Tested: POC Trabec Race MIPS Helmet - Unique Style Meets Safety Innovation

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by Mihai Moga

POC, a fairly young and very successful Swedish company known primarily for high quality ski helmets, has made waves in the world of mountain biking over the past few years. Their unique designs and innovation are quickly gaining recognition. The new Trabec Race MIPS is their top of the line trail helmet for 2013. This helmet stands out for several reasons, including the use of the radically different MIPS technology.

POC Trabec Race MIPS Highlights

• Inner Aramid filament reinforced EPS core
• Outer PC shell with seams in the areas of least exposure
• Equipped with the patented MIPS system
• Aerodynamic channel system and 16 vent slots
• Fit is designed to be around the head versus on top
• Polygiene anti-odor treatment
• Sizes: XS/S, M/L, and XL/XXl
• Colors: Black/White, White/Black, or Radon Blue
• $200 to $220 MSRP

Initial Impressions

The reason I wear a helmet is to protect my head in case of a crash. With that in mind, safety should be the number one reason when determining which helmet to purchase. Comfort and style would follow, and then of course the price. Having said that, let’s have a closer look at this new lid.

At first glance, the helmet looks and feels well made - it feels like it could take a hit and protect the head that occupies it. The outer shell is made with an Aramid (similar to Kevlar) bridge. POC claims, “By using the extreme strength provided by the Aramid fiber in bridges in the helmets shell, the structure is reinforced and at the same time, the impact energy deforming the helmet is spread over a larger surface.” The Aramid bridge also helps to increase the helmet's resistance to penetration.

While many POC helmets use an EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) type of foam, which does not deform permanently on impact and is therefore suitable for multiple impacts, the Trabec Race MIPS is made with EPS (Expanded Polystyrene). EPS is used in many traditional bike helmets and permanently deforms after just one impact. Unfortunately that means for the Trabec Race MIPS helmet, it's a one and done affair.

Everything is wrapped in a very smooth, shiny, shell with a contrasting patch of color on the back of the helmet. It's definitely unique looking, for better or worse.

POC's distinctive style is very smooth and free flowing. There are no sharp edges or corners anywhere on the helmet. This might make it less likely to snag on anything on impact. Fourteen large vents plus two smaller vents located under the somewhat flexible visor provide good ventilation.

The chin straps are very neatly molded into the helmet, eliminating the chance of fraying at one end.

As you flip the helmet over and look inside, you will notice there is a thin yellow layer between the pads and the inside shell. That's the MIPS Technology, short for Multi Directional Impact Protection System. According to the creators of MIPS, the system is designed to reduce the rotational forces to the brain in the event of an oblique impact. MIPS utilizes a low friction layer on the inside of the helmet liner to absorb much of the energy created by both unilateral or oblique blows to the head. This is achieved by allowing a controlled rotation of the shell relative to the liner. To see the MIPS system in action, take a look at this brief video:

The helmet is very comfortable, feels secure once it’s on, and the retention system and straps are intuitive and easy to adjust. My head is round shaped head and a little on the larger size, and this XL/XXL sized Trabec Race MIPS fit very well.

On The Trail

On the trail, the Trabec Race MIPS feels comfortable while climbing. There are no noticeable pressure points anywhere, and I never felt that I needed more ventilation. On the descents, the helmet moved around more than I'm accustomed to. Some of the movement is can be attributed to the shell floating on top of the MIPS system, which I was able to get used to very quickly. However, on slightly longer and more aggressive descents, the helmet migrated slightly forward on my head. I cinched down the retention system at the back of the head as tightly as I could while still being comfortable, and that seemed to help, but it did not fully resolve the issue. This was a very slight movement and not a significant issue - more of a nuisance than anything.

Things That Could Be Improved

The plastic retention piece in contact with the back of the head at the bottom of the skull is very slick. This sometimes causes it to slide out of place unless the retention is very tight. If that piece was made with a grippier material it would help keep the helmet from moving without having to cinch it down so tightly.

Also, a better mechanism to adjust the visor would be greatly appreciated.

What’s The Bottom Line?

It’s great to see companies like POC going beyond the minimum safety requirements, developing high quality helmets with increased protection for riders.

The Trabec Race MIPS offers some of the most researched and innovative protection available in a trail helmet, and all the comfort that you would expect from a high end helmet is there. The style on the Trabec is unlike any other helmet on the market, and definitely unique to POC.

All that innovation and comfort comes at a price, though, and in this case it's $220. That's roughly half the cost of a full face downhill helmet and twice as much as many traditional mountain bike helmets. We can see how some people would be reluctant to spend the extra money on the Trabec Race MIPS, especially when there are many other options available that offer good protection and great style for a lot less money. But if you are looking for the latest in safety and innovations, then the higher price tag might not surprise or deter you. Considering all the above, this is an excellent helmet that offers some of the best protection, and is definately worth considering before you purchase your next mountain bike helmet.

