No matter what activities you do, safety always comes first and it is the same with bicycling because we need to pay attention on how to stay safe while pedaling. For those who are doing MTB, Giro Hex Vs Phase are two ideal helmets to go for because they are initially designed for the application and will give you maximum protection. If you are also eyeing these helmets models, see what they can offer below so we can choose better before shopping.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
– Why Trying Mountain Biking
– Shopping for MTB Helmet
– What are Giro Hex and Phase
– What Giro Hex and Phase Look like
– How are the Build of Giro Hex and Phase
– What Fitting System Giro Hex and Phase have
– Are Giro Hex and Phase Comfortable
– Giro Hex vs Phase
Mountain Biking
With everyone is trying to get off the couch and starting a more active life, it is also increasing the health trend among people almost all over the world and the fact that health itself is one of the most important, if not often the most important part of one’s life is enough to push us to be active. Besides taking a walk and jog routinely, bicycling is a healthy way to both take you to a destination and burn calories while avoiding packed roads.
Casual commuters can save more on fuel and public transportation budget by replacing their transportation methods with bicycle but not only riding in an urban area, bicycling is also a type of sport for those who are seeking an adventure and love bicycle at the same time. It will not be a light pedaling in which we already used to when commuting inside a city because overall it will be more challenging and at the end will give you a sense of accomplishment.
Mountain biking or often called as MTB is a very fun exercise and adventure to spend some leisure time far away from the busy roads but it is also offering more benefit that you may look for. With MTB we can improve bike handling skills because the off-road tracks are more challenging with uneven dirt surface and rocks. MTB will also improve your endurance due to hard terrain so when biking at road we can last longer.
In addition, taken from Redbull getting in touch with nature while you tackle different obstacles off-road is great for mental health and wellbeing and for those who are craving for accomplishments, finishing the ride after struggles will definitely build trust again against yourself.
MTB Helmet
Since tackling different terrains will also means a more dangerous ride, we also have to use helmets because it is a necessary protection to keep us away from related injury, especially on the head area. MTB helmets are available on various models, the common types are cross country, trail, dirt helmet, and then full face helmet. All of them are arranged from the minimum to maximum protection offered and each have the best benefit that you may prefer better than the rest.
For example, cross country is the lightest among all and very similar to road helmet with much vents to allow breeze and more comfortable riding but, it is also a little bit heavier and in terms of protection, the same as road helmet. The latter trail helmet is heavier than cross country but it also offers more protection especially on the side and the back of the head as well as one of the most popular MTB models. For full protection, full face helmet will cover all of your head and better with a pair of goggles.
About Giro Hex and Phase
If you want to start adventuring off-road and get all of those benefits from MTB, now is a good time to see what the market has to offer because bike helmets are available widely and looking for one may not be as easy as going to the store and grab whichever caught your attention the most. For starters we also need to suit the head size since not all of us will fit just fine and there are those with bigger or smaller head that may want to be more cautious.
Before shopping, you can use tape to measure the head size and use the number as guidance so we can choose better. If all the preparation is done, let’s see what is the popular brands out there have in the catalogue. For those who are looking for reliable helmet but won’t drain the wallet, Giro is one of the most popular brands to go with their huge options to choose ranging from the road model to professional level helmet and this includes the mountain bike type.
Among all of those collections, budget shoppers may want to check Giro Hex and Phase because they are quite similar to each other and available in the same price range which is adored by many because they are very durable despite the fairly cheaper tag. Coming from the synonym of bike helmet, we don’t have to worry about the quality because they are equally made to protect you and will give an easy, breezy ride thanks to the many vents on board.
They are built to be all mountain bike so application should match the purpose because the overall shape is like a trail helmet. It is by no means can’t be used for road riding but the whole unit may not be as comfortable if compared to regular helmet made for road riders which better suit going with the cross country better due to the many similarities. Read also: Kask Protone Vs POC Octal here.
Giro Hex and Phase Design
As you can see on the sample picture above, Giro Hex and Phase are almost identical when it comes to shape because both of them are trail helmet and we can instantly tell that it is made for a more serious riders. When compared to road helmet, there is a clear addition of protection on the side and back of the head to properly protect it against any substance that may come in contact with your head during the activity.
At the front we can also see the small visor which can be useful or not depends on your opinion but when not needed, they can be removed as well to accommodate a full size goggle in case sunglass doesn’t fit your taste. For the color options, there are tons to choose from especially on Hex helmet but it is not a guarantee that your preferable colors will come in the size that match yours as well.
Giro Hex and Phase Build
When looking for a helmet, the first thing you may want to check first is the build because it decides the durability of one and in this side, both Giro Hex and Phase are the same because they are made with in-mold EPS liner and polycarbonate shell. This is pretty common on average helmet and many others are having similar build but Giro have a clear reason on why they decided to use the material and it is focusing on weight since EPS is light.
They use it on road bike as well and it retain both the durability and weight as well as the place to make your helmet more ventilated. EPS is actually just polystyrene and it is very protective because when you try to push the surface, it will act as a cushion but, when one is crashed we need to replace it since it will reduce the protection the helmet once had.
In addition to the build, they are coming with visor as well and while they look kind of similar, the model being used on each helmet are different because with Hex we are getting the newer P.O.V visor and Phase is paired with Snap Fit version however, both of them are adjustable and can be removed when needed.
Giro Hex and Phase Fitting System
On the fitting system, Giro does have a few adjustments to make sure their helmets will snug and fit right on top of your head but the one being features in both of them is the popular Roc Loc 5 which was first introduced in 2010. The main feature of this fitting system is their ratcheting, micro, adjustable dial that you can accessed with two fingers while the helmet is sitting on top of our heads. The dial will emit an audible clicks when they are being loosened or tightened.
Giro Hex and Phase Comfort
On the comfort level, both of them are not the most comfortable nor lightweight helmets out there but it doesn’t make them an uncomfortable model as well because they can snug and fit just right on many people’s heads. The weight is prominently heavier on Phase helmet since this one is weighing at 316 grams while the Hex helmet is only at 291 grams. They also have different amount of vents because the first model only have 21 windows and the latter have 27 vents to keep our head cool.
Comparison
These two similar models are indeed a great choice for your MTB without having to pay for much and in comparison they are not much different from each other as well but Hex model is lighter in general but it has less ventilation and while they are made with almost the same design and the same material, the visor included on both models are different for Phase is using the older Snap Fit and the Hex helmet using the P.O.V visor.
Giro Hex vs Phase
Conclusion
We are sure most readers are already making up the mind and pick their helmet at this point because their difference is not very substantial but, if we are to choose, we do like Giro Hex better because it is lighter.