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Submitted by
greg duclose
a Cross Country Rider
from scottsdale, az
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Only unit at the time that offer protection of the face. With a home made front plastic sheild to protect your face from cold weather, works great in cold mornings/night. | | Weaknesses: | Weight is too high when you are laying low street racing and our head is out and titled up to see, see through the visor openings. Your back neck muscals get strain. You must place a side rod mirror to your right so you can see whats coming from behind. Need to closed off side ears opening to protect from the cold. | | Bike Setup: | street urban bike | | Bottom Line: | Haven used it for 8 years. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jake Bean
a Weekend Warrior
from El Paso, Texas
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything With Rocks! | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$180.00 | | Purchased At: | Ride On Sports | | Strengths: | Awesome, can be used as full-face, or xc helmet. | | Weaknesses: | Chin Strap squeezes throat when full-face is on | | Bike Setup: | Giant VT One, Manitou Minute 1:00 | | Bottom Line: | Awesome helmet! I've used it for a long time, and its held up beautifully! Saved my bacon a few times too! Very comfortable and cool, a little funky with the chin straps when the face guard is bolted on. Great buy, great performance, definetly recommended. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dresden Lock
a Cross Country Rider
from NC USA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Smith Lake | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | Lightweight/Alot of Ventilation/Good Looking/Sturdy/Clear Viewing | | Weaknesses: | Tear Away Pads on the face guard/Tear away Visor/the PRICE/the back adjustment is funky | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose Pro Full suspension | | Bottom Line: | I really like this helmet...Ive used it almost daily for 2 years...I wish you get some more acessories for it like another visor..some more pads etc...other than that..I love it...its lightweight....its a cool feeling helmet...it looks good...its sturdy...I can't complain. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Davies
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Big Mummah | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Planet Cycles (YOU GUYS ROCK!) | | Strengths: | Very comfortable, nice and airy. Just that little bit of added protection over a XC helmet but with all the comfort. Fits well and is really comfortable. High quality construction, excelent shock absortion. | | Weaknesses: | 1. Price. It is pretty expensive
2. THEY STOPPED MAKING IT ! ! !
I am soooo gutted that they stopped makig this helmet but apparently it was becuase of weakness number 1. I managed to get another one from a supplier that had some old stock..
3. Doesnt absorb sweat from your forehead very well. I get drips running down my face. | | Similar Products Used: | Skate lids... | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Bighit comp 04
04 Marz Junior T
24" dmr rims + specialized roller pro RS tyres
Truvative holz pedals
Rest is stock | | Bottom Line: | I bought this helmet about 3 or 4 months ago and loved it. Last weekend I went endo off a jump down a hill and my 45 pound bighit came crashing down the hill after me and the main top tube smashed me in the head. when it hit me I felt the helmet absorb the impact, aside from being a little dazed I was totally fine. The helmet was mush but my melon was totally sweet. Worth every single penny becuase this helmet saved my life.
Its a real shame that they have discontinued them but apparently they were just too expensive for them to sell as many of them as they would have liked recently.
I managed to find one but I will be very careful with this one as I know I wont be able to get another. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dustin Bilthouse
a Racer
from Atlanta,USA
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Chicopee | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Not for DH. I consider my style aggresive crosscountry and this helmet works very well for that. I take more chances riding with this versus openfaced. | | Weaknesses: | Gets a little steamy after 2 hours. | | Bike Setup: | 03' Fisher Marlin w/ shimano Dh peds, mavic crosslands, avid mech disc, maxxis ignitors, Easton carbon HB and SP, XT rear derailur, Selle Italia pro gel...ummm, i believe thats it. | | Bottom Line: | Your a fool if you use this helmet for DH purposes. This is a great buy for XC riders who want to step it up a notch and take chances. Best part, the face plate removes when you want to ride open face. While it has gotten a little hot sometimes, this helmet has meet the ground many a times before my face has. Make sure you get the right size, mine fits perfect, but these other a$$es don't know the size of their own noggin. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
big hit mike
a Cross Country Rider
from lancaster
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | pacific crest trail | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | lots of vents,faceguard protection,light weight,cool titanium color | | Weaknesses: | pads inside are starting to come apart | | Bike Setup: | specialized bighit,dc shiver forks,8.1 travel conversion in the rear,8"hayes,and 3 chain rings up front | | Bottom Line: | this helmet saved my ass when i took a 6'drop and crashed much on my face, the face guard hit my chin and ended up with a sore chin but im sure i would have ended up a lot worse if i didnt have the extra protection. ill never go back to open face. if you can still find this helmet buy it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bugzee Malone
a
from Kiwi in Kobe, Japan
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Futatabesan | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | $90 on eBay | | Strengths: | Lotsa vents
Removeable jaw
moveable visor | | Weaknesses: | after a while it rubs my head at the top of my forehead even though I have added padding | | Similar Products Used: | various helmets | | Bike Setup: | Giant AC3 + mods | | Bottom Line: | This is a XC helmet with extra face protection, not a full downhill helmet (Buy a Mad Max instead)
After hitting a tree and getting a black eye and a swollen cheek even though I was wearing a normal bike helmet.
