PICTURES BY ROB MITCHELL
There are few things that can identify someone as a mountain biker as opposed to a run-of-the-mill cyclist; shorn of the obvious signifier (a mountain bike, duh) the two most obvious cues are baggy shorts, and the helmet. If we’re being honest, it’s the peak more than anything, but being mountain bikers, the type of helmet we choose also says a lot about the sub-clique we cleave to.
Calling something a trail helmet is a pretty broad umbrella term – essentially you could be referring to something which is a pure cross-country lid, or something that goes the full enduro. But full enduro is almost a full-face lid, and essentially a cross-country helmet is pretty much a road lid with a lolly stick for a peak. So for the purposes of this test, I’ve just chosen to define it as a helmet you’d ride trails on. Not a full-face helmet, and not – necessarily – something that you’d use with goggles (seriously, does anyone ride regular trails with goggles anyhow, unless they’re racing?). But I’ve chosen helmets which perhaps have some of the features of the enduro – coverage as a priority over light weight, for example. More of an emphasis on protection over venting. But these helmets all have to be comfortable to ride in all day, rain or shine, fair weather or foul. And there’s plenty to choose from…