The requirements for a helmet are supposedly quite simple: it should provide good protection, look good and not get in the way of your head. However, only very few candidates manage this balancing act. Especially as good protection is relative. All helmets have to fulfil the standard helmet norm (DIN 1078). However, as our latest test of a whopping 19 trail helmets shows, the residual risk of serious injury can vary greatly. Especially when the rotational loads that are so dangerous for the brain are involved.
For years, helmet manufacturers have therefore been focussing on additional safety features, of which the Mips system in particular has proven its worth. The disadvantage: more weight and slightly less comfort. The latest Mips generation, which has already convinced us in the laboratory and which Giant is now also using in the completely new Rail top bike helmet, shows that this doesn't have to be the case. By the way: The Giant trail helmet is also available in a cheaper version, called Roost, for 119.90 euros instead of 169.90 euros. But then with a classic Mips, less complex construction and without Fidlock.
Giant Rail Mips: The facts
- Price: 169,90 Euro
- Weight: 359 grams (size M, BIKE measurement)
- Sizes: S (51-55 cm), M (55-59 cm), L (59-63 cm)
- Extras/spare parts: Mips Air Node, Fidlock magnetic lock, 3-way height-adjustable visor, 4-way height-adjustable neck closure
For 170 euros, the Rail Mips is clearly the technology carrier in the Giant portfolio. Thanks to the Mips Air Node, three separate helmet shells and different density foams, the Rail Mips is supposed to be particularly safe and yet light at the same time. At just under 360 grams, the Rail is in the top half of our last trail test field, despite its low-slung shape and several features. 21 ventilation openings ensure good cooling, and thanks to the rounded shell and the good adjustability of the neck support, the Rail could actually cut a fine figure on many heads. It's a bit of a shame that there is no predefined parking space for goggles, but the central helmet area above the forehead offers a deliberately smooth surface for mounting a helmet camera or light.
How to wear the Giant Rail Mips
Despite its rather round shape, the Rail Mips sits very well on my somewhat elongated head right from the start. Only the factory-set low neck support was a little annoying at first, but the large adjustment range remedies this. The straps, on the other hand, fit straight away and the headband is quickly adjusted to the correct length using the easily accessible ratchet fastener at the rear. The Fidlock fastener snaps casually as usual.
Compared to the classic Mips with the yellow shell, the Air Node system in the Giant bike helmet is much more comfortable to wear and is completely unnoticeable; even on long tours, the rail does not cause any unpleasant pressure points. For a trail and enduro helmet, the cooling is particularly impressive: This is where the Giant Rail Mips scores particularly highly with its prominent ventilation openings above the forehead and its overall airy chassis. With a look that is not too extreme, the Rail Mips is also suitable for trail and touring bikers.
Strengths:
- Comfortable fit
- High wearing comfort, well ventilated
- Fidlock, Mips
Weaknesses
- No goggle garage or rubber coating for goggle fans
BIKE conclusion on the Giant Rail Mips
The low-slung yet airy Rail Mips makes a very good first impression. Not a bargain, but comfortable to wear and extensively adjustable. The construction with three separate foam shells and the Mips system are state-of-the-art and promise good values in the next lab test.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
