Giro Montaro MIPS Helmet, Unisex

Product Information

Overall, the ventilation is good, but not great. Helmets such as the Fox Speedframe, Troy Lee Designs A2, or the 100% Altec do have better ventilation systems, but it still beats the Troy Lee Designs A1 out of the park! I personally didn’t find the limited ventilation much of a problem (and I have a fair bit of hair!) so it is up to personal preference, or where you ride for this one. How it Looks

Originally introduced in 2016, the Giro Montaro all-mountain helmet has continued to evolve over the years. Photo Editor Peter Moynes gets his head around the latest iteration called the Montaro Mips II helmet. The Chronicle stands out in the open-face helmet market for having extended coverage around the rear of the head. Design and Construction Comparison Agreed. You're seeing the top end companies... like Bell/Giro/Kali/6D releasing their data points. So it's going in the right direction. I think you'll start to see more of the industry start to adapt this over time until it's made in to a standard. This technology is still in it's infancy and so is the testing. I think another thing you'll see is publications taking multiple helmets to an independent lab and doing their own testing so those results... even if slightly different from the manufacturer results... are all on an even playing field against one another. I think that's what you'll start to see more of. The fitting system of both helmets is REALLY good when considering the Giro Montaro vs Giro Source. The Montaro uses the slightly higher spec model of Giro’s Roc Loc system, called the Roc Loc 5 Air. This differs from the Source’s Roc Loc 5 as it keeps the shell of the helmet slightly away from the fitting system. This is done to allow air to flow over the top of the rider’s head and give a bit more flexibility in sizing as there is room to move between the retention system and the shell.

The helmet is also equipped with MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System), a thin plastic liner that sits between a rider's head and the inner portion of the helmet. In the event of a crash, the liner is designed to allow the helmet to slide along it, a movement that's claimed to reduce the amount of rotational energy that reaches the brain. As far as the actual construction of the Montaro goes, a polycarbonate, in-mold shell is formed around an EPS liner with Giro's Roll-Cage reinforcement, an internal skeleton that's used to add extra strength to the finished product. The fitting system also allows you to adjust the ’tilt’ of the helmet (up and down your forehead effectively), so how the helmet sits on your head is entirely up to you! Safety Review While the Montaro is highly regarded for its protection, it doesn't provide the same level of coverage as the "full cut" Giro Tyrant or Fox Dropframe. We also found that the Montaro's less-expensive sibling, the Chronicle provides a bit more coverage at a lower price, though it doesn't include the same molded roll cage technology. The Montaro scored equally in this metric to other helmets with similar levels of head coverage and protective features like the Smith Session, Oakley DRT5, and Bell 4Forty MIPS. Comfort The Montaro features MIPS technology. MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System, which is a slip plane between your head the helmet. The MIPS liner significantly reduces the possibility of brain damage to the rider in a crash.

If you are after a top tier trail helmet that is not only safe and durable but also comfortable to wear, both the Giro Montaro and Giro Source will exceed your expectations.

Snapshot: Giro Montaro Mips II Mountain Bike Helmet

In terms of safety features, the helmets are reasonably similar. They both have MIPS, EPS foam and the foam is wrapped in a polycarbonate shell. Let’s start with the general layout here. Visually, the Montaro MIPS II is all but identical to the original Montaro. The hole pattern is the same. The visor design is the same. The strap placement is the same. Even the logo placement is the same. And the color ways are eerily similar too. Looking at the outside of the Montaro MIPS II, I couldn’t differentiate it from the original Montaro MIPS if it didn’t have “Montaro II” printed on the side in small font. After the accident I realized how important it is to get the right helmet. I tried on every helmet I could and got the one that fit best which for me was the poc trabec race. I really wanted a full face but it just can't work for my xc style riding. I took my family to the same stores for an excruciating full afternoon of helmet fitting. Kids and wife all ended up strongly preferring the TLD (which was too small for me so not a candidate.)

In all, you can tell this is a high-quality helmet. From the extensive protection technologies to the durable design, everything on the helmet is well finished.

Testers found the Montaro to be a relatively comfortable helmet. Again, it scored well in this metric but was bested by several other competitors. Its comfort starts with its fit, and Giro seems to know how to shape a helmet after all these years. It's offered in four sizes, Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large, to fit a huge range of head sizes. Assuming you get the correct size, the width and length seem pretty average and should please a huge range of head shapes. The visor on the Montaro is a little longer than your standard helmet visor. This comes in use when you are descending in open areas, and the sun is low. It is also quite useful if you are hitting trails in dense bush and need the visor to protect your eyes.

While the Montaro is technically better (it is a higher spec model after all), I prefer the fit and feel of the Giro Source. I don’t tend to ride with goggles or a camera/light, so the additional features are a bit unnecessary for me. However, these are super handy features if you do ride with goggles or a camera!

Our Verdict

In-Mold Construction fuses a tough polycarbonate outer shell with the helmet's impact-absorbing foam liner. The fusion process allows for better ventilation systems, making in-mold helmets lighter and cooler than traditional helmets. Who’ Shouldn’t Buy: If you ride a couple of times a year, and prefer the rails to trails, you likely don’t need the Mips technology, or the amount of thought and design that has gone into this helmet. The Chronicle was designed as a mid-tier helmet that has all the basic features you need. The design is simple and doesn’t have anything fancy like a camera mount or goggle grippers on the rear of the helmet. However, it does have MIPS, an adjustable visor and very comfortable padding.