MET Parachute MCR Helmet
A convertible enduro lid that offers top protection, bar on, bar off, bar none
When met began the two-year development process of the Parachute mcr, the company wanted to design a removable chin bar that was compact and user-friendly. To do so, it turned to magnets for its enduro- and trail-focused helmet. met worked with Fidlock, a company that knows helmet buckles, to create the magnetic chin bar release, the “mcr” in the product’s name.
There is a pin on each side of the chin bar. To take the bar off the helmet, you twist each pin, which disengages the magnets on both sides. Then, you can pull the bar away. To put the chin bar back, line up the pins. They’ll click into place. The whole process is simple and pretty quick.
“We ran some contests at events last year, asking people to take out the chin bar and put it back in,” says Ulysse Daessle of met. “The record was less than seven seconds.”
While I haven’t reached those speeds yet, I do like how the chin bar sits. It’s in a Goldilocks position: not too close or too far from my face. The Parachute comes with two sets of cheek pads, so you can find the right fit. After rides in the heat and dust, the pads are easy to take out for cleaning. Both goggles and sunglasses integrate well with the helmet.
Aside from the bar, another protection-enhancing feature is the mips liner inside. In a crash, this liner allows the helmet to slide around a rider’s head, which in turn helps to lessen the effects of rotational forces. met also says the helmet’s flexible visor offers added protection. The company doesn’t have any data on the visor’s efficacy. “However,” Daessle says, “it won’t add to the bounce effect in a crash. Also, it won’t snap and send bits flying off.”
The met Parachute mcr ($ met-helmets.com) is a sharp-looking lid. It sits lightly on your head, which is a plus for long days in the saddle. It’s comfortable, too, whether the chin bar is on or off – whatever you choose for the trail.
“It’s in a Goldilocks position: not too close or too far from my face.”