Urge’s second foray into the mountain bike helmet market was just as strong as their first. Styling is unique, just like their Endur-O-Matic, and might not be for everyone, but it certainly is a grower. The Down-O-Matic is another brilliant full-face helmet that will make your purchasing decision that little bit more difficult. At £149.99, this is another contender for the best value helmet on the market. 966 grams put this helmet on the lighter side of the competition and feels very light once on your head. Fit is reassuringly snug with all the pads completely removable to fine tune the fit and for cleaning purposes. Venting is superb, with the large, circular holes allowing considerable airflow through the helmet, with the inner shell designed to create a Venturi effect, ensuring the air passes all the way through the helmet and gets the heat away from your head. The visor has been specifically designed to bend rather than snap to avoid damage to your neck in a crash and has grip tape at the fixing points to ensure this happens. You won’t find a carbon version of the Down-O-Matic anywhere, but what you do get is their ‘Veggie’ version. This is a linen fibre construction, similar to that of carbon fibre, but much kinder to the environment. Just like linen, you don’t need to iron this lid either.

Price: From £149.99

Decade Europe 01792 469 811
www.urgebike.com