Helmet Question.

troylee d2, sixsixone strike, or evolution.

I use a Gyro Remedy and THE Carbon helmet and the Gyro outbreathes it by far. That thing has tons of vents and you can't beat the price, especially if its on closeout.

Find one that fits comfortable around the cranium and snug on the cheek bones. If wearing it for anything other then DH look for something with a few more vents so ya do not fry the brain to much.

Cratoni
Giro
Fox
Bell
661
TLD
etc etc etc ...

all make good helmets but they do fit differently so go try 'em on.

Tried the 661 Bravo and found that it was a bit constricting. Even though it fit well, I felt cramped in side because the nose guard was so close. I also found that larger goggles really didn't sit too well. Tried the Remedy. Although it fit well, I didn't get it because I looked like a bobble head with it on. T.H.E. industries 07 carbon series fit me well and is probably the best helmet I've ever tried on. It's easy to clean too.

Make sure it meets ASTM 1952 standards and you should be good to go. Lately I've had my eye on the 661 evolution

remedy pricepoint 89.00

Buy one based on fit. Period. If you can't find one to try, at least try on the same brand of half shell.
I ordered a 661 last year and promptly sold it cause it was just the wrong shape.

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/mtb-apparel-and-protection/helmet/PLS_126crx.aspx

if you dont want to wait for replies...

i just picked up a 661 Flight moto helmet..
was concerned with the weight at first, but after a weekend at Northstar i concluded that it's the most comfortable helmet i've ever tried...

Those new Evolution helmets look super nice too.. lighter than Flights and offer a great deal of protection for your dome and grill. I just prefer the feel and look of the Flight over the Evo, and don't really care about the weight difference.

What kind of riding are you doing? Are you going to wear this for pedal/trail riding or just for DH riding (ie shuttle up, ride down). If you are shuttling, the venting will be less of an issue as you will remove the helmet often, and the speed/wind will cool you off.

If you are using this for longer pedaling events.....go for the vents. I have not tried on the specialized helmet, but there were good reviews when it first came out. IIRC, it also meets the more stringent 'DH mtb' helmet standard, so it should protect as well as any other (and better than most). The deviant is also more similar to a XC helmet as it has the same back-of-head adjuster that you find in XC helmets. Do you have any specialized dealers to try on a Spec Xc helmet as a rough comparison for fit?

THere are not many other 'all mountain' full face helmets available in the US because of liability. Giro used to make one, until people started to use them for 'real impact mtb' and kept breaking the helmets and their faces. The euros still have a few of those type of helmets (really an XC helmet with a chin bar) as they both seem to understand the limits of use, and are not so sue happy as we are here....

as mentioned before, for giro, bell, and specialized, you should be able to find an XC or road helmet to try for fit/shape. Some helmets fit more round and some are more oval or egg shaped....and they tend to cary this fit characteristic across all models....for example you will most likely fit either a bell or giro, but not both (same company, different fit shape)...

I think people go overboard when they say they want a carbon helmet, If you think it will crack you are wrong...its going to be stronger than fibreglass......

Also people go overboard when they thinking about helmets, you want it to absorb asmuchof the forces as possible.....

I had a Carbon probravo smashed it head on.... It looks perfect...... but I got a compression fracture in my vertebrae. (T5).....

I dont think too much about the strength now..... depends on the type of fall, speed etc..I think in certaincircumstances some helmets are better than others....

I would probably go for the specialized deviant its the best ventilated.... the Remedy is wellventialted too....

I use a Spec Deviant here in Singapore(constant 30++ degrees celcius). Vents real good, but like all full face helmets, it does tend to get a little warm once I stop moving. It does stay cooler than the Fox Rampage, the TLD D2 and the Bell Bellistic(these are helmets I have actually worn). The Deviant has XC style clips in the back of the helmet to help dial in the fit(if you're worried about head shape) and it is quite long in the jaw, some people say that helps with the ventilation. Hope that helps.

If you want to get a sense of how the Specialized Deviant fits, see if your local dealer has an Instinct helmet. They use a very similar foam piece, just remember that the Deviant will fit just a little bit tighter because of additional padding (the Instinct only has a traditional brow pad inside)