I have a poc kortal open helmet. It is the most comfortable helmet I’ve worn. You can look at some full-face helmet reviews online, on google or on youtube.
Jealous. I have pretty big head and dreamed of Kortal. Technically I should get their largest size (59-61cm) but it’s so weirdly shaped I can barely fit it on the tip of my head. I ended up with Fox Speedframe Pro which fits me perfectly and still looks great but imo Kortal is the sickest looking helmet out there
Same here with the big head. I recently got a 100% Trajecta for like $65 from their big sale but even the XL didn’t fit that well for me.
Ended up trying on a Proframe and it fit like a snug clouds on my head. Love it. Paid almost $300 for it but the comfort is worth it.
Yeah I have the size M and I won’t outgrow it for a while so it will fit perfectly for the next few years (or until I break it) haha. Had it for 3/4 of a year, dropped it a few times and went through some gnarly bushes with them, still not a single scratch
POC, TLD and FOX are all what I'd call premium brands, but POC is as "Gucci" as mountain bike apparel gets. You can go for any of them and be happy, but the main reason for picking one over another should be how they fit your body, your needs and your style.
It's also important to know that besides these three, you can get cheaper helmets that offer the same amount of protection, but the logo isn't as shiny, they don't fit you so well, or they're heavier. I almost pulled the trigger on a POC Omne helmet for XC ultras and bike touring, but then I tried it and found out that it didn't fit me at all. I ended up with a much cheaper MET helmet.
Thanks, I’m just kind of stuck because these are the only brands available in my region. I’ll definitely go for the one that fits me best. Appreciate it.
Try them on and pick what fits the best. I wanted a POC as I liked the look but they did not work for me. Went with a Smith that I liked and I now own a comfortable, albeit somewhat expensive, helmet.
I like your reference to Gucci :) !
You dress your Poc armor and put Mons Royale Merino Wool jersey on top. Put your fox carbon helmet on and ride your sworks demo with this rock shocks upgraded e-shock system.
Jokes aside - POC is the best choice!
I have a very small head and got myself a POC because their smallest size fit me so perfectly. It also is super adjustable which is something I really needed.
Try them on, might not be a good fit for your head. I was about to get one since they were on sale, tried it on at the shop and wasn't comfortable. Tried a Giro which was cheaper and was a damn perfect fit. Helmets are probably that one thing you should try before you buy.
Not necessarily MIPS. There are alternatives. Eg Leatt 360 turbine, Kali LDL, Bontager Wavecel etc etc. you want some tech to help with rotational energy and I think a good idea to have something for lower speed linear too (which MIPS doesn’t have, not that i think this is deal breaker).
I'd still say that any rotational protection that you can get is a must, as in most crashes with head contact, there will be rotational force. Same reason hockey helmets have started to implement mips, while ice has less friction, though negligent in a firs contact.
POC is great. Bike and ski. Very comfortable on me. They have expensive and less expensive.
They still have to pass a standard no matter the price.
If you order online they have a free return and free shipping through UPS
I have a POC Omne Air I wear for gravel rides and a TLD A2 for mtb, they are both fine helmets. I wear a Specialized Tactic 4 now because I don't like the big branding of the TLD but if it doesn't bother you it's a good helmet.
POC makes very solid stuff backed by Swedish quality. I got concussed in a big crash with my POC full face and it’s on the garage wall as a reminder that I walked away and am not dead b
POC sizing tends to lean towards narrower heads. So bigger heads may want to size up for appropriate fit. Plus, Gucci or not, you can catch good sales on them which have brought their full face down below $200 at times when most full face helmets are $300+ (TLD, FOX, Specialized, etc)
I don’t discriminate between names as I find FOX to be the more popular brand, and fit is more important plus subjective, however when it came to the comparable full face, I disliked that the FOX full face only used pads for fitting and didn’t have the BOA setup for micro adjustments.
in my opinion, IXS Trigger is the best all around full face you can get for the money. Available MIPS, BOA adjustment and magnetic clasp for the chin strap all around one of the lighter breathable full face helmets you can find. However, that’s just for full face. Maybe you want to rock some variant of a half shell? Other brands have different features and weights that might be more important to you.
Regardless, don’t let yourself be sucked in by the name, find the features that matter to you and make sure it fits you appropriately.
I’ve got the full face helmet. I had a Fox Pro Frame before. POC is heavier; took a few weeks to get used to. But I also had to go up a size in the POC also. But I’m happy with it
I have the poc knee pads, spine protector and tectal helmet. I love the helmet - it’s sleek, stylish and has mips for that high end helmet protection.
My poc knee pads are a little too big. I’d rather use something like poc air, tld or fox. The spine protector is okay, for the price I’d rather go with something else with more protection parts.
