Blok, Gear, Giro, Goggles, Helmet, Helmets, Quarter - August 29, 2014

First Look: Giro Quarter helmet and Blok goggles

Giro Quarter Helmet

BMX helmets are a bit of an underserved market. These helmets are usually the recipient of minimal tech, fit, size and ventilation advancements as they’re relegated to the ‘youth’ part of the market. But with the popularity of pump tracks and All M0untain biking and with more emphasis on youth protection, Giro sought out to evolve the category while still keeping the price down.

Their new helmet is the Giro Quarter and it offers a few cool features to the segment. It comes with 8 vents and removable/washable padding for improved cooling and comfort.

Another cool feature is they put a polyurethane rubberized coating at the edges of the EPS foam where it can come in contact with the ground and get damaged. With these helmets getting thrown around by youth users onto the ground or concrete, Giro put the coating to keep the head protecting EPS foam from damage.

And finally, form factor and weight were decreased while still passing all the helmet tests. A lower profile helmet is a safer helmet anyways, as there’s less rotational leverage on the head during a crash.

Perhaps one of the best features of all is they kept the price affordable at $40. With many mountain bike helmets approaching the $200 price tag these days, it’s refreshing to see a well thought-out product at a bargain price.

Giro Blok Goggles

The other interesting new product is the Blok goggle, which is derived from their popular ski goggle. Certain tweaks were done to optimize it for bike use. One of the changes is that the goggle was converted from 2 ply to 1 ply, since the bike application will not be as critical with anti-fogging needs in less than snowy conditions.

Another feature is two lenses are now included, a clear and an amber. The user can swap them before the ride to optimize for the trail conditions at hand.

And the claim-to-fame of this Blok goggle design is it keeps the lens close to the face of the rider for a wider, clearer field of view. In addition, 10 tear sheets will be included with the purchase as well. This allows the rider to take out all the mud and dirt from the goggle by taking off the top protective layer sitting on the goggle itself.

One downside is the goggles look rather tall compared to other bike goggles. This may cause interference with some helmets with a low brow. But Giro says its fully compatible with all their helmet with no gap or interference.