Size Up and Stay Safe Out There
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
- Fit: Runs small
I always wear a Medium helmet, except in Fox. For some odd reason almost all of the Fox helmets tend to run small. At least they were consistent, until the new Speedframe helmet, that one runs pretty true to size.
In Giro, Bell, Lazer, Troy Lee, and Specialized, I am a medium, in POC I wear a M/L, In the Fox Speedframe I am a Medium but in the Dropframe and Airframe I am a Large.
I find Giro, Specialized, and Fox helmets fit my head shape the best, pretty sure my head is more oval. Bell and Troy Lee are less comfy to me, pretty sure they fit a little more round.
With the Rampage Pro Carbon (RPC) I am a Large for sure. This is one of the best fitting helmets I have had, and what I mean by best fitting, is that it isn't loose, it fits my head very snug but does not create any painful pressure points. I love all of the focus on safety with this helmet, and it is plenty breathable for a full face DH helmet.
I would maybe dock this helmet 1/2 a star for being heavier than some of the competition, but with that said, I only wear it for Shuttle and Lift runs so the weight has never really bothered me, but on paper it bothers me to the tune of 1/2 a star.
BUT
I also feel like the technology Fox packed into this helmet is top-notch. You know it has to be good when a safety powerhouse like MIPS (check the Virginia Tech Helmet safety tests if you still doubt MIPS effectiveness) purchases the "Fluid Inside" technology used in this helmet.
I think Fox took years of Moto experience and designed an incredibly safe helmet here. Overkill for MTB? Is there such a thing? I mean, it is your head after all.
Thanks for all the detail. You are the second person I've heard say that bell fits a rounder head shape and I can now vouch for that as well. I too have an oval head. It's 23" around but quite narrow from side to side. The Bell super air 3r was too big in XL and too small from front to back when sizing down. The Troy lee stage fit in the largest size but it wasn't secure enough and I was actually able to bring the helmet down to make contact with the bridge of my nose. It was super comfy other than that. Ended up going with the IXS trigger full face in M/L which is adjustable like an open face which is really nice. Only gripe is the chin strap, where the fidlock rests against my throat but I'm going to affix some sort of pad to it. For a full on downhill helmet this fox is going to be my first purchase, hopefully it fits. Smith helmets also seam to fit our head profile pretty well FYI.