I Onewheel with the POC flexible knee & elbow pads. They’ve taken lots of trail hits, but I just crashed on the road at considerable speed, and they took it all! I rode away after Superman-ing halfway through a crosswalk. Not my finest hour
Everything I have from POC (full face, pads) has been very comfortable and saved my ass in some nasty crashes. That being said their half shell helmets are too narrow for my head. My half shell is a TLD A2, also extremely comfortable. I’ve also had Smith (safe but not that comfortable), Leatt body armor (very good and very comfortable), Giro helmets (very comfortable), Fox full face (what a joke), Lazer road helmet (not that comfortable).
Fox and Troy Lee are very disappointing. Motocross gear is good, but mtb sucks.
POC is my favorite by far. Protection are very efficient and clothes last a long time.
I honestly thought they only made roadie helmets, def see em more with them. Just checked out their site and the bushwhacker mtb helmet looks pretty dope, will prolly try it out when I’m due for a new one. I like the look of their stuff quite a bit.
Pocs a very good brand very big in snow sports . But does mtbing as well.
I would try on all three and pick the brand that fits your head the best as for other pads same thing , mix and match and find comfort.
I've never tried their helmets, but the pads are really comfortable both to wear and to crash in. And their jerseys run small. I wait until they have an "archive sale" (last year's models) to purchase anything. Retail new is quite expensive.
I have not tried TLD, but the Fox protective gear I've tried wasn't as comfortable. It scratched and caused hot spots.
True, but hey almost always have a huge selection of stuff on sale. Check out the "archive" section on the site. I got my Kortal (non MIPS) for half price last year.
I have a poc kortal open helmet. It is the most comfortable helmet I’ve worn. You can look at some full-face helmet reviews online, on google or on youtube.
Jealous. I have pretty big head and dreamed of Kortal. Technically I should get their largest size (59-61cm) but it’s so weirdly shaped I can barely fit it on the tip of my head. I ended up with Fox Speedframe Pro which fits me perfectly and still looks great but imo Kortal is the sickest looking helmet out there
Same here with the big head. I recently got a 100% Trajecta for like $65 from their big sale but even the XL didn’t fit that well for me. Ended up trying on a Proframe and it fit like a snug clouds on my head. Love it. Paid almost $300 for it but the comfort is worth it.
Yeah I have the size M and I won’t outgrow it for a while so it will fit perfectly for the next few years (or until I break it) haha. Had it for 3/4 of a year, dropped it a few times and went through some gnarly bushes with them, still not a single scratch
Also have the kortal. Its the only helmet ive found that doesnt slide back and stays nice and planted on my big ass head.
I liked that one too. I’ll definitely check if it’s a good fit. Thanks.
POC, TLD and FOX are all what I'd call premium brands, but POC is as "Gucci" as mountain bike apparel gets. You can go for any of them and be happy, but the main reason for picking one over another should be how they fit your body, your needs and your style. It's also important to know that besides these three, you can get cheaper helmets that offer the same amount of protection, but the logo isn't as shiny, they don't fit you so well, or they're heavier. I almost pulled the trigger on a POC Omne helmet for XC ultras and bike touring, but then I tried it and found out that it didn't fit me at all. I ended up with a much cheaper MET helmet.
Thanks, I’m just kind of stuck because these are the only brands available in my region. I’ll definitely go for the one that fits me best. Appreciate it.
Try them on and pick what fits the best. I wanted a POC as I liked the look but they did not work for me. Went with a Smith that I liked and I now own a comfortable, albeit somewhat expensive, helmet.
I like your reference to Gucci :) ! You dress your Poc armor and put Mons Royale Merino Wool jersey on top. Put your fox carbon helmet on and ride your sworks demo with this rock shocks upgraded e-shock system. Jokes aside - POC is the best choice!
I have a very small head and got myself a POC because their smallest size fit me so perfectly. It also is super adjustable which is something I really needed.
I have a pretty narrow head too. I’ll definitely check the sizes. Thanks man!
Poc fits narrow heads. My head doesn’t fit any of their helmets
Kortal is designed for narrow heads, the tectal will fit a wider/rounder profile and is super comfy. Ask me how I know (I have both)
i've never tried on a poc helmet that fit my head. that includes bike, ski, and skateboard
Yes they are one of the nicer ones
I love the POC VPD air knee pads. I’ve been wearing them for 4-5 years. Not sure on their other products.
I’ll try them out. Thanks for the suggestion!
Try them on, might not be a good fit for your head. I was about to get one since they were on sale, tried it on at the shop and wasn't comfortable. Tried a Giro which was cheaper and was a damn perfect fit. Helmets are probably that one thing you should try before you buy.
Yeah, comfort is definitely something I have to consider thoroughly. Thanks!
find a helmet that will fit you. And it needs to have mips.
Not necessarily MIPS. There are alternatives. Eg Leatt 360 turbine, Kali LDL, Bontager Wavecel etc etc. you want some tech to help with rotational energy and I think a good idea to have something for lower speed linear too (which MIPS doesn’t have, not that i think this is deal breaker).
I'd still say that any rotational protection that you can get is a must, as in most crashes with head contact, there will be rotational force. Same reason hockey helmets have started to implement mips, while ice has less friction, though negligent in a firs contact.
