The Giro Verce MIPS is the women’s specific version of the very popular Giro Fixture. It is intended for beginner through to intermediate trail riders or even safety-conscious commuters wanting a nice-looking lid. In this Giro Verce MIPS review, we will look in to the pros and cons of the Verce, and if it is the right helmet for you!
Giro has been creating high-quality helmets for some time now. The Giro name has established a great reputation for safe and comfortable lids. The Giro Verce is no exception!
For the low-down on women’s specific mountain biking helmets, see here.
What to Look for in a Mountain Bike Helmet?
There are a few essential aspects of a helmet that you want to keep an eye out for when purchasing.
Safety Features
This includes anti-rotational systems that allow the helmet to rotate slightly in a crash relative to your head. This allows the helmet to absorb the rotational energy, preventing movement within your skull. An example of this technology is MIPS- Multi-directional Impact Protection System which we consider essential in helmets these days.
Another safety aspect is the amount of coverage the helmet offers. The important areas are around the back of the head and over the temples. You want to protect your head as much as possible in a crash from hard knocks and sharp objects.
Comfort and Ventilation
A comfortable helmet is a helmet more likely to be worn! It also makes the ride a lot more enjoyable and eventually, you may not even notice the helmet being there! Especially if the helmet is well ventilated. Look for plush padding, anti-microbial pads, and lots or large vents!
Construction and Fit
The construction can either be in-molded or not. An in-molded design is higher quality by binding the outer polycarbonate shell to the inner EPS foam. This increases the durability of the lid. To further this, you also want the EPS foam fully wrapped in the polycarbonate shell. Less expensive helmets will have EPS foam showing which reduces the durability of the lid.
Giro Verce MIPS Review
Pros
- MIPS Technology
- Highly adjustable fitting system
- Comfortable
- Well Ventilated
Cons
- Fixed Visor
- The base of the helmet not wrapped
- Fixed Straps
Fit and Comfort
The Giro Verce is a one-size-fits-all helmet. I was a bit skeptical about this at first, but surprisingly it is true! The helmet covers size small through to size large, so unless you have an XS or XL head, it is bound to fit.
To ensure it fits as many riders as possible, Giro has used the Roc Loc Sport system, which makes sure you get a snug and comfortable fit. It is also integrated with MIPS to make sure the safety system fits your head too.
When you pick it up, you will immediately notice how light it is. And once it is on your head, you barely notice it is there!
The padding is minimal but it is still super comfortable. The pads themselves are quite absorbent, and washable if need be.
The only issue I found was the lack of adjustability in the position of the straps. Many higher-end helmets have the ability to adjust the position of the straps over your ears, but the Verce does not offer this. Fortunately for me they were in the correct position, but I could see that for others this may not be the case!
The positioning of the tightening dial is high enough that you can have a ponytail below the dial, keeping your hair off your neck. I found this quite useful as I don’t like the hot feeling of having hair against my neck while I am riding. Having it just a bit higher stopped it from getting sweaty and annoying me!
Safety Features
The Giro Verce comes with MIPS technology (Multi-directional Impact System) integrated with the helmet. This slip-plane technology helps reduce the possibility of brain damage occurring by reducing the rotational energy transferred to the rider’s head in an angular crash. We consider this essential technology in modern helmets and personally would never ride without it.
It also has extended rear coverage. Having more material around the back of the head helps protect more of the back of your head in a collision. It is not as low as the Giro Chronicle, but it does give enough coverage without interfering with the ventilation.
The inner foam layer, made of EPS (expanded polystyrene), is covered by a harder outer shell. This helps increase the durability of the helmet but also stops sharp objects, such as sticks or rocks, from penetrating the helmet.
Durability
Giro is a well-known brand, so you know you are getting a high-quality helmet when you buy from them.
Because this is a less expensive helmet in the Giro range, you don’t get a fully wrapped shell (you can see some of the foam around the bottom of the helmet). This leaves the base of the helmet exposed to the elements, and you end up with a bit of wear and tear on the exposed foam. While this doesn’t degrade the safety of the helmet, it does mean it doesn’t look so good if it isn’t stored carefully.
Ventilation
The Giro Verce has 18 vents, which are positioned all over the helmet to give an airy feel.
The ventilation is very impressive considering it doesn’t use fancy systems like the higher-end helmets such as the Giro Montaro.
On the one-hour plus rides I have taken this helmet on, I haven’t noticed any substantial differences between the Verce and more expensive helmets.
Visor
The visor on the Verce is fixed, which may put a few people off. But, the visor is a really good size, and Giro has done well in making the positioning of it right.
The position of the visor blocks the higher sun from entering the eyes but doesn’t block your view or cause you to strain your neck (as I have found a few fixed visors doing).
Final Remarks on the Giro Verce
The Giro Verce is an undeniable bargain. There are very few helmets out there that look as good, have all the safety technology, are comfortable and as well ventilated as the Verce, for such a low price!
Keep in mind that if you don’t fancy the Verce colors, you don’t necessarily need to go with the Women’s specific helmet. The Giro Fixture, which is effectively the same helmet (slightly different sizing), also has a ton of colors that may suit you better.
It is the ideal helmet for mountain bikers who don’t tackle the most advanced lines but want something inexpensive, yet still highly protective. The Giro Verce is also a great helmet for commuters wanting a stylish and comfortable commuting helmet!
If you enjoyed this Giro Verce MIPS review and want to check out a few more helmets, see our top 15 helmets with MIPS, or the best budget helmets (which includes a review on the unisex version of the Verce, the Giro Fixture).
