When Julian Absalon straps a helmet to his head it’s this one.  With that in mind we expected big things and … we weren’t disappointed.  We have ridden most of the top brands in the market and this easily outclasses them all.

You often hear of the big four in cross country helmet design Giro, Bell, MET and Specialized but this Spanish company have got it right when it comes to design with a truly innovative helmet.  It’s incredibly lightweight, so much so that you forget you are wearing it.  Recently we have been testing night lights, in particular helmet lights.  We were having problems with helmets moving around on the trail from the weight of the lights, no matter how tight we made them or their retention system.  This all changed with the Whisper Plus which was secure from the get go.  MPS (Multi Positioning System) is what Catlike call their retention system which not only holds the head in a side to side motion but also up and down making an adjustable snug fit possible.

One of the most talked about areas is the styling.  All those vents do look a bit strange at first but now that we are used to them, we wouldn’t ride anything else.  Yes it is different but then thats why we like it.  We have ridden it in all weather conditions, both at night and during the day, and have neither had to worry about over heating nor being too cold.

There are practical reasons for the design too.  Catlike call it the CES (Crash Energy Splitter) which re-routes crash forces along many pathways to absorb the impact, much like the crumple zone on a car. The helmet also comes down low at the back of the head to offer extra protection here too.

€10 extra will get you a really good hard case to keep your pride and joy safe, a good option given the cost of the helmet and really useful if you are travelling with your bike.

There are plenty of color options.  There is even a version which is a copy of Absalon’s World Champion helmet with the rainbow stripes.  The team edition helmets such as the the Euskaltel one are €10 more.  We tested the matt black version and it has a lovely finish.  The visor is detachable should you so wish.

Overall, yes it is pricey and it looks a little funny when compared to traditional helmet design but this is by far the best helmet we have ever ridden.  It is snug and comfortable on the head and features many innovative technologies which all add up to you often forgetting you are wearing it, which at the end of the day is a good thing.

Price - €169 (€10 extra for the case).  Available from the Cycle Inn in Tallagh and the Long Mile Road.  Shortly nationwide.

Pros - Weight, fitting, design, venting.

Cons - Easy, none other than price.

Rating - 5 out of 5