As gravel bikes straddle the middle ground between road & mtb, the associated kit begins to do the same. Road helmets ache to be aero while MTB lids sprout peaks and chin guards. If like me you’re unlikely to be putting out some serious wattage at the DK200, your priorities are different. Decent ventilation, and some additional protection as an off-road tumble is always more likely than on smooth black-top. The Agilis MIPS from Giro is aimed squarely at the all-road market looking for this blend of speed & safety.
Construction
The Giro Agilis helmet uses the familiar polystyrene construction you’ll find in most helmets. The first thing that stood out to me was that none of the outer faces of polystyrene are exposed. So scuffs and dents from daily use will be fended off by a tougher polycarbonate shell. This can only help the helmet’s longevity.
Why so serious?
Fit & comfort
As we say in all our helmet reviews, any comments on fit have the caveat that all human heads are different shapes. One thing that everyone can probably agree on is that good ventilation is a must. Here the Giro Agilis does well, and in the pics below you can easily see both my head, and some daylight through the vents. These combined with the generous foam pads meant that when working up a sweat it doesn’t run into your eyes. Another aspect of fit that thankfully has been important of late is compatibility with sunglasses! My Oakley Monsterdogs have the chunkiest frames of all my sunnies and play nicely with the Agilis. Neither push each other lopsided when worn together!
Good ventilation and clearance for big sunnies!
Adjustment
Looking inside the Giro Agilis you can see the Roc Loc 5.5 MIPS cradle. For those of you unfamiliar with MIPS it’s a system that aims to reduce rotational brain injuries. Once the main body of the helmet has absorbed the initial impact the MIPS liner allows your head to rotate within the helmet. This is particularly important when your head hits something at an angle. Let’s face it, you’re unlikely to hit anything perfectly on the level. Of course I can’t verify the effectiveness of MIPS, what I can do is say that the system doesn’t make the helmet uncomfortable or more difficult to adjust. In fact I was hugely impressed by the level of comfort offered. The straps are easy to adjust and stay put while the Roc Loc adjuster has enough fine-tuning to allow a custom fit. Crucially I could adjust the Agilis so that it stayed in place without feeling like my skull was being compressed!
Excellent adjustment, and comfort without bulk.
Summary
The Agilis was a hit from the get go. It’s comfortable, light, and very easy to adjust. The Agilis mixes the best of road & MTB helmets without compromise. The best helmet is perhaps the one you don’t notice and you’re happy wearing. Retailing at £89.99 I feel the Agilis represents good value for money, considering the excellent fit, finish and MIPS cradle. If you like the design of the Agilis MIPS but aren’t convinced by the MIPS system then a standard Agilis is also available. It retails for £69.99 and comes in the same seven colourway options. Personally, spreading that additional £20 across the many hours I’ll wear this helmet for makes the extra expense a no-brainer. Ahem.
It’s also worth mentioning that currently Giro are supporting NHS & key workers by offering a 30% discount off their range of products. You can read more about it HERE.
The Agilis extends lower than your average road lid
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