Kask Valegro helmet

The Kask Valegro is a lightweight and well-ventilated helmet with a fairly low profile, although I haven't found it as comfortable as other models in the range.

• Pros: Lightweight, very good ventilation, easily adjusted fit system
• Cons: Narrow pads so try before you buy

The Valegro was developed in response to Team Sky's request for a lightweight lid with maximum cooling to sit alongside the more aero Protone in its armoury.

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It's certainly light, our medium-sized review sample weighing just 206g (Kask claims 180g for a small). I've never seen the point of counting vents, but for the record you get 37 here. More relevant, they do a really good job of keeping your head cool, internal channeling allowing the air to circulate and helping to prevent the buildup of heat and sweat. This is the Valegro's biggest strength – it's something you really notice – making it a helmet to consider if you find that others leave your head too hot in summer conditions.

Part of the reason for the Valegro's ability to keep you cool is that very little of the helmet actually touches your head. Aside from the fit system, contact is limited to narrow pads (I'm talking about narrow from side to side; they're 5mm deep) that run front to rear, allowing air to flow relatively unhindered.

The flip-side is that you don't get a pad running across the bottom of your forehead to soak up any sweat dripping down, and the pressure in the areas where the helmet does touch your head is a little greater than it would otherwise be. Fair enough, this is a light helmet, but I didn't find it as comfortable as either Kask's Protone or Mojito, both of which I've used a lot in the past. Don't get me wrong, I didn't find the Valegro uncomfortable, I just prefer the feel of those other two which distribute the force over larger areas.

That'll come down to the individual, though. Like saddles, a bike helmet's comfort is a personal thing. I asked several other people to try out the Valegro and they all loved the feel. You might find the Valegro to be the most comfortable helmet you've ever used.

Kask's Octo Fit adjustment system is excellent, connecting to the rest of the helmet at the temples and the rear. You alter the fit via a clicky wheel, as is usually the case, while the cradle offers a whopping 50mm of up/down movement at the back of your head. The occipital pads –the bits that contact your head back there – are independently adjustable too, so you can allow for any asymmetry. The overall feel when you have everything set up right is of a helmet that surrounds your head rather than being perched on top.

I found that although the arms of most sunglasses worked fine with the Octo Fit, some hit it and wouldn't sit quite right when the rear section was positioned all the way down – not a huge problem but slightly sub-optimal. Try before you buy, would be my advice. On the other hand, I found a good stash point in the vents for all of the glasses I tried with the Valegro, usually around the back.

The straps are worth a mention too. For a start, I like the way that Kask constructs them to fit around your ears rather than using plastic dividers like nearly everyone else.

I also like the eco-leather (synthetic leather) chin strap because it looks neat and doesn't dig in like some webbing, lifting the overall quality just a smidge.

At £169, the Valegro is hardly cheap but it's not as expensive as top-end helmets from other brands. The Met Trenta 3K Carbon helmet we reviewed recently, for example, is £265, the Giro Synthe MIPS costs from £249.99, and Kask's own Protone has a £199 RRP.

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That said, all of those helmets come with aero credentials whereas Kask doesn't make any drag-related claims for the Valegro. The Giro Synthe's use of Mips – a system designed to add protection against the rotational motion transmitted to the brain from angled impacts to the head – pushes the price up too. Kask doesn't offer a Mips version of the Valegro, or any other helmet come to that.

Overall, the Valegro puts in a strong performance if you're after a lightweight and cool helmet. The only real issue I had was that the pressure didn't feel as comfortably distributed on my head as with other helmets in Kask's range, despite an excellent fit system, although other people didn't find the same thing. If you're interested in the Valegro, I'd suggest you try before you buy because if the fit feels good to you this is a high-quality option.

Verdict

Light and well-ventilated helmet to keep you cool, but be sure to try before you buy