Bollé Furo MIPS Cycling Helmet Review
Last year Bollé introduced the Bollé Furo MIPS Cycling Helmet and this year we got a chance to check it out.
Bollé focuses on delivering quality sunglasses and goggles for performance and protection. But beyond eyewear, they also make pretty stellar cycling helmets.
Bollé Furo MIPS Cycling Helmet Unboxing
The Bollé Furo MIPS Cycling Helmet came in a typical helmet box. I was sent a size large for my big noggen and it fit perfectly. I would say the helmet is true to size and it does give you a bit of adjustability both by using the rear circular click adjuster and the internal straps.
What makes this helmet really unique compared to others I have tested is the ability to remove part of the helmet to increase airflow. This means the Furo is the perfect all-season helmet. In the summer you can remove the vent plugs to get more venting and put them back in during the winter months to keep your head a bit warmer.
The helmet comes with 6 forward-facing vents, 1 top vent, 2 side vents, and 2 rear vents. The vents provide a ton of airflow allowing your head to keep cooler. For colder days 3 of the front vents can be closed.
The rear of the helmet drops off at a steep angle. This was done to provide better aerodynamics.
Our Bollé Furo MIPS Cycling Helmet came in a flat black color scheme with white lettering, which looks stellar. You have the option to increase or decrease the venting adding or removing the Bollé Wind Shells (i.e. vent plugs).
Once the helmet has been adjusted to fit your head (There are a few adjustment points inside the helmet), putting it on or taking it off is made easy by clicking or unclicking the chin strap and loosening or tightening the rear adjustment knob.
CLICK-TO-FIT™ SYSTEM
The Click-to-Fit™ System allows precise adjustment. On the road, you will be able to adjust helmet size and pressure to your head for perfect stability, fit and comfort.
For the Bollé Furo MIPS Helmet you adjust fit by turning a dial and you can do this while riding without issue.
WIND SHELLS
One really unique feature of the Furo is what Bollé refers to as Wind Shells. The wind shells make your helmet more aerodynamic while bringing extra protection during bad weather.
The shells or vent plugs allow the user to remove them during hot weather to allow more helmet venting or allow a user to add them for colder weather riding, racing, and bad weather.
NACA DUCT
Originally developed for aerospace, this submerged inlet provides less drag for better aerodynamics. It increases airflow inside the helmet, bringing a higher level of ventilation.
Not sure about the technical aspects of the helmet, but I did notice there was a really good amount of airflow when the helmet’s Wind Shells | Vent Plugs were removed.
ROLL CAGE
Mostly seen on racing cars, the roll cage is a specially engineered and constructed frame built into the vehicle compartment to protect from injuries in case of a rollover. Using this principle, Bollé decided to adapt the roll cage into the Furo construction. The roll cage reinforces the helmet, allowing Bollé to create larger vents to increase airflow.
360° INTEGRATED MIPS
A homogeneous system works better than two independent parts. Hence Bollé’s decision to combine the Mips Low Friction Layer and their helmet Fit System. The result is a seamless, lighter look inside the helmet, thus providing great fit & comfort for the longest rides.
In reality, the fit system really does a good job of keeping your head where it should be and having the helmet feel really good when on.
MIPS
MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System and is designed to let a helmet slide relative to the head, adding more protection against rotational motion to the brain caused by angled impacts.
The simulation above illustrates strain in the brain from a similar angled impact when the user is wearing a helmet without MIPS and a helmet with MIPS.
MIPS enables a relative movement between the helmet and the head in any direction.
While I didn’t test the ability of MIPS to do its job, I did feel the Furo would do well in a crash. It’s a beefy helmet, in fact, it weighs more than most I have tried.
I have to say I was really impressed with Bollé Furo MIPS. It’s a very solid helmet and is integrated with some of the best safety features I have seen.
The only downside to the helmet that I could see was the lack of any real early morning or nighttime reflective material or safety lights. While the helmet does provide ample places to add reflective material it would have been nice to have it already added.
The helmet retails $229, which for what you get matches the price. A lot of times people skimp on helmets instead of buying better ones get helmets that really aren’t good in preventing injury.
Currently, Bollé sells the Bollé Furo in 2 color schemes, black with white accents and white with black accents. I was sent the black color scheme and found it to be very appealing.
Check out Bollé’s website for more on their products and helmets.
