Rapha + Poc Omne Air helmet

The Rapha + Poc Omne Air Spin is a very good slim-profile helmet with an incredibly comfy strap system (if it fits you), ports for stashing sunnies, and safety tech for dealing with rotational forces in the event of a crash. There is limited strap adjustment around the ears, though, so you might find you're unable to get the fit you require.

Rapha's signature styling coats this edition of Poc's most affordable road lid, the Omne Air, with three colours on offer: grey, navy, and a quite creamy off-white (which Poc calls Birch).

> Buy this online here

The Omne Air is designed for daily commuting and weekend rides as well as gravel adventures. It's race proven in off-road events, too – this is the helmet worn by EF Education-NIPPO's Lachlan Morton during his Alternative Calendar races.

According to Poc, the variable optimised-density EPS liner offers ideal impact force absorption with its thicker protection in specific zones.

The helmet also features Poc's patent-pending silicone pad crash safety technology called SPIN, for Shearing Pad INside, which is an alternative to MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System). The gel-like pads are positioned in critical locations throughout the helmet, and are claimed to minimise rotational forces transferred to the brain in the event of an impact.

There are no snag points for catching your hair, as was the issue in some earlier MIPS-integrated designs. It certainly seems a well-integrated, comfy safety solution – as far as I can tell of course, I've not crash-tested it – but it does meet UK/EU (EU Regulation 2016/425) standards.

Ten generously sized vents keep things reasonably cool. Airflow is directed effectively through the five front-facing vents and the five internal channels before then exiting via five vents at the rear which are positioned in a three-up, two-down formation.

This vent system kept things pleasant throughout the test period, but I have been testing in autumn; the nippy morning air didn't seem to bother me as much as usual and so this suggests to me it runs hotter than other lids such as my Kask Valegro. It'll be interesting to see how this lid really copes when we make it round to the summer again.

Sunglasses can be tucked away easily and securely when not in use in two of the front vents. There are no grippy silicone strips inside here like those found on Poc's higher tier Ventral SPIN, but nevertheless I've not experienced any slippage issues.

The clever design of the helmet straps makes this the comfiest setup I've ever tried. Basically, where the two straps join, a shaped piece keeps them further apart before cutting in (similar to Specialized's ​Tri-Fix web splitter). This creates a much better fit around the ears compared with traditional helmet strap designs which can scrape uncomfortably against the ear in my experience.

However, the ear adjustment piece only allows forward/backward movement and not any up/down adjustment; while I was able to find a comfy fit, this design is limiting and could prove unsuitable for some head shapes.

A 360-degree retention system enables you to fine-tune the fit. As well as the micro-adjustable dial that allows you to tighten the band encircling the head without any pressure points, the height can be toggled between four heights, for a comfy, secure fit throughout.

This £140 helmet weighs in at 306g. It's cheaper than Giro's Helios Spherical helmet (£229.99), which has MIPS protection included but comes in at a lighter 274g. On the other side of things, Bontrager's recently released Circuit helmet, with its WaveCel advanced safety tech, comes in heavier at 335g but cheaper with a £134.99 price tag. But the even cheaper (£119.99) Lazer Sphere MIPS weighs less than the Omne Air (280g) and also works well with glasses.

So the Omne Air Spin isn't the best value for a mid-market option, but it's not bad.

> Buyer’s Guide: 19 of the best high-performance cycling helmets

Overall, the Rapha + Poc Omne Air Spin is a comfy, functional lid that also delivers on protection with the SPIN technology. Its slim profile fitted me snugly and makes it aesthetically pleasing too. You can get lighter MIPS/MIPS-alternative helmets at this price point and a little lower, but the Omne Air Spin is still pretty good value for money. However, if you often need to lower the spot where the two straps join together in other helmets, you might find this one doesn't have the right adjustability for you.

Verdict

Comfy, slim lid with stylish Rapha colourway and Poc's advanced safety tech