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MET Para-chute
mountain bike helmet £95. Five stars because nothing else so light
and wearable will save your face.
What
is it for?
I
was just sprinting towards the end of the MBR route at Coed-y-Brenin
when suddenly I was airborne and heading head first into the ground at
about 25mph. I can remember clearly as my face got closer and closer to
the stony ground and just before my chin impacted, I bounced. My right
arm had got trapped under my chest and hit first ' which was lucky as I
almost lost most of my lower jaw. I broke a finger on my left hand
(must have got snapped by the brake lever as the bars flipped round)
and came away with some major bruising and a bike in need of a new tyre
and tube. I'd managed to hit a rock straight on, in the adrenaline rush
of the final section (trying to keep the lap time down), I'd ploughed
straight into a rock rather than going round it! Amazingly the wheel
(Spinergy) and forks (Cannondale Headshok) were fine.
So
you want to keep your teeth?
This
is when I realised I needed a helmet with a chin guard. A broken arm or
finger is an inconvenience ' a few weeks in plaster and it's fixed. But
loosing your teeth is pretty serious ' you're in and out of dentists
for the rest of your life. So I was looking for a light weight helmet
for XC racing which would save my teeth if I ever flew off into the
ground face first. As far as I could see, the only option was the MET
Para-chute, so I bought one. (Giro no longer make the very good
Switchblade, Ed.)
They
say
' MET In-moulding construction - the best helmet shell manufacturing
process available, makes the shell slimmer and lighter while increasing
resistance.
' Removable chin guard - two helmets in one.
' Safe-T evolution - the very latest development of MET's unmatched retention system.
' Removable peak includes air-channel - keeps sun, mud and branches
away from your eyes. Channels more air towards the front vents.
' Double front pad - transports moisture away from the skin keeping you drier and happier.
' Reflective sticker at the rear - makes you more visible in the traffic at night or inside tunnels.
' Lockable side straps divider - unlock it, adjust the straps the way you
want, lock it back, simple.
' 23 vents
' 480g
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Is it any good?
Well I've been using it for 6 months and I'm quite happy with it. The
fit is fine (it is very adjustable), it's quite cool, you can still use
a Camelback whilst riding and even eat energy bars on the go. The
padding is a bit poor, it moves around and is not as soft as a
Specialized helmet, but its not uncomfortable ' more irritating. If you
wear glasses, you will have to take them off before putting the helmet
on which is a slight inconvenience.
Is it any good?
On the first few rides I used to take the chin bar off (4 screws and 2
minutes effort) for flatter rides, but now I rarely bother and just
leave it on, after all the whole point is that you don't know when
you're going to crash ' so what's the point in taking it off for some
rides and not for others? Fortunately I've not tested its strength yet
(and have no plans to do so intentionally), so I can't report on that
aspect.
What does it cost?
List price is £100, but you should be able to find it on offer at £90-£95 somewhere on line.
Would I recommend it?
Yes ' if you're buying a new helmet and like going fast ' this is the
best insurance policy you can take out on your good looks!
Where can I buy
one?
Wiggle
Manufacturers
Website
Met-Helmets.com
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whole
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