You may think safety and style do not go hand in hand, well with the Giro Savant helmet you may think again. The Savant is a mid priced road helmet in the Giro range. Using a lot of the features taken from its more expensive bigger brothers the Aeon and Ionos, yet at a more affordable price point and only a slight weight penalty.
Out of the box, the first impression is how streamlined and fast this helmet looks. In a dazzling white and silver colour combination, with understated Giro logos and graphics adorning the shell. A flared shape makes it look seriously quick, an ideal addition to help you slice through the wind with ease. A serious amount of Wind Tunnel vents, 25 in fact, are dotted around this helmet adding to this helmet’s svelte image and adding extra ventilation.
Aesthetics are important but a poorly fitting helmet is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. So the first test for this helmet would be to see if it fitted. Already I was impressed as I realised, this mid-priced helmet, features Giro’s top of the range Roc-Loc5 retention system, providing a solid, secure, wrap around fit. In addition soft, comfortable straps and a secure, easy to use buckle made fitting the helmet a breeze.
Coverage was also very impressive as the helmet sat perfectly on my head, not perched precariously like some helmets. A poorly fitting helmet often results in pressure points on the front, especially the forehead, giving you a headache or leaving you with embarrassing helmet marks on your head.
So, helmet on and I was ready to head off to test it on the road. Straight away I realised, although not superlight, this is still a light helmet, at 238 grams in size medium, I soon forgot I was wearing it at all. It was a slightly chilly morning so I placed my cap underneath for a little more warmth.
Meeting up with mates and straight away I was complimented on just how good this helmet looked. The horizontal venting on the rear was commented on and when told the price, they could not believe with these looks and features, the helmet could fit into this price point.
Safety is a helmet’s main priority and with a Giro In-Mold structure, combining an absorbing EPS liner with a polycarbonate protective shell, it is claimed to make a strong, durable helmet with no additional weight gains.
Riding into a strong crosswind I could feel the Wind Tunnel vents doing their job, keeping my head cool as the sun and temperature rose, yet after three hours of riding I was not a sweaty mess.
I can imagine this helmet would be perfect in summer, as the airflow seems to circulate through the helmet, keeping you moisture free and cool.
So, a few rides later and I still cannot quite believe how such an affordable helmet could offer so many outstanding features. Yes, it is heavier than an Aeon but when you consider it’s price, stylish exterior and sublime fit the Giro Savant could be the perfect choice if you want a great helmet for training, racing or as a top-of-the-line looking helmet for a not so top-of-the-line price.