I bought this Switchblade helmet for the extra face protection it offered.
With all the vents its much cooler than other full face helmets I have worn. The jaw doesn't obstruct the vision like others do.
One of the best features is the moveable visor.
While it may not be the strongest, it can be set high so you don't get "clotheslined" by low branches or adjusted low to keep rain etc out of your eyes.
Once I get the forehead padding sorted out I will be very satisfied with it.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Albany, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Biker & Boarder Town near Gore MT. | | Strengths: | Well vented, security of knowing you have that little extra protection (lets you push yourself over harder riding), not to forget the added protection over most standard bike helmets, versitility | | Weaknesses: | Flimsy visor (broke off on simple crash), $h!tty padding (poor sweat absorbtion, not all too comfy), rubs my head at the center of my forehead and middle of the back of my head... probally my oddly shaped head though) | | Similar Products Used: | Bell w/o chin plate | | Bottom Line: | A good helmet if you don't mind giving a little comfort for a added security... I find when I am not concerned about what my grill will look like in my next interview, I push myself harder and over more difficult terrain. Good if you got the cash. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
The Beast
a Downhiller
from Hell
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$159.00 | | Purchased At: | 123bikes | | Strengths: | It gives ok protection
Good venting
Light
Removable faceplate
One of the only helmets that fits my large head | | Weaknesses: | protection not as good as some full face
Kinda pricey | | Similar Products Used: | Other full face and xc helmets | | Bottom Line: | Well...I did a nice face plant into the dirt I hit really hard and all I ended up with was a couple scratches on the face (the rest of me was quite f**ked up). If giro made faceguard bigger, farther away form the face and made it fiberglass or carbon fiber I would have had nothing on my face and the face guard might have not cracked. I cant really complain though because it really saved my ass and I can get a replacement fo cheap. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jose Matias
a Weekend Warrior
from Lisbon, na, Portugal
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Loja das Bicicletas - Lisboa | | Strengths: | Aparent resistance (fortunatelly never tested..). Painting. Weight. | | Weaknesses: | Lack of pads; Bad sweat absorption; Lousy owner's manual. | | Similar Products Used: | Bell (whatever model it was) | | Bike Setup: | Mondraker Pensacola Pro w/ Rock Shox SID lockout rear, Marzocchi MX Pro ETA, XT/Deore, Formula 4 racing, ONOFF components. | | Bottom Line: | It could be more comfortable, but perhaps it's only a problem of compatibility of shape head/helmet. My previous Bell was more comfortable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Godlike DHR
a Downhiller
from poole,England'uk
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Les Gets | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | good light helmet which has the advantage oftaking the face guard off. Also good for summer riding because it so many vents | | Weaknesses: | not much padding and easily cracks. Mine cracked all the way down the back but it was a harse crash | | Similar Products Used: | other giro's | | Bike Setup: | Club Roost DH8, Shiver DC, Hope M4, 321s on Hope bulbs, Blackspire, X-lite | | Bottom Line: | Great helmet for summer use but for racing and all year round use its better to get something stonger. I ahve know recently invested in a tld D2 which is an amazing helmet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Terrence Miyasato
a Weekend Warrior
from Waipahu, Hawaii
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | All of 'em | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria Bike | | Strengths: | First & Foremost: Diane, Customer Service @ Giro. Secondly, helmet is light considering it can be used as a full face. Removeable face guard for when you don't want to look to hardcore when cruzing in your neighborhood, well then again it depends on what neighborhood your cruzing in (ha)! Rock lock keeps your melon snug. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Bell | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Rocket 88 - xt components, rock shox sid F/R
Schwinn Straight 6 - xt components, fox shox, rock shox psylo
Schwinn 4 Banger - xt components, rock shox judy F, sid R
| | Bottom Line: | Well to start, Diane, customer service at Giro is the greatest. My padding was getting shredded and local bike shops don't carry replacements. Emailed Giro, Diane responded immediately and sent replacements free-ninety-free (cha-ching! - no charge!) Couple of weeks later, downhilling, I ate it, must have impacted the front (good thing for the switchblade), lost my visor. Again, no place carries it, Diane came through again, all this via email. Hopefully, she doesn't get swamped by email requests, but it is really great to know that there are some companies that still provide great customer service. Now on to the helmet, there are countless times that I have gone over the bars and the helmet saved my melon. Lots of air slots keep my head cool between crashes. The faceguard may seem like a little much, but there are times when I've looked at my helmet after rides and noticed scrapes and some new dents in the guard and didn't even realize I hit that part of the helmet. Who should use this helmet? Perhaps all experience levels. The trails I ride have varying terrain, some cross country and some nice single track with steep technicals here and there. To some it might be overkill, but for me with varying riding terrain its perfect, the faceguard is removable should you feel its unnecessary for your riding. Therefore, I give five big flaming chiles for value rating due to great customer service and product quality/function and again five big flaming chiles for the overall rating. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brandon Gleason
