Now in its third iteration, the Giro Montaro Mips III benefits from a ground-up redesign that introduces a fresh, modern look and a handful of new features. As far as comfort goes, the Montaro III is at the top of the list thanks to its generous padding and excellent fit. However, it’s rather weighty, airflow is somewhat lacking, and it’s rather unremarkable against others at this price point.
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Giro Montaro Mips III – Technical details
The previous generation Montaro is one that received acclaim from far and wide, but now, with a few years under its belt, Giro thought it was high time for a glow-up. With claims to reimagine the trail helmet, the lid gets a Mips Evolve Core cradle that addresses rotational impact protection and Giro’s Roc Loc 5 fit system. The latter is said to be the industry benchmark for comfort, and it uses the classic dial adjustment layout that sorts the circumference fit, while alloying fore and aft tilt of the helmet, so the height of it on the head.
To bring a heft of airflow, the Montaro III benefits from oversized vents and a channeled interior to guide air into the helmet, over the head, and out of the back. That’s aided by 17 vents in total, four of which are blocked by the Mips cradle, but Giro has cut ventilation holes into these areas on the inner cradle.
Built to please all manners of trail riders, whether they wear glasses or goggles, the Montaro is equipped to accommodate both. There are two sunglasses holders, one at the front and another at the rear, and there’s a sliver of rubber at the back of the helmet to boost goggle strap security.
Rounding off the details, there’s a two-position adjustable visor, a Fidlock buckle, and Ionic+ anti-microbial moisture-wicking padding, and plenty of it.
Coming as the brand’s first e-bike NTA 8776-certified open face helmet, it also meets CPSC/CE certification. The medium on test then weighs 460g.
Giro Montaro Mips III – Performance
One thing’s for sure about the Montaro III. It’s incredibly comfortable, and among the most comfortable I’ve used. It’s equipped with plenty of rather thick padding, so it comes as no surprise, but with that padding comes a shape that works well with my more oval-shaped head.
With great out-of-the-box comfort comes easy adjustment. Giro has done a good job of designing its dial and height adjustment so it can be done with one hand. Of course, the dial needs only a quick twist, but the height adjustment can just be pushed and pulled into place.
Although the Montaro III is a soft and enjoyable place to be, there is a key downside. It’s rather weighty. At 460g, that weight is noticeable, especially when compared to other trail helmets around this price point. However, thanks to the security provided by its Roc Loc 5 fit system, the helmet doesn’t feel wobbly. Despite its weight, it’s still comfortable and secure, but when switching to other helmets, there’s been a clear weight lifted.
Airflow is an interesting one for the Montaro III. Sure, there are a lot of vents, and the internal channel helps direct air to the places where it needs to be. But it’s not terribly breezy. When riding through the summer, the helmet feels fine as it certainly doesn’t overheat, but it also doesn’t guide that much air around. To be honest, in this respect, it’s rather unremarkable, but it’s just fine, and really, there’s not all that much wrong with it, unless you’re after the feeling of a strong cool breeze flowing through a lid.
Sunglasses storage is also a bit iffy. Apparently, there are two spots in which glasses can be stored – one under the visor and another at the rear. However, I struggled to find a good spot for my riding specs under the visor, and while a pair of the vents at the rear can house glasses’ arms, it’s not terribly secure. Knock an overhanging branch, and it’ll pull the glasses out. It would be great to see some kind of rubber inside these areas to provide a more secure hold.
Giro Montaro Mips III – Verdict
Coming in with a price tag of £160, the Montaro Mips III is a mid to premium helmet, but at this price point, it’s swamped by others that are lighter, breezier, and as comfortable. My recent go-to has been Fox’s Speedframe Pro. It’s £165, so it’s a little pricier, but it addresses the shortfalls of the Montaro III. It weighs less, and it encourages better airflow while holding sunglasses more securely. The Fox’s five-star Virginia Tech rating adds another string to its bow.
It’s a similar story for the Troy Lee Designs Flowline SE, as again, it’s not as weighty, and it brings more airflow. The kicker here is that it costs £140. Leatt’s MTB Trail 3.0 helmet also comes in at £140, and although its visor isn’t adjustable, Ty found it to be a top performer.
The Giro Montaro Mips III has a lot going for it in the comfort, fit, and style departments. It comes with all of the right features, too, so it’s an easy hat to live with, but owing to its shortfalls in airflow, weight, and sunglasses security, it struggles to keep up with alternative helmets at this price.
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