TERRANOVA MIPS HELMET
Choosing a new helmet can often be a time-consuming task, there is a lot to go through with the current number of helmets available in the market. From style and aesthetics right the way through to how safe it’s going to be for the riding you’re going to be doing.
We were given a new mid level MET Terranova with MIPS to test for our Road trip to the Snowy Mountains in the last issue of AMB. Just in time to be honest, I was in need of a new lid and had been using a similar level Bontrager helmet with their new Wavecel technology I had tested quite a few issues back. It was a good helmet. I never crashed in it, so couldn’t say too much for the technology. It did its job and kept me feeling safe and confident while on the bike. The new Terranova with MIPS definitely looked the part and I certainly liked the aesthetics more than the Bontrager. It also looked like it would have much more ventilation than the Wavecel allowed on the Bontrager helmet.
MET have always done a good job with styling, and as mountain biking is a relatively young, technology driven sport, styles change quickly. MET have changed and adapted their products at a similar pace, with some wild designs coming out in the early 2000s to the much more subdued look we see today. The matt/gloss combo in the black colourway we had is pretty classy, and the large flexible and well adjustable visor has a multitude of advantages. I did not ride with goggles but there looks like more than enough space for a pair to sit under the visor. MET have also stated that sunglasses will fit well and they do. The ports are in the right place and as mentioned above there is the space, but I find most of these especially when combined with MIPS are less than ideal. The arms for my Oakley Jawbreakers got caught up the plastic MIPS insert. Always take your sunnies when helmet shopping – and vice versa if you want them to both work well on your head. The flexible visor also has some rubber washers that help secure it well with friction. It means it’s loose enough to move out of the way in the event of a small crash or when pushing your goggles up, but secure enough not to move around when riding. The Terranova comes in a range of colours and sizes, and my medium helmet fit my medium head perfectly.
The adjustment points are not as extensive as MET’s higher spec Roam helmet, but certainly offered enough for me. The rear dial adjustment works well and has a solid feel, you can raise or lower the dial to cup the rear of your head depending on your particular head shape. The back of the helmet has good coverage and still allows room for a ponytail or low manbun type hairdo. Black helmets can often feel hot, but the Terranova had adequate ventilation which the MIPS liner did not interfere with at all. The MIPS liner was not so noticeable in operation. You can certainly see how it moves within the helmet to offer that rotational buffering it sells as a safety factor. I had no large crashes to actually test the MIPS so we are left trusting it will do something in the event of a head hitting adventure off track. I’ve always been a little sceptical of this kind of hard to prove technology, and it’s obviously a great business idea. It’s cheap to make and a (wait for it)… NO BRAINER for helmet manufacturers and often end consumers. It’s a relatively cheap safety net that can make you feel like you're being extra careful. It certainly wouldn’t sell me on a helmet, but given the availability I wouldn’t pass it up either. The only downsides I saw was the interference with mounting your sunglasses securely on the helmet when they aren’t in use.
The MET Terranova is a great looking, great value helmet, normally as you go cheaper with helmets they get much worse looking, or the straps are cheap and the vents are small. But the Terranova still looks like the Roam high end lid, the adjustments are great and the fit is secure. It’s for sure going to be my new go to helmet.