Endura Hummvee Helmet

The Endura Hummvee is a great value mountain biking, commuting and leisure helmet that is comfortable, relatively light and benefits from some useful features. It can get a bit warm and the fit might not be perfect for everyone, but if it suits you, it's an absolute bargain.

I recently tested the Hummvee's more road-orientated sibling, Endura's Xtract Helmet II, and was rather impressed by its decent performance and funky style at a relatively humble price. If anything, though, I'd say the Hummvee is even better.

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Before we get into the pros and cons, let's start with the basics. The Hummvee shares many of the same qualities as the Xtract II and is another lower to mid-range helmet, in this case designed for off-roaders, commuters and leisure riders. Construction features a moulded polycarbonate shell covering an expanded polystyrene core, with a chunky twist-wheel micro-adjustment system to get a nice stable fit. Because it's aimed partly at mountain bikers, the Hummvee comes with a visor, too.

Although there's plenty of good stuff to talk about, let's get a couple of potential issues out of the way first. Possibly the most important for some people will be the fact that the strap system doesn't use double straps and adjusters. Instead, the triangle of webbing that comes down around your ears is sewn in place, a bit like Specialized's 'Tri-Fix web splitter'. If it doesn't comfortably fit around your shell-likes, there's nothing you can do – which means you really should try before you buy.

Secondly, a minor downside, at least in comparison to the Xtract II, is that despite its far more numerous selection of vents, the Hummvee is a little bit warmer to wear. It's a fine three-season option, but you may find it all gets a bit sweaty when you're riding hard at the height of summer.

I'd put at least part of the reason for that to the internal padding. Initially this looks very similar to the padding found in the Xtract II, but in terms of comfort it's actually far more substantial and works far better in the Hummvee. Indeed, I moaned slightly about the Xtract II feeling a bit cheap and scratchy initially, but that's not a criticism I'd level at the Hummvee – this helmet feels impressively plush from the off.

The Humvee is also very stable on the head, with the straps and twist-wheel adjustment doing their jobs well.

Another welcome feature is the bug netting behind the front-facing vents, which stops creepy crawlies getting too close. And I have to say, I also think the Hummvee looks good with its all-round protective design – you certainly wouldn't think this is a budget helmet.

Obviously we're not quite comparing apples with apples here, because this is not a road-orientated helmet like the Xtract II, but the Hummvee also has a couple of distinct benefits over its range mate.

The first is weight. At 261g, this is impressively light for the money and is actually lighter than the Xtract II despite having that mountain biker visor. And the second is price, because at £42.99 the Hummvee is £17 cheaper than the Xtract II. So if you're not fussed about styling, I'd say the Hummvee is the clear helmet of choice from Endura's budget line.

Value and conclusion

What can you buy for £42.99 these days? A quick look through our helmet reviews selection would suggest not much, although the Abus Macator is another decent if slightly style-free general use helmet at £44.99. The same could be said for the otherwise excellent Giant Rev Comp Road at £49.99. In comparison, the Hummvee can hold its head high.

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However, one small consideration it's worth mentioning – in addition to my warnings about the around-ear strap position – is that when Emma tested the Hummvee a couple of years ago, she found it a tricky fit with a narrow head shape. I proudly boast a bulbous bonce and found no such concerns, but please do take that into account and, again, it's worth trying before you buy.

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So the Endura Hummvee helmet is inexpensive, light, comfortable and secure. If you need a helmet for general use, mountain biking, commuting or essentially anything other than long, hard, sweaty days in a road bike saddle – and you have the head shape to suit – it's a really excellent choice.

Verdict

Fantastic urban and off-road helmet that's light, cheap, comfy and offers good all-round protection