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47 Posts
Took the plunge and decided to up my helmet game this year to something with MIPS or similar. My LBS just started carrying POC so I pulled the trigger after reading a few good reviews. After about a month with it I have formed a decent impression.
FIT
I have a long oval head, not round. the helmet fits great. Very secure when adjusted properly and the way they route the straps is terrific. The strap does however seem to come loose after a while and requires re-adjusting. It fits very low on the head which is great but limits your choice of sunglasses. The front bridge rests on the top of anything that is not extremely low profile. Likewise with the sides, if the arms of your glasses are not round or low profile, the side of the helmet will contact them. Your head fits in this helmet and you do not feel like it is sitting on top of your head.
PADDING
As above, the helmet is comfortable but for the life of me, I cannot figure out why there is ZERO padding on the rear 40% of the helmet. See area circled in red. Yes, when fitted, the retention system pushes the helmet rearward but if SPIN technology is so important for rotational impacts, why is such a large percentage un-padded? See Pic. The pads themselves seem comfortable but I am surprised POC is hanging their hat on this. The SPIN padding is very similar to any high end helmet but with a little more squish. I cannot find any independent testing so who knows if the minuscule amount of silicone in the pads is any better or worse than MIPS, wave cell, aerocore, etc.
Other
The helmet is Recco compatible so If you are ever in an avalanche wile riding a mountain bike you should be easier to find. Seriously though, I had no clue what Recco was until I looked it up. Not sure if it has any use for mountain biking as the range seems limited and the likelihood of being buried by mud or snow is slim.
It also has Armid bridges but the website doesn't really explain it too well. A cutaway photo would have been nice.
The shape is cool. somewhat flat on top and narrower than my IXS or Giro.
It has a goggle retention band which is cool but with most goggles having some kind of silicone inside the strap, is it really necessary? I dont wear goggles often so this really doesn't matter to me.
The ratcheting adjuster is nice but the gap between the adjuster and the helmet is small so with a glove on you have to cram your finger in there. See Pic.
CONCLUSION
I am glad I bought it but it does seem overpriced and a bit 'gimicky' but I suppose you could say that about the industry as a whole. It is very comfortable and despite the few complaints I have, hopefully it will be on my head for a few seasons.
For those interested, I got a great deal on this from www.takeahikeshop.com good people to deal with and they have a brick and mortar shop.
FIT
I have a long oval head, not round. the helmet fits great. Very secure when adjusted properly and the way they route the straps is terrific. The strap does however seem to come loose after a while and requires re-adjusting. It fits very low on the head which is great but limits your choice of sunglasses. The front bridge rests on the top of anything that is not extremely low profile. Likewise with the sides, if the arms of your glasses are not round or low profile, the side of the helmet will contact them. Your head fits in this helmet and you do not feel like it is sitting on top of your head.
PADDING
As above, the helmet is comfortable but for the life of me, I cannot figure out why there is ZERO padding on the rear 40% of the helmet. See area circled in red. Yes, when fitted, the retention system pushes the helmet rearward but if SPIN technology is so important for rotational impacts, why is such a large percentage un-padded? See Pic. The pads themselves seem comfortable but I am surprised POC is hanging their hat on this. The SPIN padding is very similar to any high end helmet but with a little more squish. I cannot find any independent testing so who knows if the minuscule amount of silicone in the pads is any better or worse than MIPS, wave cell, aerocore, etc.
Other
The helmet is Recco compatible so If you are ever in an avalanche wile riding a mountain bike you should be easier to find. Seriously though, I had no clue what Recco was until I looked it up. Not sure if it has any use for mountain biking as the range seems limited and the likelihood of being buried by mud or snow is slim.
It also has Armid bridges but the website doesn't really explain it too well. A cutaway photo would have been nice.
The shape is cool. somewhat flat on top and narrower than my IXS or Giro.
It has a goggle retention band which is cool but with most goggles having some kind of silicone inside the strap, is it really necessary? I dont wear goggles often so this really doesn't matter to me.
The ratcheting adjuster is nice but the gap between the adjuster and the helmet is small so with a glove on you have to cram your finger in there. See Pic.
CONCLUSION
I am glad I bought it but it does seem overpriced and a bit 'gimicky' but I suppose you could say that about the industry as a whole. It is very comfortable and despite the few complaints I have, hopefully it will be on my head for a few seasons.
For those interested, I got a great deal on this from www.takeahikeshop.com good people to deal with and they have a brick and mortar shop.