a Weekend Warrior
from Chapel Hill, NC
Date Reviewed: January 11, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything with jumps or drops | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Pro Deal | | Strengths: | -Light
-Looks Good
-Fairly Strong
-Keep your head cool | | Weaknesses: | -Doesnt fit very snug
-Not enough pads | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Giant AC Air...Stock exept for XT cassete and Race Face bash guard | | Bottom Line: | Good helmet but not quite what I was looking for. If there were more pads and it fit better it would be great. I probaly should have gone ahead and gotton the Mad Max II. But if you dolight urban riding or dirt jumping this helmet is great. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick Burns
a Cross Country Rider
from Folsom, Calif
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Santa Cruz Trail (near Santa Barbara) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$170.00 | | Purchased At: | Moab...don't remember the name | | Strengths: | full face is a good way to go. This helmet is light and relatively cool. | | Weaknesses: | expensive.... and see below | | Similar Products Used: | no other full face helmets | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Juliana | | Bottom Line: | My wife has been riding with this helmet for about 3 months. She crashed really hard about 1 week ago. The helmet, while probably saving her face, didn't work perfectly. Problem: the little extra straps that they add to this helmet to add stability came loose on one side during the crash. Then the face plate section of the helmet smashed into her chin and cut her all the way through. She had a inch long hole in her face. When I checked the helmet later I noticed that the edges of the face plate are like a freaking knife. Now that I see that it sure seems like a stupid design. Why put a piece of very sharp plastic right infront of your face. They need to fix this. The edges of the face plate shouldn't be so dangerous. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lonnie
a Downhiller
from Moab Utah
Date Reviewed: October 15, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | ANYWHERE IN MOAB......... | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$170.00 | | Strengths: | It looks good and it is light.... | | Weaknesses: | It is weak....the first day I tried it I jump and went over my handle bar and landed on it which resulted in it being cracked it in half. IT also just doesnt feel good on your head. | | Bike Setup: | Gaint AC1 with White Brothers DH 2 fork | | Bottom Line: | This helment is great for XC biker or just someone messing around town doing some freeriding but I wouldnt trust it for going fast. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
poonjabie native
a Downhiller
from victoria bc
Date Reviewed: September 17, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | dirt jumpin | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | russ hays | | Strengths: | lookes good, light. | | Weaknesses: | fits like crap, god dam expensive | | Similar Products Used: | bell | | Bike Setup: | m1 with boxers | | Bottom Line: | looks cool lightweight good for xc riding | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Biker
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria,Bc,Canada
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | i donno 2 many | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$259.00 | | Purchased At: | russ hays | | Strengths: | light waight,lots of holes so you can cool down on the trails!! my friends have other full faces and they always have 2 take them off to cool down.plastic visor doesn't snap when you do a face planet but instead it bends so you don't have to buy a new one.has buckle on chinstrap instead of the other stupid systems other companes have. chin gaurd doesn't get inthe way as much as other full face helmets. | | Weaknesses: | the pads inside wear out easily. | | Similar Products Used: | none that i'm aware of | | Bike Setup: | Norco 4 Hun | | Bottom Line: | I definetly recomend this to any one lookin 4 a full face halmet!!!!!4 sure!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Chow
a Weekend Warrior
from Monterey Park, CA
