Perhaps one of the most important upgrades you can make the season is a new helmet purchase. After all, what good is that blinged-out carbon rig hanging out in your garage if you can’t ride it cuz you’re laid up on the couch? And with March being Brain Injury Awareness Month, we thought we’d take a minute to look at a few of the latest mountain bike helmets to hit the market, all of which are MIPS equipped.
What is a MIPS Mountain Bike Helmet?
For starters, watch the video above. Essentially, MIPS (multi-impact protection system) employs a low-friction slip layer inside the helmet that dissipates the force of an impact by allowing the helmet to rotate around the head. Trust us, this is a good thing.
How Often Should I Replace My Bike Helmet?
Always inspect your helmet after a hard crash, especially one involving any sort of head impact. If there are cracks or visible damage of any kind, replace it right away. This also goes for simply dropping your helmet. Otherwise, a good rule of thumb is every one or two seasons depending on how often and hard you ride. In the grand scheme of things, helmets are cheap compared to brain surgery, so it’s better to be on the safe side and replace as often as possible. Plus, having a helmet to match every outfit puts your trail steeze through the roof.
