So in Guam, helmets are mandatory for bicycle riders but oddly enough, not for motorcycle riders. I have no idea why. Weird right?
So I tried wearing the usually cheapo bike helmets that I use for roller blading and I can tell you it’s not good enough haha. So I bought a “better” mountain bike rated helmet but having been on the trails, which I’m told are the easier ones, I don’t feel that safe with it either. So I decided to get an even better helmet. After much research, I settle for the Giro Switchblade with MIPS. MIPS is some sort of design feature that is supposed to relieve rotational forces on your head in the event of a crash with head contact. Here’s a link to the specs: https://www.giro.com/p/switchblade-mips-full-face-bike-helmet/100000001500000013.html
On paper, this helmet has all three downhill safety ratings as a full face helmet AND as an open face helmet as a result it is really heavy compared to other helmets in this class. My riding buddies advised against this helmet for the following reasons: it’s too heavy, it’s too hot on Guam (it doesn’t look it has enough vents) and I’ll probably not remove the chin bar so it’ll be better off getting a dedicated full face helmet.
Why did I choose this one? Well, I figured that being a convertible helmet would be beneficial since removing the chin bar would be a nifty feature on easier road rides. Whether I take the chin bar off or not is up to me. Plus the prices of other helmets with high safety ratings are in relatively close proximity when it comes to price point. I don’t mind paying a bit more for a helmet with higher/better/more safety ratings. After all, I do value the way my head looks and feels, haha.
Having the helmet in your hands, it feels weighted but I really didn’t have any way to judge the weight even with it on, you can feel it on your head but again didn’t really understand the correlation to biking with it on. On my first ride with the Giro Switchblade on, after 10 minutes on the road, I can feel the strain on my neck. Never happened before with my previous 2 helmets. Thankfully, the discomfort went away when we reached the start of the jungle because I didn't feel or thought about it again whilst riding thru it. So for me, the weight is now a non issue.
Heat on the other hand is a different story. I usually wear a one of those neck gaiter / bandana things under my helmet, mainly to keep my long hair in check and soak up some sweat. Never had an issue feeling too hot. So I did the same thing with the Giro Switchblade. BIG MISTAKE! 30 minutes in I was feeling so hot and light headed. I had to stop and remove the neck gaiter. HUGE difference. After hydrating and resting a bit we continued on. I didn’t have a problem the next hour and a half. You can feel the difference in hotness in the helmet between riding fast on the trails and just idle riding. I chalk this up to good wind design of the helmet? Even idle riding, it’s not too hot, about the same as wearing the neck gaiter as a bandana with my other helmets. So I’m ok with it. A really pleasant surprise is how well this helmet soaks up/diverts sweat away from my eyes I can’t recall having to wipe sweat from my eyes when riding with this helmet. There’s even an extra set of chin padding!
I ordered my helmet, after months of searching and waiting for stock, off Amazon. These helmets are really hard to find in the color scheme I wanted, Potara Red and in a Large size. When I finally found one, I ordered right away. This helmet is in the $260 range but I feel it’s worth it.
The Giro switchblade comes with 2 visors, the regular one which is adjustable and the integrated GoPro mount visor which is non adjustable and set at the highest position. Although it’s easy to swap the visors, just unscrew the bolt on either side of the helmet, I just leave the GoPro mount visor on.
The helmet is also goggle friendly meaning that the goggle can be stored on helmet with the adjustable visor in the highest position. With the GoPro visor the bottom of my goggles (100% Accuri 2) protrudes below the helmet. There is also a "groove" on the back of the helmet to help prevent the band of the goggles from slipping off the helmet.
The chin bar is relatively easy to remove, just press the latches on the back end of the chin bar on either side, lift up and pull away. It’s quite snug so you may have to pull hard. Putting the chin bar back on while the helmet is on can be challenging at first but you’ll get used to it. Just slide it in at an angle and pull down to get it locked in place.
Another reason why I chose the Switchblade is that the main breathing hole has a mesh over it, unlike any of the other helmets I was checking out. Also if you're wondering if the mesh helps in keeping bugs out of your mouth, it doesn't.
Some people may have complaints about the size of the helmet, I don’t think it’s that bad, do you?
I love this helmet and would recommend it to anyone in search of a full face helmet! Oh, I haven't taken off the chin bar yet when riding even on easy rides.
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