Top-quality helmet with a high level of protection and a ton of trail-friendly features

Product Overview

Overall rating:

Score 9

Giro Montaro helmet

Pros:

  • Superb quality and design. A classic trail-riding helmet

Cons:

  • Pads can split and get lost in the wash

Product:

Giro Montaro helmet review

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:

£149.99

We tested the £100 Chronicle previously in last year’s helmet test but the Giro Montaro is the next level up in the brand’s mountain bike range.

Read more: Buyer’s guide to the best mountain bike helmets

Apart from a new lemon colour, the Montaro remains unchanged from the helmet we tested twelve months ago. It’s fully in-moulded, with the EPS foam and micro-shell forming a solid structure. Embeded in the foam is a Roll Cage, a sort of nylon reinforced spider’s web. The Montaro is also bottom wrapped, which means the shell extends under the lower edge to stop wear and tear. Like most new trail helmets, the Montaro gets a MIPS liner, which seems a little bit more moveable than some that use the system – we don’t know if this makes it more effective or not – but it feels more comfortable. It does impact on the sizing though and the medium does come up a little sung – we’d definitely try this for size before parting with your hard-earned.

Giro pioneered the whole goggle parking thing and the peak on the Montaro is full compatible with three positions, although it’s pretty stiff, so it’s really easy to set it at a wonk. The helmet even gets some extra tacky rubber around the inside of the rear vents to help hold the strap in place.

In terms of quality, the Montaro is up there with the very best but we still have some concerns with the three-piece X-static pads. They’re anti-microbial, so stop odour build up, but they tend to go walkabout when you wash them (we’d rather see a larger single pad) and they also don’t last, we’ve had many where the seams have split apart.

Details

Weight:391g
Sizes:S, M, L, XL
Contact:zyrofisher.co.uk