Proviz REFLECT360 Bike Helmet

The Proviz REFLECT360 Helmet offers about as much after-dark visibility as it's possible to cram into a helmet. It's a comfortable and capable all-purpose lid at a good price, albeit with a slightly heavy weight. And with just a few minor tweaks to the straps and the visor it could be a truly outstanding helmet.

This is a fully featured helmet designed to offer the ultimate in after-dark visibility and enhanced riding safety. Shaped to suit all styles of riding, it is covered in reflective bits and bobs including a large chunk of the actual surface of the helmet. As such, it stands out – literally – from the helmets in the best cycling helmets buyer's guide.

In addition to the all-over reflectivity there's a reflector built into the cradle-adjusting knob at the rear, which also houses an integrated battery-powered red LED. The straps and the cradle system are fully adjustable, and there are 13 vents for cooling, with four forward-facing vents featuring insect and debris mesh.

The helmet comes in two sizes (M: 52-58cm; L: 55-63cm) and is easily adjusted via a dial at the rear. The fit was neither narrow nor round, and I found it pretty comfortable, with the internal cradle cupping my skull nicely, providing good comfort and excellent stability. However, I did find the straps sat awkwardly, turning slightly when they were fastened rather than sitting flush against my head, which would have been more comfortable.

With 13 generously sized vents, I had no issues with overheating during urban and commuter rides as well as a bit of gravel exploring, with the mesh doing a good job of keeping out pesky hitch-hikers. The air was channelled well, and I'd be quite happy to wear this on more road-focused rides too.

The helmet comes with a visor, though the process of popping the visor from the helmet felt alarmingly committing, and I'd have preferred a smoother process that didn't feel quite so stressful. Once off, though, the attachment points were virtually invisible.

The interior padding was soft and comfortable. At 337g this helmet is heavier than many similarly priced helmets designed for similar riding duties. It didn't feel irritatingly heavy, but there was definitely more bulk than with many helmets, at least part of which will be due to the additional weight of the rear reflector and LED.

And while it probably wouldn't make a huge difference to the weight, I didn't find the knob on top of the helmet that allows you to adjust the strap length very intuitive to use. I feel it's a little over-engineered for what could be quite a simple process. I'd have been happy to have dispensed with that, as it adds weight and felt a little surplus to requirements.

Value

At £69.99 (currently £59.49), this helmet is in the ballpark for recreational/commuter helmets. And while it feels like it offers a few unique premium features, I do feel Proviz has sacrificed some more basic elements to include them and to still hit a competitive price.

The level of visibility it offers is – quite literally – brilliant, but the strap system and the weight aren't perfect. I think I'd have been prepared to pay just a little extra for some of those basics to be improved upon, to make this a truly superb commuter helmet.

At this price and weight, the Proviz is also competing against a few helmets with Mips technology. The Smith Signal MIPS Helmet that Shaun reviewed is £64.99 but has Mips rather than the Proviz's mega reflectives. 

The Met Allroad Helmet, which Mike tested, costs £70 and its features also include a rear LED light and detachable visor, but it's a bit lighter than the Proviz, although it lacks the Proviz's bring-down-alien-spaceships reflectives. 

Considering it has a rear LED and detachable peak and is lighter than the Proviz by 49g, it's very hard to ignore the value offered by the Raleigh Mission Evo Helmet at just £23.99, and which Emma felt performed well above its entry-level price tag.

Conclusion

Ultimately, though, it's all about whether the superb reflective element is the most important feature for you.

If Proviz could address the weight and the slight strap niggles, the REFLECT360 would be a genuinely fantastic helmet, rather than just a pretty good one. It offers amazing after-dark safety elements and is comfortable and stable at a good price, but it's not perfect.

Verdict

A good helmet, with superb after-dark visibility. Could be truly excellent with a few tweaks to straps and weight