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Giro says its Eclipse Spherical Helmet is both the fastest road helmet and the coolest aero road helmet it has ever created. We can’t verify the aero claims Giro makes, though it provides data to back it up, but I did find it very effective at cooling, and really comfortable to wear.
Debuted in the World Tour in 2021 and now available to us mere mortals, the helmet’s design puts large vents at the front, while the remainder is sculpted to allow the smooth movement of air over the head. It certainly looks more aerodynamic than many of the wide-vented road helmets on the market.
The Spherical Technology powered by Mips is very clear to see: there are two EPS foam layers to the Eclipse, with a Mips liner sandwiched between them, with movement enabled through ball and socket ‘elastomeric anchors’.
The theory is that this movement, allowing the top layer to rotate around the lower layer, enables the helmet to absorb as much energy as possible in the event of a crash, reducing the impact on the head.
I was lucky enough to avoid being a crash test dummy, but this is the first helmet I’ve worn where there is clearly so much movement between the layers.
> All you need to know about MIPS
Some aero helmets can suffer from poorer ventilation than non-aero designs, but the Giro Eclipse performs well on this front. Those large vents at the front, helped by the Roc Loc 5 Air retention system that holds the helmet slightly above the skull, allow lots of air to pass over the head for good cooling.
I even tested the helmet in the middle of the recent UK record-breaking heatwave and was happy with how well it performed.
I also found the Eclipse really comfortable to wear, with plenty of padding and adjustable straps, and a ratchet at the rear to tighten the fit.
The only issue I had was that the helmet sometimes clashed with my sunglasses. I needed to adjust the arms of my Oakley Jawbreakers to their shorter length to avoid any contact, and my Oakley Sutro and Encoders both clashed a little.
Many would agree that the Canyon SRAM racing team has one of the best looking kits in cycling, and this matching helmet follows suit – it’s a good looking lid, and the touches of colour are classy. Unfortunately it’s not currently an option, so you’ll have to settle on one of the five other colours available – white, black, charcoal, blue and black/red.
Value
Top-spec aero helmets with Mips technology don’t come cheap, but although the Giro Eclipse is pricey, it’s on a par with other brands’ top dollar offerings.
Last year, I reviewed Limar’s Air Speed helmet (you can read my review here). Limar makes similar claims about its market-leading aero performance, and it’ll ‘only’ set you back £180, but as far as I’m concerned the Giro Eclipse is significantly better performing all round, and much more comfortable. I’d be happy to pay the £60 extra for it.
> Buyer’s Guide: 10 of the best lightweight high-performance helmets
The S-Works Prevail II Vent helmet, which Liam tested earlier this year, is the same price bar a penny (£240). I have the non-Vent version of this and find it a little more comfortable than the Giro, and I’d say the cooling performance is better, and it was cheaper at £210.
There is a new Prevail 3 coming, but that’s £275, as is the new Evade 3, ‘the most aero road helmet in the peloton’ (Specialized’s words, not mine).
Conclusion
Overall, I really enjoyed using the Giro Eclipse. The only issue I found was with my sunglasses clashing, which might not be an issue for you at all. The Mips technology is reassuring, and though the aerodynamic claims are impossible to verify, it passed the toughest of tests on cooling.
Verdict
Impressive all-round performance, a combination of great cooling, good looks and (probably) aero benefits…
If you’re thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
Make and model: Giro Eclipse Spherical Road 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?
Giro says: “The aerodynamic Eclipse Spherical is our most sophisticated, stylish, and lightweight aero road helmet, and it’s crafted with spherical technology powered by MIPS, so you can ride with more comfort and an additional layer of protection.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Giro lists:
IMPACT MANAGEMENT – SPHERICAL TECHNOLOGY, POWERED BY MIPS
REFLECTIVITY – REFLECTIVE DECALS
CONSTRUCTION – IN-MOLD POLYCARBONATE SHELL WITH EPS LINER FULL LOWER HARDBODY COVERAGE
VENTILATION – WIND TUNNEL VENTS WITH DEEP INTERNAL CHANNELING FIT SYSTEM. ROC LOC 5 AIR
PRODUCT WEIGHT – 270g (SIZE MEDIUM CPSC, CE)
CERTIFICATION – COMPLIES WITH THE US CPSC SAFETY STANDARD FOR BICYCLE HELMET FOR PERSONS AGE 5 AND OLDER
Rate the product for quality of construction:
10/10
Very high quality construction.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Comfortable and performs very well at cooling – I can’t verify the aerodynamic claims. My only issue with the helmet is that the retention system comes down reasonably low, and I found it clashed with the arms of some glasses.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Early days, but no issues in the months of testing.
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
7/10
The medium helmet I tested weighed 265g – 5g lighter than Giro claims, and not bad for an aero helmet. At the cost of aero performance, you could find helmets 40g lighter out there but that sort of difference is immaterial in the context of other benefits.
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
7/10
Comfortable, with good padding.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
It’s on a par with other top-end aero helmets with MIPS crash protection.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
I found it cool and comfortable, but I can’t verify the aerodynamic claims.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
I liked its cooling system, the Canyon SRAM navy colourscheme and the reassurance of the MIPS spherical safety system.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The retention system clashing some sunglasses.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Last year, I reviewed Limar’s Air Speed aero helmet, which comes with similar claims on market-leading aero performance, but costs £180. The Giro is a significantly better performing helmet all round, and much more comfortable. I’d be happy to pay the £60 extra.
The S-Works Prevail II Vent helmet, which Liam tested earlier this year, is the same price bar a penny (£240), but the non-Vent version of this, which I have, was £210 and I find it a little more comfortable than the Giro helmet and the cooling performance is better. There is a new Prevail 3 coming, though, and that’s £275, as is the new Evade 3, ‘the most aero road helmet in the peloton’ (Specialized’s words, not mine).
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It’s easy to see why this helmet is used by a number of professional cyclists – it’s very good, if not quite as good on comfort and cooling as the S-Works Prevail II.
Age: 32
I usually ride: S-Works Tarmac My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, club rides, Gravel on a CX bike
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