Protecting your head is vital in the rough and tumble world of mountain biking, where crashes can be an all-too frequent an occurrence. That’s why getting the best mountain bike helmet possible is hugely important to staying safe and comfortable, however you ride.
We’ve rounded up our pick of the best trail helmets currently on sale, plus our advice on what to look for when you’re buying a new lid.
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So what do I need to look for?
The best mountain bike trail helmets manage to balance the often-competing needs of protection, ventilation, comfort and weight.
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Coverage and protection
Helped by the rise in popularity of enduro racing, many open-face lids now offer greater coverage around the back of the head and around the temples than cross-country or road style helmets, helping boost protection. Unless you care about every single gram or really want ultimate cooling, that makes them a sensible bet for most riders.
Most bicycle helmets use some form of expanded polystyrene or ‘EPS’ foam to provide cushioning in the event of an impact, often formed around a core of other, tougher material. The foam crushes when it’s struck, spreading and delaying the force of the impact being transmitted to the wearer, hopefully to a level that will prevent any injury.
While the impact resistance of helmets is covered by a number of test standards to ensure they perform when they’re needed, manufacturers have been introducing extra technology to try and improve on this. One such technology is MIPS (that's multi-directional impact protection system), which uses a floating plastic liner in between your head and the shell of the helmet that reduces the amount of rotational force that is transmitted to your brain during a crash. Rotational force is responsible for a large number of injuries through brain damage, so while it's more expensive (and that's reflected in retail prices), many manufacturers now incorporate MIPS into their helmets.
Ventilation
Comfort
Weight
Anything else I might need to know?
Best mountain bike helmets 2016
Best overall: Giant Rail
Best for extra protection: Scott Stego MIPS
Best for coverage and cooling: Specialized Ambush
Best for riders on a budget: Scott Watu
Best for women: Bontrager Quantum WSD
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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