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Light weight, lots of vent, piece of mind protection, and Looks Cool!! | | Weaknesses: | Looks kind of odd at first, Especially riding on easier trails. Hard to drink with the chin guard. Can put the helmet on with glasses on. | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale Super V 1000. XT/XTR...... | | Bottom Line: | I had a big crash about 6 months ago, which broke my chin and end up with 12 stitches. I bang my head up pretty good. The last helmet save me from cracking my brain out, but didn't do anything for the chin. Anyhow, to make the long story short. It's good to have a light weight full face helmet for trail ride. But I would get something else if you are doing real down hill stuff. So far, this is the only one that combine light weight with some protection for the chin. I would never go back to open face. Full face is the way to go! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Rapid City, South Dakota
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Bone Hwy 44 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Acme Bike | | Strengths: | More face protection than normal helmets. Light weight, great ventilation. | | Weaknesses: | Pads came off ver quick. | | Similar Products Used: | Never used full face type before. Always had Giro | | Bike Setup: | Kona Bear Dee-Lux | | Bottom Line: | In October 2001 I wrecked and broke 10 bones in my face
(Le Forte III fracture). Doctor said without a helmet I would have at the minimum I would of had sever brain damage. My friends then purchased the Switchblade for me because of my accident. I am riding again with more confidence than before because of the Switchblade. I will never ride without full face protection. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sledge Foot
a
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheel World | | Bottom Line: | This is a follow-up to my first review.
Well I finally took a spill and the helmet save my right jaw from any kind of cuts or worse. I was riding on a trail that was very loose and lost traction and fell over and hit face first. Can't say that I helmet saved me from a certain broken jaw, but I'll never know.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
wolfman
a Weekend Warrior
from montreal/quebec/canada
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | st-francois | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$180.00 | | Purchased At: | bicycle eddy | | Strengths: | fit perfect (stay still), very light, good ventillation, built tuff, cool design... | | Weaknesses: | Price$$$ in canada (quebec/montreal) this helmet cost me 300$ CND with the taxes!!! (but hey! i goat the money)... | | Similar Products Used: | None... (all full face are made for downhill, so they are to heavy and to hot for XC or crosscountry) | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fysher Sugar2 (2000) | | Bottom Line: | This helmet is made for cross-country, freeride or the crazyest urban riders... It's very tuff but remember: it's not a downhill helmet!!! That said, i'm a hardcore cross-country rider and this helmet is just perfect ;-) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
EngineerX
a Weekend Warrior
from City of Freaky Angels L.A.
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Backbone & Gabrielino | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$160.00 | | Purchased At: | I forgot! | | Strengths: | comfy + it's a Giro!! | | Weaknesses: | mmmm ..... no "quick detach" feature for faceguard but that would probably add too much weigth, increase price & reduce interlock strength | | Similar Products Used: | ARAI F1 - Motorcycle helmet | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Enduro Expert/Thomson/Hayes/XTR-XT/Vuelta FR's/MonkeLite | | Bottom Line: | Full face helmets DO work !! I had a close call once when I hit an Astro van in the 10 freeway @ the 5 freeway in L.A. (threading the needle between lanes during rush hour) 1st thing to contact the pavement was my face guard! I saw the pavement thru the windscreen rush before my eyes as I slid with my faceguard being the only point of contact between me & the pavement! - It must have looked sweet. Moments later my shoulder and knee hit the pavement & I came to a stop. I slowed down quite alot before flying over the handlebars of my Kawasaki Ninja so I only flew about 15 - 20 feet in the air. Got up - checked for fractures or any protruding organs or body parts - thank God there was none of that! so walked to my bike, picked it up (never felt so light! - adrenaline helped) & pushed it to the shoulder. The guy I hit (he kind of got in my lane - in between the 2 lanes) was nice enough to give me a ride to work, I picked up my bike later that day because it wouldn't start (carb flooded from being on its side). Well the whole point is, half of my face, theeth, jaw would've been ripped by the pavement had I not had a fullface helmet! So - all I know Fullface helmets = good!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sledge Foot
a Cross Country Rider
from W. Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheel World | | Strengths: | Offers better face proctection than regular helmets. Price was also a plus, I picked mine up for $100 on sale. Great Color (Mango-ish yellow). Convertible to regular helmet. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. Well, sometimes it's quite the attention getter, some riders think it's overkill for XC riding. | | Similar Products Used: | First "quasi" full face, other helmets worn: Briko Twinner, Giro Transit, Specialized King Cobra | | Bike Setup: | Stumpjumper FSRxc | | Bottom Line: | I am not a downhiller, I ride cross country, but just wanted some extra protection for my face.