For more details about the Trabec Race MIPS, or to find out what the heck POC stands for, head over to pocsports.com.

Tested: Dainese Oak Pro Knee Pads, Innovative Again

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by Mihai Moga

It’s a great time to be a mountain biker. Recent innovations in the sport are simply amazing, and they’ve come in almost every facet, including body protection. There are several companies making body armor these days so finding suitable protective gear shouldn't be a problem. If you want something more advanced than the run of the mill gear, though, then the new Dainese Oak Pro Knee Pads might be the right ones for you.

Dainese has been around for a long time, and they have a strong reputation for making some of the best protective gear for MotoGP racers and street bikes. Drawing on their experience in these areas, they also made some of the highest quality protective gear for mountain bikers. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, during the era of Nico Vouilloz’s domination, Dainese was hands down the most popular brand amongst downhill racers, and for good reason. The gear they made was innovative.

Now in 2012, the company is innovating once again. Dainese went farther then most when creating their new Oak Pro Knee Pads. The pads are soft-shelled and feature a multi-impact shock-absorbing material derived from F1 applications. That’s not new in the protective gear world, though. What is new, and the thing that is most innovative and unique that really sets the Dainese Oak Pro Knee Pads apart is the retention system. Dainese uses the Boa Lacing System, which is essentially a small cable lacing system that is tightened with a ratcheting mechanism. Originally developed for use on snowboard boots, the Boa System is also on many high-end cycling shoes. Imagine no velcro straps to get snagged on the lining of your pants or shorts, no elastic that will eventually stretch, and virtually infinite adjustment by simply turning a round dial to tighten or loosen the straps for a perfect fit. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well then, you'll want to meet the new Dainese Oak Pro Knee Pads.

First Impressions

At first glance the pads look, and feel, expensive. After a close inspection of the details on the pads, it is definitely apparent that much thought and a great deal of work went into creating them. All the materials are very high quality, they feel soft to the touch and are comfortable, the stitching looks great, the seams are flawless, and the Boa System’s steel wiring seems well placed and secure.

The pads slide over the leg, so shoes have to be off in order to pull the pads into place. Sliding the pads up the leg is a bit sticky, but not too difficult, which turns out to be a good thing - when the pads are in place they feel very secure, even without tightening the Boa System. That said, the straps need to be tightened before riding. As the straps are tightened down by simply tuning the Boa System’s ratcheting dial that is placed on the front of the pads, you feel the pads wrap around your leg in a very secure fashion with no obvious pressure points. For those wondering, the Boa System’s control knob never got in the way or snagged, even while wearing pants.

On The Trail

Does all this equal safety and comfort on the bike? Let’s go ride and see. Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for testing purposes, we never crashed while wearing the pads. However, based on Dainese’s reputation and experience, and our attempts to move the pads while stationary, we feel that the pads will provide adequate knee protection in the event of a crash. Coverage is more than adequate, and rubber grippers inside the pads help keep them in place. The pads come about half way down the shin and several inches above the knee.

The first thing we noticed on the bike is that they hinder movement quite a bit, more than expected. The pads feel like they have too much material around the knee area, which seems to resist movement of the knee. When the leg is bent and close to 90-degrees, the pads bunch up on the sides of the knee. They also bunch in front of the knee when the leg is close to fully extended. This did not change with more use, and made the pads uncomfortable to walk in. At first we didn’t think this was a big deal, and it would be something that we could get used to, but the pads became uncomfortable to wear. They simply felt too stiff and bulky as a result.

Do they stay put? They don’t slide much while riding, but they do slide a little when walking. We found that they require a few seconds of readjusting before a downhill run, especially after hiking up to the start. This movement while walking could be aided by using less of the shock-absorbing pad material, and by making the pads slightly lower profile in the front and sides of the knee. That said, we firmly believe that the pads will not slide during a crash - arguably the most important aspect of any knee guard.

Are they breathable? Not as much as we’d like. While Dainese has definitely considered the breathability aspect of the pads with the hollow hexagonal shapes on the front, they are still very hot when you’re really getting after it.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Like most innovations that are not perfect on the first go-around, with a little refinement and willingness to see what needs improved, the Dainese Oak Pro Pads could be great - and they should be with a price tag of $149.95. Through the use of the Boa Lacing System and the high standard of quality Dainese is known for, they are well on the way to making the best, most secure, and most comfortable knee pad on the market. We just wish the breathability and fit was improved, especially while riding.

For more information about these pads or the rest of Dainese's lineup, visit www.dainese.com.