Let’s face it: bike helmets not often look cool. A minimum of, most bike helmets don’t look cool in your commuter bike. If they really handle to look cool, they’re most likely not the most secure or most technical choice. The Thousand Chapter MIPS ($145), however, truly checks all of the containers: it seems to be wonderful, is super-comfortable, has a well-considered design, and makes life simpler for the rider — what extra might you ask for?
Constructing off the success of the model’s unique Heritage mannequin, Thousand maintained an identical glossy but low-key aesthetic whereas concurrently enhancing air flow, safety, visibility, and sturdiness. They managed to try this whereas enhancing the match and luxury and decreasing weight, however it comes at a barely greater value.
Briefly: The Thousand Chapter MIPS is my favourite commuter helmet available on the market. It blends top-tier security with intelligent options like a magnetized rear gentle for enhanced visibility and a intelligent PopLock for simple storage while you park your bike. Pair that with the one-hand-ready magnetic buckle, eight vents, and a detachable visor, and also you’ve obtained your self a trendy and protecting bike helmet that gained’t make you appear like you’re attempting to win a race.
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Meant use
Commuting, city -
Weight
370 g (M) -
Rotational impression safety system
MIPS -
Visor
Sure, detachable -
Variety of vents
8 -
Accessible sizes
S, M, L -
Virginia Tech Helmet Security Score
5-star -
Colours
Membership Navy, Racer Black, Supermoon White, Skyline Gray, Metro White, Deep Burgundy, Desert Sage
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Comes with a chargeable magnetic gentle -
Multiuse adapter to connect gentle to bike -
Simple-to-use magnetic fastener -
MIPS safety -
PopLock to safe helmet to lock
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We’d choose extra cushioning contained in the helmet -
Expensive for a nonperformance helmet
Thousand Chapter MIPS Helmet Evaluation
For the avid bike commuter searching for a trendy helmet with top-tier options, the Thousand Chapter MIPS ($145) is a incredible choice. This model initially gained recognition on Kickstarter, the place it raised over $220,000 — far surpassing its $20,000 objective — to create a brand new form of commuter helmet: one which blends type, efficiency, and considerate options that distinguish it from opponents. Thousand’s unique helmets did simply that, however it has continued to enhance its choices with new fashions just like the Chapter MIPS.
Type on the Bike
The Chapter MIPS impresses proper out of the field. It seems to be nothing like a street or mountain bike helmet, and I feel that’s a very good factor. The graceful, rounded form matches in significantly better in an city or commuter setting, and it is available in eight colour choices.
Its glossy, purpose-built detachable visor presents a premium really feel that surpasses the built-in visors of different Thousand helmets whereas efficiently offering a bit of safety from the solar. Nonetheless, it seems to be like a real bike helmet fairly than a repurposed snowboard or skate helmet, as many commuter helmets have previously. It matches in on the street with ease with out wanting such as you’re about to leap right into a street bike race or go shred in your mountain bike.
Match
The Chapter MIPS is available in three shell sizes — small, medium, and huge — to suit heads 54-62 cm in circumference. To dial within the match on your distinctive head measurement and form, Thousand contains an built-in dial match system that gives fast and straightforward pressure adjustment inside every measurement’s match vary. The match system cradles the bottom of the occipital lobe and ensures the helmet stays comfortable, safe, and secure whereas using.
The form of the Chapter MIPS is pleasantly impartial and will work effectively for many head shapes. The padding is comparatively skinny, however is well-placed and agreeable towards the top. I wouldn’t thoughts if the padding have been a bit of plusher, however I didn’t discover that it detracted from the helmet’s consolation regardless.
Considerate Options
Working up a sweat and displaying as much as the workplace with moist hair isn’t superb. Sadly, air flow looks as if an afterthought within the design of most commuter bike helmets. Not so with the Thousand Chapter MIPS. Eight giant vents with inside air channels present good airflow throughout the highest of the top. This was one thing I actually appreciated on summer time rides across the metropolis right here in Boise, ID, particularly when temps rose above 100 levels.
I’m additionally significantly keen on the magnetic buckle, which is simple to clasp and unclasp with one hand and makes placing on and taking off the Chapter MIPS a snap. The distinctive PopLock characteristic can also be an enormous profit. A hidden gap on the again of the helmet opens as much as enable riders to safe the helmet with their bike lock for safekeeping — no extra carrying the helmet round all over the place you go.
Be Seen
Being seen whereas using on the street is extremely necessary for security, and one other main plus for the Chapter MIPS is the included 30-lumen rear gentle. The USB-chargeable gentle is magnetized, making it easy to connect and detach from the embedded magnet on the rear of the helmet. This makes it super-easy to cost because you don’t want to put the helmet close to an influence supply.
The sunshine has two settings — stable and flashing — and might last as long as 2 hours in flash mode on one cost. It additionally comes with a helpful adapter to connect the sunshine in your bike’s seatpost, giving it a static location to stay to should you’re going to be using the identical bike constantly.
Professional-Worthy Security
Past its cool type and commuter-specific options, the Chapter MIPS features a MIPS liner to assist cut back rotational impression forces in a crash. If you happen to haven’t heard of it already, MIPS is a system that has grow to be commonplace on most trendy commuter, gravel, mountain, and street bike helmets.
On this case, the Chapter Helmet has a skinny plastic MIPS liner between the padding and the shell that’s connected to small elastomers and is designed to work like a slip airplane between the helmet and your head. Permitting the helmet to shift barely on impression goals to scale back the rotational forces transmitted to the mind, which can cut back the possibilities of concussion.
It additionally earned a 5-star ranking in Virginia Tech’s impartial helmet testing. Virginia Tech has grow to be the chief in impartial helmet testing by performing a sequence of managed lab checks to look at the protecting properties of helmets on a degree and unbiased enjoying discipline.
5 stars is the very best ranking a helmet can earn, so this bodes very effectively for the safety of the Chapter MIPS. I take consolation in understanding not solely that this helmet has been examined however that it scored effectively, too.
Conclusion
If you happen to’re a motorcycle commuter who doesn’t wish to experience round with flashy road-cyclist tech, that is the helmet for you. It’s full of options however doesn’t look misplaced on town streets, whether or not you’re rolling as much as work on a beat-up ’70s street bike or the sleekest new electrical commuter.
Commuters, no matter expertise, will love the little particulars just like the detachable rear gentle, the helpful lock-up gap, and the magnetic buckle. The helmet even comes with a pleasant fabric bag for storage. It is likely to be a bit of dear for some, however we expect that the type, consolation, security options, and adaptable gentle make it a worthwhile funding for any critical bike commuter.
The Thousand Chapter MIPS Helmet is accessible for buy on the Thousand web site and at main on-line retailers like REI.com and Backcountry.com.