Met Strale Helmet

Met's Strale helmet strikes a balance between aerodynamics, cooling and comfort that makes you wonder whether you really need to spend any more on a polystyrene lid.

Last year I tested the Met Manta Aero helmet and it became my favourite; I'm still wearing it on practically every ride, or rather, I was until the Strale turned up.

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The Strale is half the price but offers nearly the same performance. No doubt there'll be some data out there to say it doesn't save as many watts at a given speed, but for the majority of your riding that probably doesn't matter.

With eight vents up front, the Strale has a lot fewer than most traditional helmets but you certainly don't overheat when you're wearing it. A few weeks ago the temperature in this part of the country was nudging 30°C and I spent the week riding in the Met without issue.

Met says that it uses the Venturi effect, scooping air in at the front, and with the small gap between your head and the inside of the helmet, the hot air from your head is forced out of the rear to keep you cool. If it is working then you can't physically feel it, but I certainly never felt like I was baking in this matt black helmet.

When the speed is low and you're working pretty hard – like on a climb, for instance – you will sweat, but I didn't feel noticeably more sweaty than when wearing a helmet with 20 vents. The pads inside the Strale do soak everything up pretty well too.

Met's shape and fitting system suits the shape of my head so I find its helmets really comfortable as I can get them fitting snug without any pressure points anywhere. That's pretty good from a helmet that only adjusts the rear section for size rather than the full circumference, like the cable system used on my Poc.

The fit is controlled by the Safe-T Duo Fit System, which is adjusted circumference-wise by a small dial with close increments to get everything just right. You can also adjust the position vertically by four settings – and flop your ponytail through, too, if necessary.

Size-wise, this test model is a medium, which fits a head size of 52-58cm, while a large comes with a 59-62cm circumference. There are seven colour choices.

The only niggle is the small LED light that clips over the adjustment knob for some extra visibility in the dark. Each of the light's three modes are plenty bright enough, but the actual fitment to the helmet isn't that great. It didn't seem to really connect with the dial by clicking into place or anything.

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Comparing the Strale with some of the other helmets we've tested recently shows there is even more to like. The Salice Levante, for instance, is a similar styled, semi-aero lid which is both heavier (277g) and more expensive than the Met by about £25.

For a similar price, there's the Giant Strive MIPS helmet, but that weighs 80g more at 320g. Not a massive amount, admittedly, but it's more weight on your neck muscles.

Taking all this into account, the Met Strale looks to be a very competitive all-round package.

Verdict

An excellent balance of aerodynamics and cooling in a well-priced package