Aimed at DH shredders and enduro riders, the Giro Insurgent Spherical full face helmet is the latest full-noise lid from the American outfit.
Available in three sizes, we opted for the XS/S. Emma usually wears a S/M, but this is what the size chart dictated, and it fits securely with no movement or bouncing. On that note, the second set of cheek pads was much appreciated to help tailor the fit.
Based around Giro’s dual shell ‘Spherical’ construction, two foam shells — one made from EPP and the other EPS foam — are connected with elastomers. The idea here is that the whole unit can function like a ball and socket joint to disperse rotational forces, while the multiple densities of foam can absorb the energy from high-speed and low-speed impacts.
A new addition for the Insurgent is the Flex Gasket. About 70mm of soft material on the lower edge of the helmet is designed to soften the impact on your collarbone when you really take a digger. Giro has also opted for an adjustable peak that’s fixed in place using screw-in breakaway bolts — there’s also a spot to mount a GoPro.
With so many moving parts, the helmet is dead silent, with no rattles or squeaking, even after a healthy coating of dust and a few wet weather days.
Weighing in at 1050g, it’s heavier than Fox Proframe RS, POC Otocon and the Lazer Cage, but even with the heft on the scale, it doesn’t feel heavy on your head.
This could be due in part to the 20-vents, which are backed with internal channelling. Perhaps it’s the feeling of the wind rushing through your hair with the helmet on, but after a long day of being whipped around like a rag doll, you’re not left with a sore neck from holding up an extra kilo on your head.
With that, the helmet sucks loads of air into the vents and over your head while you’re ripping down hill, but still maintains good airflow when you slow down and are working your way up a liaison. It’s warmer than a half-shell lid, but you won’t have sweat dripping into your eyes halfway up either.
A side benefit to the plethora of vents is that it also helps with hearing, and you can easily have a chat or hear your mates heckling as they chase you down the trail.
Unlike many of these well-vented, enduro-friendly lids, Giro has opted for a D-ring instead of a buckle or Fidloc closure. It’s a little more fiddly and probably adds a few grams, but definitely feels more secure.
Priced at $529, it’s more or less in the middle of the road when compared to other MIPS-equipped, well vented, full face helmets.
