POC Omne Air Bike Helmet - Whether cycling to work, exploring gravel tracks or on the local trails, the helmet gives trusted protection

Product Information

Chain reaction Cycles and CRC are trading names of Wiggle Ltd (In Administration) registered in the United Kingdom at 1000 Lakeside, Suite 310, Third Floor N E Wing, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3EN,

As with many of the POC helmets, the brand has taken a base helmet that's great and built variations for specific uses. In this case, the base helmet is the Ventral Air MIPS which is the lightweight climber's helmet in the POC lineup. Then, because of a somewhat obscure UCI rule, POC added a non-removable cover. The cover is super lightweight and barely there but it helps keep you a bit warmer and drier if you are going to be spending a lot of time in the rain. POC also changes the available colour options to enhance visibility and you will find an extra strip of reflective paint across the front and rear of the helmet.On the inside, you will find a MIPS Integra system. In the past POC had a system developed without MIPS that went by the name of SPIN or Shearing Pads INside. That system was basically a series of gel filled dots that allowed for rotational movement in a crash. MIPS Integra takes the same idea of using gel but moves it to the inside of the front section of padding, as well as a low friction coating under the Velcro-attached pads. You can't feel any of it while riding but it allows the helmet to rotate separate from your head in a crash and that's the idea. The other thing you'll find inside all of the POC Omne family helmets is the 'Adjustable 360-degree fit' system. With most helmets, the rear cradle connects centrally in the rear of the helmet plus one spot on either side of the helmet just ahead of the ears. For this system, POC still attaches the cradle centrally to the rear. In this case it's adjustable and it attaches a bit farther forward compared to other helmets plus it uses two small points instead of one larger central mount. Those details aren't that important though, the 360 part is that it never attaches to those spots ahead of the ears. The Omne Air also features the MIPS Integra system. This brings together POC’s ‘whole-helmet’ safety and design ethos with the fully integrated brain-protecting technology of MIPS. This holistic approach sees every detail of the helmet engineered to work in harmony with each other, giving you new levels of seamless safety, comfort, ventilation, fit and function. Ultimately it's the results that matter. If a brand is able to make a helmet without MIPS that is safe, there's no reason to insist on the MIPS brand. This is one of the reasons we report the results of Virginia Tech testing when it’s available. What does it take to find a comfortable budget bike helmet? What really makes the Omne Air MIPS work as a gravel bike helmet is that it has a casual style that lends itself to the more upright position you often find on a gravel bike. That also works for endurance road bikes as well and POC has some very cool colours available. Stylistically you should be able to match a lot of riding.

Regardless of the reason for the missing rating, when it's missing it leaves a question. I've highlighted that question when appropriate and I've included the rating when I have it. You will have to decide what that means for you. How do I find the most comfortable road bike helmet?Whether on the morning commute or a long weekend club ride, the Omne Air MIPS pushes you to go further. Optimal liner

If you’re interested in POC Omne AIR SPIN, and you want a slightly unique take on the same helmet, then the Rapha + POC Omne Air might be up your street. As with the standard Omne AIR SPIN, Rapha’s version features the same excellent SPIN safety system, high level of comfort and low weight. It’s also got good ventilation, though you could easily wear this on cold winter days without getting brain freeze.While protection is of paramount importance it’s not much good if the helmet is uncomfortable or poorly vented. It’s here that the Omne Air SPIN benefits from tech first developed on POC’s award-winning Octal and the Ventral race helmets. A helmet that I did spend time with is the Bontrager Starvos. It's another WaveCel design and there's very little to complain about. In the end, the only reason it didn't make the list is because the Bontrager Circuit is very similar both in price and design while also adding the ability to mount lights when needed. If you like the idea of Circuit but don't think you'd ever use the magnetic light mounting then the Starvos is worth a look. Sweet Protection isn't as well known as some brands but the brand has been making high-quality helmets and cycling sunglasses for a number of years. You might also recognize the brand as the helmet partner to Pas Normal. It's the sunglasses connection that ultimately landed this helmet on the list though.