck strain make it worth it for me.

[toast2266]

I've taken a couple crashes in MIPS helmets where rotational forces were at play. In each, the MIPS seemed to do it's thing - the MIPS layer was significantly rotated within the helmet. None of those crashes resulted in any kind of head injury, but I doubt that would have been any different had I been wearing a non-MIPS helmet (the crashes just weren't that hard). But at least from a basic functionality standpoint, the MIPS seemed to serve it's intended purpose. And while there's disagreement as to whether MIPS is effective, there's no disagreement that rotational impacts are bad. So at least from my experience, having MIPS is better than not having MIPS.

Since the MIPS helmets aren't that much more expensive these days, and the only real downside I've noticed is they run a little hotter, I don't see any great reason to not go with MIPS (or some similar anti-rotation contraption; POC, Leatt, Kali, and 6D all have their own systems).

I'm riding a Scott Stego MIPS these days. I've had fancier helmets with more bells and whistles, but the Stego just fits me really well.

[grinch]

I guess if MIPS protects the ol bean it could prolong the life of the helmet , to a point

[kidwoo]

That 6D system looks better to me than the mips stuff. My rampage fullface has a mips layer and I still rung my bell pretty easily IMO.

[babybear]

definitely anecdotal but I forgot my gloves when riding at the bike park a few wks ago and one of my hands slipped off when landing a small jump and I landed solidly on the side of my head first/ body second
quite bruised along that side and my wrist is also still a bit sore with certain actions but when I think back to the crash I feel that my helmet performed very well. I dont replace my helmet that frequently so maybe that leeeetle bit of extra protection mips may give is worth it when you ride a lot
Of course whatever fits best- the troy lee's are really awesome imo too- so light, great fit for so many people but I just really love the glasses holder on the smith so much it trumps all others

[MrMan]

definitely anecdotal but I forgot my gloves when riding at the bike park a few wks ago and one of my hands slipped off when landing a small jump and I landed solidly on the side of my head first/ body second
quite bruised along that side and my wrist is also still a bit sore with certain actions but when I think back to the crash I feel that my helmet performed very well. I dont replace my helmet that frequently so maybe that leeeetle bit of extra protection mips may give is worth it when you ride a lot
Of course whatever fits best- the troy lee's are really awesome imo too- so light, great fit for so many people but I just really love the glasses holder on the smith so much it trumps all others

1st off thank you for the Smith helmet/sunglass carrying compatibility. Wish the rep shared that info.

2nd, man have I f'd myself up riding without gloves due to slippage after forgetting to bring mine. No Bueno.

[jm2e]

I think there's some argument to be made that MIPs et al have allowed the helmet industry to enter the Standards Race that components and wheels have benefited so much from. Not saying it's not going to help, but if the difference between helmet and no helmet is a million points, and the difference between a poor fitting minimal coverage helmet and a good fitting max coverage helmet is a thousand points, then I'm guessing the difference between a MIPs and a non-MIPs helmet is going to net you somewhere in the hundred points range. But the reality is, we're many years into this new technology and there still isn't any empirical evidence to show it's efficacy. So they're selling us science, without the science. Which stinks, whether it works or not.
I am intrigued by the anecdotes about superficial injury prevention. Since a lot of the argument I see against MIPs is that helmets move around plenty since we have hair and skin and don't have surgical glove connections with them. Thus supporting both sides of that position.

[toast2266]

But the reality is, we're many years into this new technology and there still isn't any empirical evidence to show it's efficacy. So they're selling us science, without the science. Which stinks, whether it works or not.

I mean, I think there's a lot of empirical evidence that it works. The problem is, all of that evidence is produced by MIPS and the companies that have bought into it. And the industry doesn't seem to be able to decide on a standardized test for rotational impacts.

But like you said, MIPS is only there to deal with one, very specific situation. And that situation is one that's inherently difficult to address. So while I tend to think that MIPS type systems are beneficial, I also think that expectations for what it's actually going to be able to achieve need to be realistic. Just like expectations for the rest of the helmet need to be realistic - helmet certifications only test the helmet from a 2 meter drop. So that's basically saying that the helmet needs to protect you if you trip and fall over. Obviously if you smash your head at higher speeds the helmet is going to help, but those crashes are way beyond the parameters that are actually tested for.