The Cyclist has been testing some samples of a new helmet from Specialized: The Vice.

"This high performance helmet is designed for the All Mountain athlete looking for optimized coverage. Featuring massive wind tunnel tested vents and our new dial-operated HeadSet SL fit system, Vice is our most technologically advanced mountain helmet available."

 

Let us begin with Grannygear's comments:

Well, neither one of us Editors are all mountain riders, but I was intrigued by two things on the helmet:  The Headset SL fit system and the increased coverage the Vice offers compared to other helmets I had owned.  I was wary of getting a heavy helmet, but I was willing to trade off some weight for a secure fit and more protection for the noggin. 

Pulling the Vice out of the box, it looked big and bulky and felt heavy, but on the grams scale, it was only 40 grams more than the Giro Gila helmet I had been wearing for the past few years.  It had a very solid feeling to the shell and overall construction, even extending to the fit of the visor to the point of screwing the visor to the helmet.  The coverage does come down pretty far around the head, riding low on the forehead and over the back of the cranium.

There are a lot of vents in this thing, even under the visor. I really have come to appreciate the Headset SL adjustment system  It will grab ya and it is easy to adjust, even with a winter glove on.  Very secure.  I did have to abandon some sweatbands I was using as they were kinda' thick cotton and had a tie in back (old Bula Wear stuff...tie dye, ya know).  A more modern lycra stretch  sweat band fit fine as did a Pearl Izumi stretch head cap.  The easy adjusting Headset SL system allows for quick adjustments for sizing the helmet up or down for extra layers.  Actually, the front section of the adjusting band is a pretty effective sweat band all on its own.  So far I have come to enjoy the extra coverage, the fit is bomber for me, and although we are past really hot weather for the rest of this year, it sure looks to be vented well.  I also am reminded of how solid the helmet feels everytime I handle it, not at all beer cooler foam.  I like it.  For more images from Grannygear and the Vice helmet, click here.

Guitar Ted's Comments:   The helmet has a full coverage in-molded shell which I thought was a nice touch. Mountain bike helmets get shoved into hydration pack pockets, pick up truck beds, and gear bags. Exposed EVA foam doesn’t do too well in these environs. The full coverage shell helps keep the helmet intact and good looking through all of your juggling of gear to and from the trail and events. The bolted on visor gave me flashbacks to my old Troy Lee/Shoei mountain bike helmet. I never had an issue with the hardware, but I suppose it seems like a bit of overkill when some other systems may have sufficed and been lighter weight to boot. That said, it lends a certain air to the helmet. With that visor and those bolts, you know it isn’t a road bike helmet. Perhaps a bit of Frankenstein-like “bolt-thru-the-neck” looking though! The adjustment system is by far and away the feature that I was most impressed with here though. Specialized calls it the “Headset SL”, but I call it an adjustment system that finally works and works well. No more fidgeting with fussy plastic dials or funky squeeze buttons. The audible clicks are nice. Not necessary, but it all fits into the “mechanical” nature of  this helmet.

The theme carries over to the Specialized “hood scoop” vent that has traditionally been part of their design for helmets for years. (Some have called it a “fish mouth vent”) The venting system is a good one, however, and I felt good airflow over my noggin at all speeds. High points here for the decidedly non-roadie look while keeping the airflow road helmets have.

Finally, I am impressed with the coverage that comes down more on the back side of the head. I feel it is an important place to have protected while mountain biking. Overall, the design seems burly enough for any mountain biking short of  the “body armor” type stuff and should keep racers and trail riders heads protected and cool. The retention system and especially the adjustment system is top notch. Fit on helmets is a personal thing, but I found that the Vice fit my head very well.  The Vice is available now and the MSRP is approximately $110.00.