Other features include lightweight webbing with low-profile tai-glides to keep the straps neatly tucked against the side of your head, eyewear grippers to help secure sunglasses that are stashed into the forward vents, and antimicrobial padding. According to Giro, this double-layer design is better at absorbing impact energy from a wider range of crash severities than any single-density design. That MIPS liner is molded as a single piece with the Roc Loc Air retention system to improve fit quality and airflow.Īdditionally, Giro builds each Vanquish MIPS helmet with a dual-layer EPS foam liner, with a softer-density foam next to the head and a harder, more durable foam further out near the four-piece polycarbonate shell. As the name suggests, a low-friction MIPS liner is included as standard equipment, with the claimed benefit of reducing rotational forces transmitted to the brain - and, thus, the chances of a traumatic brain injury - during an impact. Riders these days are paying more attention to safety than ever before, and it’s refreshing to see that Giro hasn’t merely glossed over that aspect in developing the Vanquish MIPS. Optical quality on the Zeiss-designed lens is superb. The shield attaches with embedded magnets. Of course, the helmet works perfectly well with standard sunglasses, too. However, what is surprising is that ventilation performance supposedly is better with the shield installed, too. Not surprisingly, Giro says that wearing the shield marginally improves the Vanquish MIPS’ aerodynamic performance. The so-called Vivid Optics tint - developed for Giro by Zeiss - filters out “bad” wavelengths of blue light to enhance contrast and color definition. Like the Air Attack, the Vanquish MIPS also incorporates an integrated shield, which conveniently attaches via an array of embedded magnets (and can be stored up and out of the way by a second set of hidden magnets). Deep internal channeling helps guide incoming air across the rider’s head before exiting out the back through six exhaust ports.įour generously sized indentations are also positioned on the underside of the front of the helmet - in between the expanded polystyrene liner and your forehead - to help bring in more cooling air, especially around the browpad to help prevent sweat from dripping down into your face. Whereas the old Air Attack had just a couple of small slits in the front of the helmet, the Vanquish MIPS not only doubles that number, but increases the size of the vents, too. Perhaps more importantly from an everyday-use standpoint, Giro also claims that the Vanquish MIPS handily beats the Evade, Manta, Ballista, and Air Attack in terms of cooling efficiency, trailing the Synthe MIPS by just a hair in the company’s in-house testing. According to Giro, the small step that runs across the width of the helmet makes the helmet behave like a much longer helmet in the wind tunnel. The back of the Vanquish MIPS is sharply squared off.
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GIRO AIRATTACK ROAD HELMET BLUE TRIAL
In terms of wind tunnel testing, Giro claims the Vanquish MIPS is not only more aerodynamically efficient than both the old Air Attack and the Synthe MIPS - to the tune of 5-10 seconds and 18-20 seconds, respectively, over a 40km-long time trial - but Specialized’s ultra-slippery S-Works Evade, the MET Manta, and the Bontrager Ballista as well. What Giro says sets the Vanquish MIPS apart, however, is its “aerodynamic cliff”: a small step that runs across the width of the helmet, and supposedly tricks flowing air into thinking the helmet is nearly as long as a full-blown time trial lid (but without the need to maintain a perfect head position to retain that aerodynamic performance). The new Vanquish MIPS shares a number of characteristics with other aero road helmets, in particular a mostly smooth exterior, a close-fitting and highly tapered profile, and a short, squared-off tail. The BMC Racing Team has been using the Vanquish MIPS for much of this season already, and CyclingTips US technical editor James Huang can now give his firsthand impressions of Giro’s latest creation, too.
![giro airattack road helmet blue giro airattack road helmet blue](http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/3/7/6/5/2/5/webimg/667699754_o.jpg)
With more powerful development tools now in hand, Giro is addressing the shortcomings of the Air Attack with an even more aerodynamic - and far better ventilated - model called the Vanquish MIPS. The smooth exterior, close-cut tail, and nearly vent-free design was unquestionably polarizing back then, but five years later, it doesn’t look nearly as odd amidst the growing sea of similar aero-inspired lids. Giro kickstarted the aero road helmet movement when it resurrected the Air Attack moniker in 2012.