Giro Agilis MIPS Review

The Giro Agilis MIPS is a consistent performer across the board, scoring well in our comfort and adjustability metrics. It sacrifices a little bit in the weight and ventilation metrics and has some issues with the finish, factors which are offset by a price tag that is less than half of most of its peers. Riders willing to pay more for increased ventilation and to save a few dozen grams have plenty of pricier options to choose from, while the Agilis remains good value with its high-end performance and affordable price.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

While each rider has a unique anatomy including the size and shape of their head, the Agilis provides several design features that help maintain a versatile and comfortable fit for most riders.

Like many other high-end helmets, the Agilis has a full-circumference adjustable headband system that nicely cradles the entire head and eliminates direct contact with the EPS foam liner. Unique to the Agilis is Giro's newer Roc Loc 5.5 fit system that also integrates the MIPS liner into the headband system, providing a much more comfortable and customizable fit. Unfortunately, people with long, thick hair have some trouble getting the Roc Loc to cinch down as tight as they'd like. The whole system sheds a bit of weight compared to having a separate headband system and MIPS liner. While this type of MIPS-integrated headband system is somewhat unique and newer to the market, we expect to see similar designs on many other helmets in the future as MIPS liners continue to evolve.

The Agilis also has three large patches of comfortable and well-placed padding: two along the top of the head, and one adjacent to the rider's forehead at the front brim of the helmet. Our testers rank this as one of the most comfortable helmets in our lineup, alongside many designs that are two or three times more expensive.

Ventilation

With a huge total of 32 Wind Tunnel vents and an internal channel system, the Agilis MIPS is a reasonably well-ventilated helmet but falls short of the performance of other helmets with larger vents in more optimum configurations.

The Roc Loc 5.5 headband fit system helps cradle the head away from the surface of the inner EPS foam liner, increasing the effectiveness of the internal airflow channels. This headband system, with its integrated MIPS liner, is also cut perfectly to match the vent configuration, eliminating any blockage of vents that are present on some other models. However, the large, comfortable strip of padding along the front brim of the helmet provides a snug fit against the forehead and temples and seems to limit airflow in this area.

Adjustability

Often, the key to a highly comfortable helmet like the Agilis is with its adjustability to dial in a customized fit for a wide range of users. The Roc Loc 5.5 headband fit system not only provides full three-dimensional coverage around the entire head but also can easily be adjusted for height and width.

The Roc Loc 5.5 headband system has a fairly standard size range of 59-63 cm in a size large and has about 2 cm of height adjustment in the rear. The chinstrap system has adjustable Y-buckles that allow the webbing straps to lay flat against your face, an adjustable chinstrap buckle, and an adjustable rear anchor point for easy side-to-side adjustment. The Agilis has almost every single adjustability feature that is available in a helmet, impressive for such an affordable product.

Weight

In our measurements, the Agilis MIPS weighed in at 336 grams in a size Large. This is on the lower end of our lineup and there are certainly several lighter helmets out there, though this weight is pretty close to several other high-end helmets with similar features and much higher price tags.

There are certainly some riders out there who understandably want or need the lightest products possible. But for most riders, the extra 30 or so grams the Agilis weighs over some of the ultralight helmets we tested will probably be a worthwhile tradeoff for such a comfortable and adjustable lid.

Style

While style is probably the most subjective metric, we look at market trends and certain design features that will likely be universally appreciated by most riders. Things like a sleek and modern design with several optional color schemes usually rate pretty highly. While certainly a classic and handsome looking helmet, the Agilis gets deducted a couple of points in this category compared to some of its sleeker and more modern looking counterparts.

The Agilis has a classic road bike helmet look but has a slightly taller and rounder profile that feels a bit larger on your head than other models. And while it comes in a large assortment of color schemes, it doesn't have the same modern look and high-end flowing and streamlined feel as some pricier models. We recognize that these are somewhat subjective observations of minor design differences, so please use this information to make your own conclusions.

Durability

The Agilis is let down in our durability ratings due to it rough interface between the polycarbonate shell and the underlying EPS doam. Its excellent headband system and high-quality straps and hardware are quite nice, but don't make up for the miss on the shell. Even so, it is one of just a few helmets in our lineup with full protective coverage around the brim of the helmet, which protects the delicate EPS foam liner from dings and dents during storage or transport.

The Roc Loc system Giro uses has been in use and development for a long time and shouldn't ever let you down. Giro also offers replacement padding to keep this helmet a going concern even if the stock pads break down over time.

Should You Buy the Giro Agilis?

The Agilis provides good performance across the board, outstanding comfort, and a great price tag. Its low list price makes it a competitive performer even if some issues hold it back from the upper echelons. One can find a similarly priced, but more durable helmet in the Smith Persist, our Best Buy winner. But if the Persist isn't your jam, the Agilis remains a competitive helmet that's well-liked by our testers.

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