Mountain Bike Rider — March 2018

MARCH 2018mbr 81

GIRO CHRONICLE MIPS

£99.99

SPECIFICATIONWeight: 364g • Sizes: S, M, L • Contact: zyrofisher.co.uk

The Chronicle is Giro’s mid-tier trail
helmet with deep, wrap-around
coverage and styling that takes its cue
fromthebrand’sflagshipMontarolid.
Afewdesignchangeskeepthe
price more affordable; one being how
it’s not fully wrapped in hardshell, so
the polystyrene is exposed around the
undersideoftherim.Therearesmaller
exhaustventsintheoutershelland
differentpadsinsidecomparedtothe
Montaro too.
In extended use, however, we’ve
foundtheCoolmaxpadsherelast
longer than the X-Static versions, that
peel apart too easily over time, in Giro’s
more expensive helmets. The super-
comfy antimicrobial padding can absorb
10 times its weight in moisture before
wettingoutanddriesquicklytoo,so
handles sweat build-up well.
TheChronicle’sinternalshapeisa
deep cavity that really cradles the head,
soitfeelssolidandplantedevenbefore
youfastenthechinstrap.It’sacinchto
tightentherearRocLoc5dialone-
handedandtheintuitivewayGiro’s
retention system works to change tilt

angle and hold feels perfectly refined,

huggingtheedgesofyourheadfirmly

but gently.

Whetherit’stheadditionofthe

MIPSlinerorthesmallervents,

onesignificantissueisthatthis

helmet runs really hot. The

forehead area is reasonably

drafty when riding, but the

interior really builds up heat

during extended efforts and

isn’t the best at getting rid

of it either.

The fit-like-a-glove

Chronicle is defi nitely

one of the

comfiestlidshere,butfor£100,we’d

liketoseeafullywrappedshellthat

better resists dings and knocks, and it’s

alsoabittoastyifyou’rearider that

overheats easily.

KALI INTERCEPTOR

£149.99

SPECIFICATIONWeight: 384g • Sizes: S/M, L/XL • Contact: kaliprotectives.com

Californian firm Kali has earned

areputationasoneofthemost

innovative, protection-focused

brands in cycling helmets. Its

new Interceptor doesn’t disappoint

onthisfront,comingwithaslewof

unique safety features, most

notably the rubberised,

sucker-like buttons under

thepadsthatcandeform

and twist in an impact.

This‘LowDensityLayer’can

potentially reduce rotational

forces on the brain by 25

percent,butitisn’tKali’s

only proprietary tech.

There’s also a Nano

Core liner, with a

multi-density

lay-up using

sophisticated pyramidal foam layering,

which collapses to better absorb blunt

impact energy. Thankfully, we didn’t get

to test out any of these features, but it’s

clear Kali takes safety very seriously.

The Interceptor has quite an angular

profile with sharp lines around the

exhaustportsandcinchestightly

withaproperwireBoafastener—the

dial’s action is sturdy and the lid feels

reassuringly locked down when tight.

Theinteriorshapeisabitshallow

andskinnythough,andthehelmetis

noticeable against the head in a few

places,ratherthanfloatingwithall-over

support, meaning it wasn’t one of the

mostcomfortableontest.It’salsoatthe

heavierendoftheweightspectrum.

Kali’s focus on safety is obvious, but

the rubberised LDL suckers can be felt

afractiononthescalpeventhroughthe

innerpads,sowe’dpreferabitmore

comfort or denser cushioning. The

Interceptor is not the best ventilated

around the forehead area either, and

alsohasatwo-positionvisorthatrattles

on rougher trails, which doesn’t affect

function, but can get irritating.