Team Tested: POC Trabec Race MIPS
POC have always been up there with the best of them when it comes to quality and managing to retain their own unique style! With the new Trabec helmet nothing has changed, and this definitely isn’t a ‘run of the mill’ lid, especially this version, being the Race MIPS model.
Different colours are available, dependent on which model you have in the range, There’s the Trabec, the Trabec Race and the top end Race MIPS version, which comes in blue/white, black/white and white/black (as featured here). So first of all, what set’s this model apart form the other models? Well the MIPS version has what they call ‘anti-rotational technology’. This basically means the inner plastic cage that the pads attach to, fiting snugly around your head, sports a kind of pivot system. It’s not fixed and has a small degree of rotation, supposedly decreasing the amount of sudden impact on the brain, in the case of a big hit. If you grab the inner shell with your hand you can move it forwards and backwards, but this really isn’t noticeable when wearing the helmet
Having what can only be described as a shallow head shape, I always struggle to find a helmet with enough adjustment to allow for goggles, so they don’t feel like they are constantly pushing up on the helmet or the helmet pushing them down, the same with glasses too. But the adjustment on the inner shell of this Trebec is superb, allowing 3 separate positions for different depth heads. After running the Troy Lee A1 for some time, I really didn’t think another trail helmet could come close in terms of comfort, but this really does match that fit, with a great all-round secure feeling.
The inner pad, is all one piece and easily removable for washing, a real gripe of mine is when manufactures fit lots of small pads, so when they are washed some can get lost in the process. Ventilation is spot-on with 14 good-sized vent holes keeping that air flowing freely on a warm day. The visor too, has been well thought out, in that it is not held on by screws (which can tend to come undone or even fall out), but instead is clipped in and stays in, simple! The Race version comes in at 155GBP, whereas this MIPS version comes in at 195GBP. The weight of the MIPS version is 340 grams. The only things on this helmet I can criticize would be the price, it is a tad steep and a white chinstrap is a real bitch to keep clean, but other than that it is real quality.
More Information: www.pocsports.com
Words: Jim Buchanan, Photos: Doc Ward
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