Giro Montaro MIPS Helmet, Unisex

Product Information

I found that the Montaro sits a bit higher on my head than the Source. As you can see in these photos, the Source sat deeper on my head while the Montaro sits quite high. For the casual cyclist, who doesn’t spend more than a few hours per week out on the bike, the Chronicle will more than suffice. All of the basic features are there, it is a very safe helmet, and you will not be unhappy with the choice!

Roll Cage™ is a light-yet-tough web of reinforcement invisibly moulded inside a helmet’s EPS foam liner. It helps the helmet to hold together under impact and offers an extra measure of strength and integrity that you’ll never notice...unless you need it. From long climbs to rowdy, technical descents, the Montaro MIPS helmet inspires your ride no matter where the trail takes you. Its compact shape offers deep, confident coverage, and the Roc Loc Air fit system boosts ventilation while improving fit. In addition to this helmet’s already impressive cooling power, it’s outfitted with hydrophilic, anti-microbial pads that can absorb up to ten-times their weight in sweat. After the accident I realized how important it is to get the right helmet. I tried on every helmet I could and got the one that fit best which for me was the poc trabec race. I really wanted a full face but it just can't work for my xc style riding. I took my family to the same stores for an excruciating full afternoon of helmet fitting. Kids and wife all ended up strongly preferring the TLD (which was too small for me so not a candidate.) Personally, I would go with the Montaro. It looks good, and it feels less bulky on your head. The fully wrapped shell is definitely a winning feature, as exposed EPS foam tends to deteriorate much faster. The Giro Montaro aims to do a lot with its various features, and it succeeds in most arenas. The Montaro’s safety and bonus features all pay off, but some aspects of its comfort could use workshopping. Ventilation could be improved for hot days, and the Roc Loc 5 Air system for head-height fit has shortcomings.Inside the helmet, we see some similarities and some differences from the original Montaro. Pad placement remains the same, and the pads themselves are still the same Ionic+ antimicrobial pads used in the Montaro. The padding is still comfortable, absorbent, and non-smelly, even after long, high-output rides. No complaints there, from me or from my wife. The MIPS system remains in place too, and it’s just as confidence-inspiring as it was in the original. Not familiar with MIPS? In short, it’s a system designed to disburse rotational impact forces ( great article on it here), and it’s a key safety feature for a helmet like this. Mud on my face. Flashlight on my head. I’m ready for some extended hours in the dark. Cons: I cannot come up with a con for this helmet. It fits great, is lightweight, and very breathable. I had read somewhere that in cold conditions perhaps there is too much venting, but I have not found myself yet in this position. Let’s start with the general layout here. Visually, the Montaro MIPS II is all but identical to the original Montaro. The hole pattern is the same. The visor design is the same. The strap placement is the same. Even the logo placement is the same. And the color ways are eerily similar too. Looking at the outside of the Montaro MIPS II, I couldn’t differentiate it from the original Montaro MIPS if it didn’t have “Montaro II” printed on the side in small font. The visor on the Montaro is a little longer than your standard helmet visor. This comes in use when you are descending in open areas, and the sun is low. It is also quite useful if you are hitting trails in dense bush and need the visor to protect your eyes.

The Chronicle has 14 vents and internal channeling, so the ventilation is reasonable. Some riders find it runs a little hot, but for a mid-tier helmet, it isn’t too bad. The visor is adjustable, so if you do find the visor being a bit long, you can always tilt the visor up and out of the way. While the Montaro is highly regarded for its protection, it doesn't provide the same level of coverage as the "full cut" Giro Tyrant or Fox Dropframe. We also found that the Montaro's less-expensive sibling, the Chronicle provides a bit more coverage at a lower price, though it doesn't include the same molded roll cage technology. The Montaro scored equally in this metric to other helmets with similar levels of head coverage and protective features like the Smith Session, Oakley DRT5, and Bell 4Forty MIPS. ComfortUnfortunately, the padding on the Montaro doesn’t have a long lifespan. Some riders have mentioned the padding only lasts around 6 months before it needs replacing. While this might only be for the hottest and sweatiest of riders, it isn’t a huge issue, and replacement pads can be easily and cheaply.

Overall, the ventilation is good, but not great. Helmets such as the Fox Speedframe, Troy Lee Designs A2, or the 100% Altec do have better ventilation systems, but it still beats the Troy Lee Designs A1 out of the park! I personally didn’t find the limited ventilation much of a problem (and I have a fair bit of hair!) so it is up to personal preference, or where you ride for this one. How it Looks The original Giro Montaro MIPS helmet developed a following and established itself as one of Giro’s best selling trail helmets of all time. When I reviewed it earlier this year, I noted a handful of its excellent traits, but it wasn’t perfect. With the launch of the Giro Montaro MIPS II, nearly all the features that made the original great are retained. And the flaws? Well… some of those are retained too. While the Montaro MIPS II may be a sequel, the plot is very much the same, in good ways and bad. In-Mold Construction fuses a tough polycarbonate outer shell with the helmet's impact-absorbing foam liner. The fusion process allows for better ventilation systems, making in-mold helmets lighter and cooler than traditional helmets. The Montaro, being the top-tier helmet has been kitted out with a few features. It has an integrated breakaway camera mount. So, if you want to catch some cool footage of you shredding, but you’re worried about the safety implications of having a camera on your head, this is a great feature for you! Non-integrated camera mounts are not considered as safe as they generally do not have a breakaway feature if they come under pressure (see more on helmets with camera’s here). If I'd been wearing a Bell Super2R with the face guard the side of my head would have been protected. BUT that helmet doesn't have anything close to adequate ventilation for me. Yeah the facebar is removable but I was riding in a flat section when I fell.The Montaro MIPS helmet has 16 vents which are all generously sized and strategically placed. There are 3 vents placed below the visor, and the shape of the visor directs the air into these vents. Another 7 angled vents cover the top of the helmet, and 6 exhaust vents at the rear of the helmet. From long climbs to rowdy, technical descents, the Montaro™ MIPS helmet inspires your ride no matter where the trail takes you. Its compact shape offers deep, confident coverage, and the Roc Loc® Air fit system boosts ventilation while improving fit. I have been testing the Montaro Mips II for the months of August and September alongside a pair of Giro Deeds shoes. For the last three years, I have been using the earlier version of this helmet, the Montaro I, and I’ve gotta say, I really like this new incarnation. Thankfully I did not have a head crash during my testing of the Montaro II, but I spent at least 40 days on trail with it. The Verdict The Chronicle was designed as a mid-tier helmet that has all the basic features you need. The design is simple and doesn’t have anything fancy like a camera mount or goggle grippers on the rear of the helmet. However, it does have MIPS, an adjustable visor and very comfortable padding. The fitting system also allows you to adjust the ’tilt’ of the helmet (up and down your forehead effectively), so how the helmet sits on your head is entirely up to you! Safety Review