Giro Cielo Mips

The Giro Cielo Mips is not quite at the top of Giro's range, but it's a good-looking helmet that is still reasonably light and offers a number of Giro's best safety features. The Mips fit and lock system feels good on your head, the ventilation system works well and overall it compares favourably to more expensive alternatives.

In use

Visually, you can see straight off that the Giro Cielo Mips isn't an aero helmet, with 22 vents across the structure giving it a perforated appearance. As you'd imagine, this also means it's very well ventilated and it kept me cool on any rides where I might ordinarily heat up quite a bit.

It is a simple construction compared to helmets that feature the Spherical technology that's popular at the very top end of the helmet market. The Cielo is a single-piece helmet featuring vents of different shapes and sizes, with reflective detailing on the front and back that is quite hard to identify.

Our test helmet came in a Purple Cherry colour, and there are six other options from which you can choose. It's available in three sizes, Small, Medium and Large, apart from the two colours aimed at women (Matte White/Light Lilac Fade and Matte Light Mineral), which are only available in the two smaller sizes.

I was impressed with how small the helmet appeared once on my (pretty large) head. It fits neatly in part because there is very little space wasted inside the helmet. The internal Mips system lies flush to the helmet's body, rather than leaving any air gap, as some helmets do.

While it doesn't pack quite the safety punch of some of Giro's other (more expensive) helmets, the Cielo does offer some good features. The Integrated Mips Brain Protection System aims to reduce rotational forces. The Mips slip plane fits into the adjustable dial so that the two function together – or so Giro says.

Roll cage reinforcement is an invisible additional level of protection that forms part of the foam layer. This helps keep the helmet together under impact – thereby protecting the rider.

The Roc Loc 5 Air supposedly improves fit, cooling and stability. It's a plastic mesh that's meant to suspend the helmet just off your head but I found that my head was actually touching the helmet's frame for the most part. Perhaps it is so close as to be imperceptible – it's difficult to be sure.

The Ionic+ padding contains silver, which is meant to reduce odours building up in the helmet. I haven't worn it in hot enough conditions for this to be properly tested, but so far I'm glad to say it is still smelling okay.

It's difficult to really test too many of these features, but they do combine to create a very comfortable and well-ventilated environment for your head. Helmets are tested extensively by the relevant authorities and Giro has a few helmets that score extremely well – so I'm confident that it's a very safe helmet.

The straps are similar to those on other Giro helmets. They create a gap for your ears to pass through and you can adjust them quite easily by pulling on different straps in different areas of the helmet. You do need to be pretty careful when doing this, as it's possible to pull off the clip/buckle entirely from the right-hand side of the strap.

The rear dial is effective – twisting it clockwise tightens the helmet with a reassuring clicking sound; anti-clockwise turning silently loosens the helmet.

Value

The Giro Cielo Mips is a well-designed and stylish helmet that incorporates a lot of the most highly regarded crash technology to keep you safe. There's no getting around that just shy of £200 is a lot to spend on cycling kit, but this is your head's safety we're talking about – and many people will quite rightly prioritise helmet expenditure.

One of its main competitors at a similar price is the Rudy Project Egos, which is 20g and £20 lighter. Stu Kerton was a big fan and it features in our best cycling helmets buyer's guide. As well as good airflow and a bug net, Stu liked its low-profile looks and cool design. Personally I don't get along with the magnetic Fidlock strap system but Stu had no issues with it.

The Bell XR Spherical, also in our buyer's guide, is a little more at £209, and George recommended it for both road and off-road use. It has the same Spherical technology that features in the Giro Aries below, and George felt the only real drawback was its 294g weight.

And here's what you could have won. The £290 Giro Aries Spherical Helmet is pretty much as pricey as it gets – but it is my go-to helmet and I have to say it is phenomenally comfortable. Its ball-and-socket Spherical technology makes me feel very safe, though it does have a bigger profile than the Cielo, and I'd also say it's less well ventilated.

Is it £100 better than the Cielo? I'm not sure it is.

Conclusion

This is a good-looking and comfortable helmet with a reassuring number of non-gimmicky-sounding safety measures. If you're looking for the lightest helmet around or for something with a bit of insulation then you'll be disappointed by this breezy affair – but otherwise, it's good in most areas.

Verdict

Not the lightest or the cheapest, but comfortable, safe, well ventilated and with a neat profile