Met Sine Thesis helmet

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

A helmet is a very personal thing. Its not just style, colour or fit but what safety features are included and none of this must compromise the ability to fit and fit well. It needs to be adjustable without affecting fit. The Met Sine Thesis does just that. It offers style, a choice of colours and is easy to adjust to get the fit just so.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Met were early exponents at using in-moulding technology in their helmets. This process involves the foam interior liner of the helmet being blown into the external shell during manufacturing, hence the name. The advantages to this are the helmet weight is reduced as the liner is fused to the outer shell which in turn can be thinner and therefore lighter.

As seen in the Met design of the Sine Thesis, they are able to incorporate more vents and all round the helmet without compromising the integrity of the shell or liner.

It does mean that Met can get a little funky with their design shapes and angles offering riders a more interesting lid, perhaps even unique. As production costs have come down the in-mold construction technology is no longer the preserve of high end helmets. The technology is now being used further down the range.

That's the technology taken care of so how does it wear? The Met Sine Thesis helmet is one of the best. The fit is helped by the in-moulding as already covered. This gives the helmet a slightly bulbous look but isn't translated into a weight penalty.

The inner cradle on the inside of the back of the helmet can also be adjusted. With four different height settings. A little extra tweaking that can ensure you have no excuse not to get the most comfortable fitting. On the front the straps are ventilated which not only saves weight but provides a soft finish against your skin. The straps are anchored to the helmet at the back through the exoskeleton and at the side. To get the cradle to the right tension there is a dial adjuster on the back. The helmet straps are designed to aid aerodynamics and their tensile stress is more evenly dissipated in the event of impact. If that wasn't enough the straps are made from Kevlar which improves breathability and super resistant.

Whereas on other helmets you have a yard or so of extra strap on the Sine Thesis you have a sealed end but with plenty of room to adjust. To do that it is just a case of sliding the strap adjuster which can be done with one hand. No fiddling with or having to feed the strap through. When you wear it the straps fit comfortably on the back of the head and down the side.

The padding inside the helmet is provided by small silicone pads. These gel pads provide as much comfort as the normal pads you get but they don't retain the sweat. Their hypo-allergenic and anti-bacterial properties can only keep your head protected further from not only the heat. My only gripe here is the line of pads on the front can get caught if you wear a skull cap or hat which can move them out of position and cause an irritation.

The inner cradle on the inside of the back of the helmet can also be adjusted. With four different height settings. A little extra tweaking that can ensure you have no excuse not to get the most comfortable fitting. On the front the straps are ventilated which not only saves weight but provides a soft finish against your skin. The straps are anchored to the helmet at the back through the exoskeleton and at the side. To get the cradle to the right tension there is a dial adjuster on the back. The helmet straps are designed to aid aerodynamics and their tensile stress is more evenly dissipated in the event of impact. If that wasn't enough the straps are made from Kevlar which improves breathability and super resistant.

Whereas on other helmets you have a yard or so of extra strap on the Sine Thesis you have a sealed end but with plenty of room to adjust. To do that it is just a case of sliding the strap adjuster which can be done with one hand. No fiddling with or having to feed the strap through. When you wear it the straps fit comfortably on the back of the head and down the side.

The padding inside the helmet is provided by small silicone pads. These gel pads provide as much comfort as the normal pads you get but they don't retain the sweat. Their hypo-allergenic and anti-bacterial properties can only keep your head protected further from not only the heat. My only gripe here is the line of pads on the front can get caught if you wear a skull cap or hat which can move them out of position and cause an irritation.

For ventilation Met claim that with only 20% of the helmet in contact with your head, the airflow is increased and you stay cooler. The reality is the Met Sine Thesis helmet does allow the air to flow nicely which will be a big bonus on warmer rides. On cold or windy rides the simple addition of a skull cap does a decent job of reducing this effectiveness. The 20 vents will do a good job when the weather hots up.

The Kevlar straps are not only easy to use and wipe clean but have proved very robust. There has been no fraying through use. The helmet body itself has an easy wipe clean surface and the addition of the silicone pads mean there is little to remove to wash and increase longevity. The helmet shell has proven to be tough not that it has been put to the test but has survived plenty of use with no detrimental effect.

The in-mould technology used to construct the Met Sine Thesis helmet makes for a lightweight lid. The additional materials used to complete the job help to make it less fiddly than some to adjust and keep clean. You can easily forget you are wearing the helmet, a combination of the lack of weight and the ability to get it to fit well.

Having the ability to adjust the inner cradle up and down as well as for and aft allows you the rider to fine tune the fit. The silicone pads provide a very soft fit directly against the head or on top of a skull cap. The only proviso here is to make sure the lid is fitted well to avoid pushing these pads out of position which can cause irritation. The straps are not only easy to use and clean but to adjust.

At £190 you would expect a lot for a helmet. Met have pulled out all the stops to produce a helmet that offers decent levels of protection but does the expected very well. Easy to adjust, do up and keep clean coupled with stylish graphics complete the package. This may still prove a barrier to some but if you can afford this helmet then it's well worth the expenditure.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Besides a minor concern over the securing of the front row of silicone pads the Met Sine Thesis helmet is a revelation. Providing a good fit with plenty of adjustments, little or no weight penalty and the ability to keep you cool. Overall I'd have to say this is one of the best helmets I have worn in a while.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The helmet is light, well ventilated and easy to adjust to make sure you have a secure fit. With the cradle at the back adjustable both up and down as well as in and out there is no excuse not to get the right fit.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

My only concern with the Met Sine Thesis is the silicone gel pads on the inside of the lid. They provide plenty of comfort but they can be easily caught which can move them out of position and prove uncomfortable.