Bollé Eco React MIPS

Good-looking, planet-friendly urban headwear

THE ECO REACT LOOKS QUITE different to your average urban helmet. The dropped rear has hints of mountain bike trail style about it as well as offering more coverage. The helmet’s design features many more vents than your average city helmet too, with five forwardfacing vents, four more large vents on top and a further four exhaust ports at the rear.

The biggest difference, however, is in the construction. Bollé has tried to reduce the environmental impact of the helmet. The core is now a blend of EPS foam and natural cork, rather than being wholly expanded polystyrene (EPS) as many others are. The shell includes recycled plastic, while the webbing straps include recycled cotton. The removable brow-pad peak is cork and there’s a bamboo-fibre lining.

The fit of the Eco React is generous on my Large test sample and the 387g weight is reasonable for an urban helmet with this level of protection. The MIPS liner’s skeletal shape works with the position of the vents and doesn’t impede the internal channelling, helping the Eco keep your head cool, even on hot summer commutes. The plump pads have a soft feel and are very well positioned, their open structure helping them wick away moisture and dry quickly too.

The fit is easy to adjust thanks to a simple rear cradle with a micro-adjust dial and there are vertical adjustments of a couple of centimetres too. The strap splitters aren’t fixed so you can slide them vertically to fit comfortably around your ears . They anchor into the helmet using click-in alloy pins so you can pop them out and wash them if you wish.

The Eco React MIPS is a superb commuter helmet: it’s good looking, very comfortable and has MIPS for excellent protection. Last but not least, Bollé should be applauded for trying hard to tread lightly on the planet.