IXS Trigger FF helmet test: Lightweight full-face helmet for the bike park and long enduro days
Florentin Vesenbeckh
· 24.03.2024
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With the Trigger FF, IXS Mips wants to make downhill-loving bikers a moral offer. More protection, without any disadvantages. Can this work? Until now, bikers only had two options: Either a light, airy helmet, the classic "half-shell". Or a thick, heavy and stuffy full-face helmet with a massive chin bar, the classic full-face. However, downhill-orientated bikers who want a little more protection on the trail now have several options. The trend is for Jet helmetswhich are pulled far down at the back of the head and sideways over the ears. They are designed to cover the peripheral areas better and not slip so easily on impact.
As an alternative, the industry has also been working on classic full-face helmets with a chin bar. With a lower weight and better ventilation, products such as the IXS Trigger FF should be significantly more comfortable and therefore also score points away from the bike park or downhill race track. The Trigger FF Mips impresses with its particularly low weight. It weighs just 660 grams in size ML. Only around 250 grams more than an average trail half shell. This means that IXS has one of the lightest helmets of its kind in its portfolio. Similarly light, for example, is the Specialised Gambitwhich, however, is a little more expensive and does not sit quite as firmly on the head.
The facts about the IXS Trigger FF Mips
- Price: 279 Euro >> at Maciag Offroad or Boc24 available
- Weight: 660 grams (size ML, weighed in the BIKE lab)
- Nine colours to choose from
- Three sizes: XS / SM / ML
- Adjustable visor (three levels) with goggle car park
- Magnetic fastener
- Mips rotation system
- Rotary wheel for fine adjustment
- ASTM-certified chin guard
The application range of the IXS Trigger FF
How much protection and safety bikers need or want on the trail is completely individual. Of course, for a day in the bike park with lift operation, nothing beats a thick full face. Maximum protection for carefree riding and jumping fun. And in the lift or gondola, your head and rider can get some fresh air and recover from the heavy equipment. But with modern enduro bikes or e-MTBs, riders are increasingly pedalling their own way up the toughest trails. And this is exactly where the Trigger FF is ideal. It offers significantly more protection than a half-shell or jet helmet, but doesn't leave you with a stiff neck or a burning head after the first 30 minutes. And even in pure bike park use, the lightweight helmets have advantages. This is because the lower weight relieves the neck muscles.
The Trigger FF has been certified in accordance with the ASTM F1952-15 test standard. This means that the chin guard has also been tested and meets the safety standards for full-face helmets. This is not the case with all helmets, especially if the chin guard is removable. However, the lightweight Trigger is unlikely to offer quite the massive protection of a thick downhill helmet. But full-face helmets in this category also weigh well over a kilo. In addition to the better buffer in the event of hard impacts, the larger protective surface (back of the head, temples, chin) is a huge advantage over classic bike helmets. The risk of the helmet slipping on impact is also significantly lower.
How to ride the IXS Trigger FF
Compared to a massive downhill helmet, the Trigger FF weighs almost half as much. This is clearly noticeable when riding. It doesn't feel uncomfortably heavier than a half-shell. The ventilation is also really good. Thanks to the padding on the cheeks, the Trigger sits snugly on the head and provides good support and a subjectively high feeling of safety. The Specialised Gambit, for example, dispenses with the padding on the cheeks. This makes it even more airy. However, the fit of the Trigger is significantly better. On sweaty climbs, it gets warmer under the full-face helmet than with a half-shell. Absolutely clear. But by full-face standards, the head remains surprisingly cool and pleasantly ventilated. One small drawback that even the airiest full-face helmet can't avoid: The chin bar blocks the way for the water bottle to reach the mouth.
Conclusion on the IXS Trigger FF Mips
I learnt to love the Trigger FF during our E-MTB tests. We do a lot of downhill metres on hard trails with the downhill-heavy e-bikes. In bike parks or at enduro spots like Finale Ligure. Downhill we really get down to business, but on the uphill we are not on the lift or shuttle, but pedalling on the e-bikes. The lightweight Trigger FF is perfect for this combination. For me, it offers a great compromise between comfort and protection. - Florentin Vesenbeckh, Test Manager at EMTB Magazine
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