I picked up this helmet after reading about too many face injuries . Then I was browsing through all the photos of accidents and crashes in the gallery section of this site and was sold on getting this helmet for $100. The thought of breaking my jaw and loosing teeth and eating through a straw didn't excite me.
Call me a chicken, but I'll be the chicken with all my teeth. Broken limbs are easy fixes (took a month for my broken shoulder to fully heal), but when it comes to the noggin, I take it more serious.
The Switchblade is not a full fledge full face helmet, more like a semi full face helmet. It exposes more area then DH helmets. The helmet is light and I have not noticed any additional weight compared to riding with my regular helmets. If you breath through your mouth, you will notice the air around it is warmer because the face guard prevents cool air from flowing immediately in. The quality is high, very nice workmanship. Peripheral vision is not blocked in any way. After the 3 day or so, I forgot that the faceguard was even there. The RocLoc system is the same as on any Giro helmet.
This is not a DH helmet. It's a more like a cross country helmet with a little extra protection. The face guard is not stiff like a true DH helmet. So please buy this helmet for what it is: XC with extra protection.
I like the helmet. I haven't crashed with it yet. So I can't testify and give it my AMEN on that level. I picked up the mango yellow one, nice color.
I ride with this helmet all the time, even when I am just taking a quite spin to my sister's place or the market. People do look at me like I am Mad Max or something, but hey I don't mess with saftey.
If you are XC rider, and want to keep that face in tact, this will help out more than a regular helmet. I am giving this a 5 rating for value, because at $100, it's the same price as regular helmets. I can only give it a 4 for overal rating, because it's the best fair rating I can give for the experience that I have had with it. If I had crashed with it and proved itself, then I would give it a 5, but a 4 is all it gets for now.
Can't remember whether it was MB Action or Bike magazine, but one of them reported who
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
STINGRAY
a Weekend Warrior
from suisun ca us
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Strengths: | PLENTY OF AIR FLOW AND SUPERLITE. PROBABLY BECAUSE ITS NOT FOR DOWN HILL USE. WHO CARES? I CRASH A LOT (BIG CRASHES EVERY 20 MINUTES) AND STILL ON MY FIRST ONE. | | Weaknesses: | NEED A PH D TO ADJUST IT. ONCE ADJUSTED IT'S NO TROUBLE. | | Similar Products Used: | BELL | | Bike Setup: | ROCKY "SWITCH" | | Bottom Line: | THIS THING IS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS A FULL FACE AND DOESN'T WANT TO OVER HEAT. LITEST FULL FACE AVAILABLE! WORKS PERFECT FOR AGGRESSIVE FREERIDING, HITING TREES, ROCKS WHATEVER. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jamie Shankland
a Downhiller
from Waterloo, ONT, CAN
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Gruvula | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclepath Waterloo | | Strengths: | You can ride around in the top piece witch fits exactly like a hammerhead. Its looks cooler with the black pieces on the head piece. | | Weaknesses: | Rattles around on my head, doesnt fit like a full face at all. Goggles dont fit well. Face guard is way too flexy. Way to much money, | | Similar Products Used: | Mad Max, Bell thingy, Garnau | | Bike Setup: | Kona '01 Stinky dee, and '02 Stab SE, Neither have all stock parts on them. | | Bottom Line: | The switchblade is for you if your rich, dont do alot of hard riding, dont value your face at all, etc. If you race DH or do alot of hard core stuff. save a hundred bucks and buy a Mad Max. After 2 concussions in my Switchblade, Giro doesnt want to warenteee it at all. buy a durable helmet!!! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mr Dirtbag
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Stairs on Mount Royal belvedere | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | La Cordee (I hate this store) | | Strengths: | -Light
-Much cheaper than the dentist if u crash
-It don't look dorky
-Indestructible | | Weaknesses: | Flippin straps R drivin me battty!!! can't get the damn plastic doo-icky in the back to stay centered, hence straps flip flop around my ears and it makes me want to pull a Vincent Van Gogh!!!! Also, depending on the weather (i.e. when real hot & been ridin in the sun), sometimes have 2 fakin fiddle with the screws to put in the blade, seems like the plastic takes in a bit of the heat & the slight changes makes it not-okeli-dokely to screw the last screw in | | Similar Products Used: | -plastic bucket
