GIRO SOURCE MIPS HELMET

£129.99

SPECIFICATION Weight: 347g • Eight colours • Sizes: S, M, L, XL • Contact: giro.co.uk

I’m having déjà vu – I’m currently also testing Giro’s Xnetic full-finger glove and it turns out it’s identical to the men’s glove, which isn’t a bad thing because it’s really good.

This month I’m testing another product from Giro, the women-specific Source helmet and yes you guessed it, it’s the same size, same colours, same weight, price and has all the same features as the men’s version. The only difference as far as I can tell is a ‘Women’s Series’ tag on the back.

So, do you think women have different heads to men? Some women have small heads but so do some men. Some women have long hair and put it into a ponytail when they go riding, but so do some men (don’t they Alan). You don’t get a discount being a woman (I wish) and it has all the same features for the money, including the Roc Loc 5 retention device, MIPS liner and Coolfit Ionic+ padding. The visor has the same indexed adjustment, because we get the sun in our eyes the same as men, and I also like to park my goggles under the visor in exactly the same way. The shell extends down over the temples and at the back and I appreciate the extra coverage, but there’s not any more of it for men.

There’s no difference whatsoever, then, but if we put all that to one side for a moment, do I think this is a good helmet? Yes, I think it’s an excellent helmet. It fits really well, it’s comfortable and I can adjust the retention device easily when I’m riding. The venting is very good and when I wear goggles the strap sits securely on the back. The MIPS doesn’t impact on the sizing and it moves easily, so I’m assuming it’ll do its job if I end up hitting the deck. My only criticism is that the buckle on the chin strap is a bit small and flimsy compared to Giro’s highend Montaro II lid, so I find it hard to release.

I’ve tested a lot of women’s gear and some of it has been amazing, but not because it had any ‘women-specific’ features that appealed to me; it was just very good design. The only products I really think need to be ‘women’s