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ENTRY-LEVEL TRAIL HELMET
With more coverage than a road or cross-country lid and plenty of ventilation, a trail helmet is a good option for all-round riding. Spend less than £50 and you can expect a simple plastic outer shell to ward off knocks and scrapes, glued into an expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner, designed to crush upon impact to absorb some of the crash force. Up your budget slightly, and it can pay dividends in terms of additional safety features. For £70, Specialized’s Camber helmet comes with MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) slip-plane tech, is compatible with their ANGi crash sensor – which alerts emergency contacts in the event of a fall – and has a co-moulded shell and liner. Other things to look for include a good range of sizes (here, five), an easily-adjustable fit and decent airflow. A trail lid shouldn’t be overly heavy; the Camber weighs 370g (medium).
MID-RANGE TRAIL/ENDURO HELMET
Pay more for a helmet and you should expect improved comfort and extra safety tech. The Specialized Tactic 4 meets the more stringent NTA-8776 e-bike standard, as well as being CPSC-certified like the Camber. It drops slightly lower at the rear, to better protect the back of your head when riding faster, enduro-style tracks and tackling more technical terrain. You also get an upgrade to the more refined MIPS Evolve system, which again helps shield your head from rotational forces caused by angled impacts, while retaining the same ANGi compatibility and stronger and more durable inmould construction. Specialized provide their more sophisticated Integrated Fit System, which lets you tune the angle as well as the circumference of the helmet, for a better fit. You also get eyewear channels for stowing your glasses, plus optimised internal airflow.
TOP-END TRAIL/ENDURO HELMET
A premium lid like the Specialized Ambush 2 takes things to the next level – in this case, with sleeker styling, even deeper rear coverage and yet more protective tech, in the form of a dual-density EPS foam liner and the latest MIPS SL system. Here, the ‘Low Friction Layer’ that allows the helmet to rotate independently of your head is integrated with the padding and has an exclusive-to-Specialized perforated backing to reduce sweat build-up. Again, the lid is NTA-certified and ANGi-compatible, boasts great airflow – with Specialized’s ‘4D brow cooling’, also found on the Tactic, drawing air through a network of internal channels, regardless of how fast you’re riding – and has built-in glasses storage, this time with hidden rubber flaps for a rattle-free fit. Despite the extra protection, it weighs even less on your head, with the medium size tipping the scales at 360g.
FULL-FACE ENDURO HELMET
If you want even more coverage, particularly for your face, a helmet with a chin bar is the way to go. Downhill full-faces offer the most protection, but are often heavy and minimally vented, so for anything other than DH racing and bike-park runs, a lighter, cooler enduro full-face is a good choice – especially one that boasts full ASTM DH certification, like the Specialized Gambit. A carbon fibre shell pushes up the price but keeps weight to a remarkably low 640g (medium) and helps ward off impacts, in combination with a polycarbonate backing and multi-density foam. You get the same Integrated Fit System and air channeling as on the Tactic and Ambush, plus swappable and adjustable cheek pads to get things feeling snug and secure. The MIPS SL tech and ANGi mount also carry over, while the peak is designed to break away in the event of a crash.