-girlfriends underwear
-duct tape
-weed | | Bike Setup: | free rider, cross country & roadie | | Bottom Line: | 'tis a good helmet, love Giro's, have only changed helmets (always had Giros) because the old ones look 2 goofy after a while. i've crashed many times, and never busted my Giros. Switchblade is flippin better than eating through a straw for 2 months if u crash, & it don't look dorky. Kinda feel like Goldorack when I wear it (especially in the shower) This is a very good melon protector...buy one monkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CJ
a Weekend Warrior
from Orlando, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Bellview, Ocala | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$99.00 | | Purchased At: | internet somewhere | | Strengths: | Nice tight feel. Doesn't move around on your head at all. Great Fit.... did I mention the great fit?! | | Weaknesses: | Visor doesn't adjust as much as I'd hope. | | Similar Products Used: | Various XC helmets, Bell, Giro, Walmart... | | Bike Setup: | I-Drive | | Bottom Line: | First saw this helmet on a guy at my favorite trail. He'd just gotten it and was happy to show me the helmet... then he showed me his jaw was still wired up from his last crash where he simply fell of the bike but landed his jaw on a rock. That was enough for me. I'm not that good where I don't crash. Hell I crash a lot. I got the helmet and so far I am pleased. Lighter than a normal full face and with plenty of vents.. cheaper that getting your jaw re-wired too! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Brooklyn
Date Reviewed: December 13, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Rocky Point, Stillwell, Catheral Pines | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$119.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | Great fitting, great looking. Gives you more confidence when bombing down technical sections. Keeps your face warm when riding in the cold. | | Weaknesses: | May be heavy? Not in issue for me. May be hot during the summer. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Air Banshee, Bell helmet | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Rock Mountain Slayer weighting 28lbs with disc brakes. 2000 Specialized FSR xc s-works | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is this Giro should protect you from facial crashes. It's not meant for downhill as it indicates by Giro. I ride mostly xc and the type of trails I ride on, it's easy to fall flat on your face. Weight is not an issue for me. Since I just recently purchased this helmet, it's been working great in the NY cold weather. I'm sure it will get warmer in the summer but there are enough vents to push air in on the downhills. Get this helmet if want more protection. My friends call me a "storm trooper" and they probably think that it looks ridicious. Protection comes first..hell with what they all say. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Green
a Weekend Warrior
from London, England
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Whatever's clever. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$110.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Light, looks quite good, loadsa vents. | | Weaknesses: | Bit on the bulky side, poor strap mount positioning. | | Similar Products Used: | Mostly MET skid lids. | | Bike Setup: | 2001 GT Palomar | | Bottom Line: | Looks good, weighs nothing, keeps your head coola nd will probably save your noggin when it comes to a meeting with Dr. Faceplant.
Dodgy strap mounts scratch your ears, so need a couple of extra pads and it does make your head look a little doofy if you're skinny.
Overall I like it. Fits pretty well and I got it for half price, so I'll give it 4 chillis instead of 3 for value. 4 chillis for overall as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ANDY
a Downhiller
from Velenje, slovenia
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Purchased At: | maraton | | Strengths: | Looks cool
Many vents
Its a fullface
Strenght
Name
Eye clearance its like a convential helmet | | Weaknesses: | None!!!Its a GIRO | | Similar Products Used: | None comparable to this one | | Bike Setup: | Univega RamDH | | Bottom Line: | I trashed with my bike on my favourite trail and the bike fell on my head!!! GIRO saved my life. It has only a few s |
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