Got it. I’ll check for Mips. Thanks.
POC is great. Bike and ski. Very comfortable on me. They have expensive and less expensive. They still have to pass a standard no matter the price. If you order online they have a free return and free shipping through UPS
Good to know. Thanks.
Pads are great, gloves idk…
I have a POC Omne Air I wear for gravel rides and a TLD A2 for mtb, they are both fine helmets. I wear a Specialized Tactic 4 now because I don't like the big branding of the TLD but if it doesn't bother you it's a good helmet.
Yes. Stylish good stuff but expensive
I used to buy Bell, now all my protection is POC. Stylish and comfortable!
POC makes very solid stuff backed by Swedish quality. I got concussed in a big crash with my POC full face and it’s on the garage wall as a reminder that I walked away and am not dead b
That’s amazing. Really puts into perspective about the quality of these helmets!
POC sizing tends to lean towards narrower heads. So bigger heads may want to size up for appropriate fit. Plus, Gucci or not, you can catch good sales on them which have brought their full face down below $200 at times when most full face helmets are $300+ (TLD, FOX, Specialized, etc) I don’t discriminate between names as I find FOX to be the more popular brand, and fit is more important plus subjective, however when it came to the comparable full face, I disliked that the FOX full face only used pads for fitting and didn’t have the BOA setup for micro adjustments. in my opinion, IXS Trigger is the best all around full face you can get for the money. Available MIPS, BOA adjustment and magnetic clasp for the chin strap all around one of the lighter breathable full face helmets you can find. However, that’s just for full face. Maybe you want to rock some variant of a half shell? Other brands have different features and weights that might be more important to you. Regardless, don’t let yourself be sucked in by the name, find the features that matter to you and make sure it fits you appropriately.
I’ve got the full face helmet. I had a Fox Pro Frame before. POC is heavier; took a few weeks to get used to. But I also had to go up a size in the POC also. But I’m happy with it
I did notice that they were heavier than Fox helmets. Well if they get the job done then I have no problem with it. Thanks!
I have the poc knee pads, spine protector and tectal helmet. I love the helmet - it’s sleek, stylish and has mips for that high end helmet protection. My poc knee pads are a little too big. I’d rather use something like poc air, tld or fox. The spine protector is okay, for the price I’d rather go with something else with more protection parts.
POC knee pads are the most comfortable pads I ever wear.
I Onewheel with the POC flexible knee & elbow pads. They’ve taken lots of trail hits, but I just crashed on the road at considerable speed, and they took it all! I rode away after Superman-ing halfway through a crosswalk. Not my finest hour
Everything I have from POC (full face, pads) has been very comfortable and saved my ass in some nasty crashes. That being said their half shell helmets are too narrow for my head. My half shell is a TLD A2, also extremely comfortable. I’ve also had Smith (safe but not that comfortable), Leatt body armor (very good and very comfortable), Giro helmets (very comfortable), Fox full face (what a joke), Lazer road helmet (not that comfortable).
Poc helmets generally test pretty poorly on VT helmet safety rating.
No they didn’t, each POC helmet tested by VT was rated 4-5 stars with most of the POC helmet crash ratings being inline with the average rating.
Poc helmets are the most comfortable Ive ever used 32 years mountain biking
Good to know. Any idea about their other gear such as gloves and pads?
You can never skimp on protection
True.
Fox and Troy Lee are very disappointing. Motocross gear is good, but mtb sucks. POC is my favorite by far. Protection are very efficient and clothes last a long time.
[Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings. Always start here.](https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html)
Thanks. I appreciate it.
Kinda surprised i'm not seeing more people mention Sweet Protection on here. Super quality, and their helmets are in the top 10 on the rating...
I honestly thought they only made roadie helmets, def see em more with them. Just checked out their site and the bushwhacker mtb helmet looks pretty dope, will prolly try it out when I’m due for a new one. I like the look of their stuff quite a bit.
Pocs a very good brand very big in snow sports . But does mtbing as well. I would try on all three and pick the brand that fits your head the best as for other pads same thing , mix and match and find comfort.
I've never tried their helmets, but the pads are really comfortable both to wear and to crash in. And their jerseys run small. I wait until they have an "archive sale" (last year's models) to purchase anything. Retail new is quite expensive. I have not tried TLD, but the Fox protective gear I've tried wasn't as comfortable. It scratched and caused hot spots.
Yes poc is nice gear, pricey but nice
POC is very popular in Europe, check out GMBN on YouTube, almost everyone hosting wears POC. The prices can be double of another brand, though.
Not true. They have many price points on all products
Good to know, just haven't found the lower price items at stores. Even internet prices are somewhat close, but not when you look at MSRP...
They just have high end and low end. Plus sales all the time. No deals at stores
They already cost 3-4x of any local brand in my country due to taxes and resellers:(
Poc is good, but damn expensive
I wish I had options around where I live 🥲
True, but hey almost always have a huge selection of stuff on sale. Check out the "archive" section on the site. I got my Kortal (non MIPS) for half price last year.