Giro Switchblade Enduro Helmet Review

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Product Full Name |  Giro Switchblade MIPS

Retail Price | £249.99

Available From |  Zyro Fisher

Giro Switchblade MIPS – the ultimate Enduro race helmet

Back in 1998 Giro released a quirky helmet called the Switchblade, which had a clip on jaw guard for extra protection when you needed it.

Giro Switchblade MIPS Enduro Helmet Review

The original Giro Switchblade was a brilliant concept, but didn’t quite work out as full face helmets were working their way in to mountain biking.

Although the concept was brilliant, it wasn’t the best design out there and the protection it offered was questionable. It was also one of the ugliest helmets ever made – but still a lot nicer than the heavily bullied MET Parachute, that shared a similar design.

Enduro racing requires riders to have a helmet on at all times – even on the non-timed transitions between stages. For the race stages that are mostly downhill, a full face helmet is a no brainer – but hell for the transitions that are usually climbs.

Some riders choose to strap on an open face to their riding pack for the stages, and others choose helmets designed around this type of racing – like the heavily ventilated full face designs by IXS and MET or the purpose built Bell Super 2R.

The Bell has a detachable jaw guard, though is fundamentally still just a trail helmet.

Giro Switchblade MIPS Enduro Helmet Review

The Giro Switchblade makes a great looking full face helmet – and is the only convertible helmet on the market that we feel genuinely safe wearing as a full face helmet. That alone makes it worth a look in our eyes.

The new Giro Switchblade is designed like a full face, and has a small removable section to allow air flow to the face for transitions. From the ground up, it’s designed to offer maximum protection for the descents.

The Details

The Giro Switchblade borrows styling from the popular Montaro (check our review right here) helmet, and has elements of the Disciple full face helmet – though has a distinct purposeful race look about it. The shell isn’t as bulky as a full face helmet, and has major ventilation – 20 well placed vents in total.

The inside of the Giro Switchblade features the MIPS system as standard, that helps offer protection against rotational injuries – and is combined nicely with the Roc Loc adjustable cradle for a secure fit.

Two sets of button-in cheek pads are included for customising the fit, and a spare peak with GoPro mount built in is also included in the box. The peak is a large unit with good shape, and can easily be pushed up and out the way to accommodate goggles.

The removable jaw guard is what sets the Giro Switchblade apart from other ventilated full face lids though. Using a simple, but incredibly solid system, the jaw guard is easily removable without needing to remove the lid.

Giro Switchblade MIPS Enduro Helmet Review

The removable jaw guard is small, but very strong. Easily stored too – meaning you are more likely to use it.

The removed jaw guard section is easily stored in any riding pack – or even just secured to you with your waist or sternum strap for winching up the climbs.

Total weight for our size medium sample as seen here is 980grams.

Interestingly, the Giro Switchblade meets the CPSC, EN-1078 and ASTM-1952-DH standards with and without the chin bar.

The overall finish and look of the Giro Switchblade is top notch – it’s a high end helmet, and looks and feels like one.

Out on the Trail

Giro helmets fit my head perfectly – and the size medium on test here is probably the most comfortable fit of any helmet I’ve used over the years.

Giro Switchblade MIPS Enduro Helmet Review

The Giro Switchblade has a stunning profile – it’s a really nice bit of design, that genuinely has very few niggles. Maximum protection, and sharp looks – what’s not to like?

You have to ensure the Roc Loc head cradle is loose before you can put the Giro Switchblade on – as the low fit of the helmet means it’s a snug fit. When I say snug, the helmet envelops your head excellently – the cheek pads help get the perfect fit and when adjusted correctly, the Roc Loc holds the helmet solidly against your head. It feels secure, doesn’t move around on your head and makes you feel that you could use your head to knock down a brick wall. This thing is solid, and seriously confidence inspiring.

However – Giro helmets fit me perfectly, but Doddy finds the medium too tight, and his head rattles round in the size large. Check the fit before you buy.

Removing the jaw guard is easy once you have a feel on the helmet, and locking it back in place only takes a few attempts in front of a mirror to master. After a few rides I was able to do this out on the trail.

Giro Switchblade MIPS Enduro Helmet Review

At a glance, head on doesn’t look much different from running a Giro Montaro. The fit is compact and is ultra comfortable.

Riding to the trails on my first ride, the helmet felt great. A little bit of me felt like a BMX pro from the 80’s – the styling of the helmet without the jaw guard in place is very cool. Though as I found out, the looks are definitely marmite – on the first group ride there were various digs, but the styling definitely proved to be a grower as people kept referencing old school Moto X and Trials in a good way. I even heard X-Wing pilot mentioned too.

When the chin guard is on, it genuinely looks and feels like any other quality full face helmet on the market.

Giro Switchblade MIPS Enduro Helmet Review

We don’t care what anyone else says – the Giro Switchblade looks cool as f***. The styling is on point and the overall quality is bang on. Nice work, Giro.

I took the helmet out on a really cold Sunday morning thinking that it would keep my head reasonably warm, but I was pretty surprised at how much air flow was passing over my head. Even with the MIPS unit inside and ears covered, my head was cool most the time.

To get a feel of the Enduro thinking behind the design, I rode with the chin removed for the trail sections and climbs – but when things tipped down I clicked on the jaw guard. This makes a significant difference to the rigidity of the Giro Switchblade, and really makes you feel like you are wearing a fully protective helmet. I found that storing the chin guard from the waist strap on my backpack never really caused a hindrance and meant it was easy to clip on when needed.

Really, there was no situation that I found any issues with the Switchblade – it works brilliantly in both modes, and suits glasses and goggles. If I was being picky I’d say the chinstrap felt a little overkill when using as an open face.

We Say

Make no mistake – the Giro Switchblade is a pretty specific helmet to put on your list.

It won’t suit those looking for a light and minimal trail helmet – but it does bridge a gap between pure full face helmets and trail friendly helmets with increased protection.

If you’re the sort of rider that like to push things on the gravity side, then the Switchblade offers a great option. We particularly like the extra protection even without the full face coverage.

Several riding friends with different back grounds have pointed out reasons for wanting one – including an alpine guide who wants max protection but needs to be in constant communication with his group. Being able to ride in open face mode but have a jaw guard ready for gnarlier bike park sections is a major draw for him. And other riders who favour Freeride spots like Tidworth have also expressed their interest.

The Giro Switchblade is not the helmet for everyone, but it’s the best example of a purist Enduro race product that we’ve seen.

It’s an excellent bit of kit. 

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