GiroAether MIPS Cycling Helmet

Very pleased with this helmet. The Spherical MIPS system in the helmet is a fantastic design. The way it moves in the helmet to protect from impacts is more advanced than other helmets I have used. Also, the helmet is very lightweight, and breathes really well. Overall, a very safe and comfortable choice.

Didn’t think I needed to wear a helmet riding bike paths until a chicken head made a bad decision and hit me head on in my bike lane. I did my research and this helmet is the best. Super light, looks sleek, comfortable, and breathable. I also love it because I have a big head and fits in a medium.

I purchased this Giro Aether Spherical Adult Road Cycling Helmet for my new RadPower RadCity 5 ebike and you might think that after 45+ years of not riding a bike, I might get to try out the injury prevention qualities of this helmet, but I am proud to say that so far, I've not taken a spill on the bike so I cannot address that from experience. But I can say that the helmet seems to be well designed, the open frame means your head doesn't get overheated easily, and the adjustability means you can get a comfortable fit. I find that the chin strap latches are a bit difficult to undo at first. The helmet is indeed light weight, adding to its comfort. It does seem to be a bit pricey, but that seems to be the nature of bicyccle helmets these days. It is stylish enough for me (I think it looks great) & there are several color combinations to choose from.

I LOVE THIS HELMET!! It's light, it's airy, it's comfortable, it's cool looking.... But more than that- It's a life saver! Let me explain, I let my friend borrow this helmet when she went biking with me (I have 2 of them), and long story short- I narrowly escaped collision, but she ended up flying over the handlebars, smashed the front of her head into the ground so hard that it scraped and indented the front of the helmet.... but it did exactly what it was supposed to do and redirected the force of impact. My friend had multiple serious injuries from this accident, but a head injury wasn't one of them. I will NEVER buy another helmet again.

My initial impressions are only "OK," though it should be noted that I only opened the box about 15 minutes ago. For such an expensive helmet, I expected my excitement level to be the same AFTER opening the box as it was BEFORE opening the box. First of all, according to Giro sizing instructions, I should've ordered a size "M," however I did not - I ordered a size L. I'm 6ft tall, 200lbs and nothing I own is size M - not gloves, shoes, pants, shirts, hats or other helmets. In fact, I know my head is quite large and many times is in the 2XL category. The size L fits great, with plenty of adjustment either way - if the M has such broad adjustment of the L, then perhaps an M could fit, too? As for the helmet itself, it's just hard to believe that this small bit of lightweight plastic and foam costs $300. In my hands and in front of my eyes, it's an underwhelming helmet. Next, the item I selected indicated this was a 2021 model, yet the internal sticker says 2020 - perhaps this isn't a big deal. However, a bigger deal is that the "Spherical" sticker, visible in online photos on the right-rear of the helmet, is absent. Anybody buying this helmet paid a lot of money for "MIPS Spherical," and I would like the sticker to be there. Indeed, the helmet has the MIPS Spherical technology - that's obvious, but it's kind of like buying a Mercedes-Benz AMG and not getting the AMG badge. Next, in certain "unboxing" videos, the unboxer removes the helmet from the box and the helmet is in a lightweight bag. It’s similar to the kind of bag that a nice pair of shoes comes in - a cotton or microfleece bag that helps protect the shoes if traveling in, for example, a suitcase. My helmet did not come with a bag. A $300 helmet ought to have a travel bag. Nor did the helmet did come with additional/spare pads – in the helmet, there are three small "regular" pads and one brow pad - extra pads would be nice. My $90 Giro Fathom helmet from five years ago came with additional pads. A $300 helmet ought to come with spare pads. Lastly, what looks like a nice paint job in online photos is, in reality, what appears to be a "cheap" sticker applique. I bought the gray-red-white version of the Aether and it appears, online, that there is a texture or a fade on the gloss white portion that gives the helmet a cool, almost custom look. In person, it looks like a clear sticker with lots of bubbles underneath. The feel is smooth, so there are no bubbles, but it looks cheap - almost like it's a clear, protective, hastily applied protective sticker over the white paint. It's not - it's the actual, intentional finish to the helmet and it's disappointing. The helmet is only 15 minutes old and I'm already worried that this “sticker finish” will chip and peel. I know the real cost of this helmet is on the development side, not on the materials side, but I wish Giro took a few extra steps (bag, extra pads, actual paint rather than a sticker) to make the customer feel like they were getting more bang for their buck. Other issues, like the 2020 vs. 2021 and the missing "Spherical" decal, are additional disappointments. I have no doubt the Giro Aether is a great helmet and will protect my head better than other, non-MIPS Spherical helmets (that's why I bought it), but I expected more from Giro at this price point.

In January 2022, I bought a Bell Stratus MIPS (med) on Amazon for $167, and was reasonably satisfied...until the pads basically fell apart and I couldn't find replacement pads ANYWHERE. So, I decided to go back to what I wore before my sabbatical from cycling: Giro.The Aether is by no means inexpensive, but the features were appealing and it hasn't disappointed. It came out of the box ride-ready. A size large fit my head with plenty of room for a skull cap underneath. The adjustment is in small degrees and uniformly tightens around my head. The chin straps were almost perfectly placed so I had no need for adjustments. The helmet also came with a sticker indicating it was made in January 2022.The interior pads are minimal: 3 tiny ones on the top and a thin brow pad. Unfortunately, no extra pads were included. I hope these pads last longer than the Bell pads.The helmet feels great on a ride; plenty of ventilation and the sweat is carried out of the way to the back. Its stays in place and is lightweight. Overall, I'm good with spending over $300 to protect my dome.

My son loves it