New helmet time is always amazing, because old helmets get worn to death. This time I grabbed a Fox Metah from mountainbikesdirect.com.au. Here is a picture of me wearing it.
You can see it instantly turns any ugly bugger right into a hardcore bike ninja supermodel!
Unfortunately, it doesn’t hide wrinkles or the fact that I’m bald. I rely 100% on people looking from far away and not taking a second glance. You can see in this side on photo that indeed, on second glance, even the overpowering mojo of the Metah can’t screen everything.
It does, however, snug my cranium snugly and feels nice and safe. It’s coverage is well on par with the Bell Super 2 it replaced. And it is just as cosy to wear. Those huge vents are a plus over the Bell – Australia is bloody hot, making head ventilation is a winner in my book. I have to wear my pirate bandana to prevent helmetburn in summer anyway, so moar vents is moar goodness – to a degree. I don’t want a large log to be able to fit through them.
I expect the clever magpies will find a way to peck my head in new and more painful places come springtime. I don’t do that zip tie porcupine thing, it looks stupid, wastes zip ties, doesn’t work and risks poking them in the eye, enraging them further. Fox designers clearly don’t live anyplace near magpies, hence massive magpie-penetrable venting – but I still think the massive vents and the instant mojo are a plus. Mostly the mojo. And the vents.
My summary? I like it, I don’t notice it when I’m out riding, and it looks the biz. Three stars for the Metah! If I ever test it in anger, I’ll let you know exactly how many metres shorter the mountain is afterward.
…but if you’re like me, make sure you ride fast. As awesome as the Metah is, the ninja rockstar mountain biker mojo field it exudes can only cover so much for so long. If you are an actual ninja rockstar mountain biker, then this is your helmet. Well, really, any helmet is your helmet unless your head shape is totally wrong for it – but the Metah is a winner from the fox folks in my book.