Urge Endur-o-Matic helmet review.

I been getting a lot of questions about the helmet I've been wearing lately out on the trail so hear it is. I happened upon the Urge Endur-o-Matic helmet back in February while working on the Quick n Dirty XC race that I was helping put on in the park. I spotted a friend of mine on the trail sporting it during a pre-ride and was immediately drawn to it. I had been looking at alternative styles of helmets for a while and this one seemed to fit the bill nicely. It has a retro look to it that reminds you of the old school moto helmets, the kind from the Evil Knievel/ Easy Rider days. Look wise I was intrigued, but how would it work.

The nuts and bolts.

It has 8 round vents (30mm diameter) that are positioned in order to create a Venturi effect and the air flow is regulated by internal channels. The weight of the visor is close to 0 grams and its material is flexible, which helps prevent injuries in the event of a crash. Its design contributes to create the internal Venturi effect by guiding air into the vents. As good as that sounds I still had reservations but after 4 months of riding with the helmet it makes sense and really does provide the air flow need to cool your melon down.

Comfort is guaranteed by soft, removable and washable pads. The frontal pad features a very simple and unique innovation: the «Gangsta pad» Passing just under the mould (around15MM) and being in contact with the air while riding, this part of the pad remains dry and absorbs sweat. This is one of the areas the hype falls short. The pads are soft and comfortable and makes the helmet sit nice and snug on the head. This system has no tension mechanism so the various pad sizes help you tune the fit and stays on your head amazingly well. The “Gangsta pad” does adsorb sweat but not to the point that the pad remains dry and I found sweat in my eyes on many rides. I ended up wearing a Halo Headsweat band to control that issue. Works like a charm.

  

The helmet itself is an in mould one piece design that weighs in at 319g and is extremely durable. I have to admit I did go OTB a couple of months ago and hit my head on a nice well positioned pointed rock. The helmet had a small scuff on it and the visor stayed in place with no harm done. That crash with a traditional helmet would have saved me yes but also would have sent me back to my local bike store for a replacement. Like I said extremely durable. The back of the helmet also extends down past temporal lobe of the skull giving you added protection in that area as well.

The price on these babies are right around a hundred bucks and the color combinations are many and unique.

The Ride.

The ride is great! The weight and vent system make it feel like there is nothing there but the wind blowing threw your hair. I've been on all sorts of terrain and it stays put regardless of the lack of retention system, and the knowledge that the material it’s made of is near bullet proof provides me with great comfort while bombing down the trails. Be forewarned though you may get some people that just don’t understand the benefits of this helmet and will seek to ridicule you on looks alone, but don’t worry too much about that you can take comfort in the fact that you are protected. It’s a small price to pay to be on the cutting edge.