POC Ventral Air Mips Review

This is a great helmet for riders who pedal hard in the heat for high double or triple-digit miles and who appreciate the unique design — and an absolute plethora of color options.

Impact Test

POC proudly lists the Ventral Air Mips as complying with a litany of standards, including both the US and European minimum criteria. To take it even a step further, we decided to conduct our own independent impact test on the helmet. This model scored slightly above average when compared to the rest.

Slow Impact Test Results

For slower smashes, the Ventral Air performed well, with average results when compared to our entire lineup.

Fast Impact Test Results

Likewise, for bigger hits, the Poc Ventral gave back test results in the middle of the pack of our helmets.

The Ventral Air also includes Mips technology, which very closely integrates with the thin foam padding you'll find in the interior of the helmet. The strips of padding are ever so slightly spongy and can be removed for cleaning. Mips itself is designed to allow the helmet to slip and twist slightly, lessening the forces to your head that can cause head trauma. “Mips Air Node” — used in the Ventral Air — is marketed as being one of the lightest and simplest flavors of Mips, comprising essentially thin plastic strips on which the padding is installed, plus the hook and loop patches that everything is attached to.

Damage accrued from our impact testing can be seen on exterior of the POC Ventral Air Mips in the front vent.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

Although not inexpensive, the POC Ventral Air Mips delivers the goods.   Credit: Justin Simoni

The Poc Ventral Air Mips gives one a sense of security when worn.   Credit: Justin Simoni

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Comfort

The Ventral Air provides a high range of fit variability with an adjustable head cradle and our preferred dial tensioning system at the occiput. The cradle isn't as intuitive as other models and takes some force to adjust. That said, the cradle has a light, airy feeling that is not noticeable after hours of riding.

The liner pads provide excellent contact points with the helmet's body, and our testers found these pads to be extremely comfortable and not hold heat or moisture. We read some online reviews stating this helmet is not well-suited to round head shapes, but our various testers did not find this to be the case, though it has a longer and narrower shape than other models tested. As with any equipment you plan to wear for extended periods, it is worth trying on before you buy, as comfort can be quite subjective.

The chin strap webbing is less supple compared to some of the most comfortable helmet straps in our tests, but once customized to your head, it still sits comfortably against the mandible. We prefer a helmet with minimal contact points as this promotes cooling and reduces pressure points. Though it weighs 282 grams (size medium), it felt lighter to us after an all-day ride than the scale suggested. Overall, if it fits your head, this is an extremely comfortable helmet.

Ventilation

The Ventral Air uses the venturi effect of air pulling air (our quick summary) to cause some of the best yet quietest airflow that we tested. Though it has a lower vent count than other helmets, the large forehead shafts dry the interior padding and optimize airflow from the front of the helmet all the way to the trailing edge.

The recessed air channel technology utilized in the Ventral Air and a couple of other models in our lineup proves far superior to traditional venting. Riders who brave summer sun or desert heat should strongly consider this model. The wonderful ventilation on this helmet earns it the word 'Air' in its name; it makes you feel like you are flying, while simultaneously reducing perspiration (and thus saturation of the padding).

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The Ventral Air has a generous number of open vents at the top of the helmet, which you'll appreciate on long, hard climbs. You can find helmets with an even airier topside, but the Ventral Air does the job and does it well.

Although it has a hefty price tag, other helmets on the market fail to offer that same level of ventilation and drag reduction (as proven through reduced wind roar). If you have the cash to spend and the style appeals to you, this helmet provides cooling comfort on a hot day.

Usability

POC's unique “trailing edge” design for the Ventral Air is engineered to reduce turbulence by managing how the air flows off the rear edge of the helmet. It seemed to us that this feature reduced noise, and the large open vents offer excellent airflow.

The Poc Ventral Air has a fore/aft adjustable head cradle that takes a bit of finagling to get into place, but once adjusted, it stays secure throughout your ride. The large micro adjustment dial in the back is easy to use and find one-handed while riding, even with gloves.

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The precision straps are comfortable, and the webbing can be fed through to adjust the placement of the Y-buckle, although we usually have to do this with the helmet off, as this system is not as friendly or intuitive as other models.

The sunglass garage works exceedingly well: the grippy vinyl tape in the fore vents holds sunglasses at speeds clocked up to 35 mph without budging, though the ends of the sunglass temples may poke into your own.

Weight

At 282 grams for a size medium, the Ventral Air is in the middle of its class. It proved to be a pleasure on long rides, regardless, causing little to no neck strain on all-day rides.

The integrated pads and rotational protection of the Mips Integra technology shed some grams, as does the variable-density EPS foam. Those counting grams for gram's sake can look elsewhere. We found the extra grams unnoticeable and reached for the Ventral on our longest rides despite its heavier weight because of its excellent performance.

Should You Buy the Poc Ventral Air Mips?

The Ventral Air is a high-quality, durable helmet offering great ventilation. We're impressed by its impact test scores. While its unique design may not suit every user, all our testers agreed that it felt light as air and kept our heads cool in the grueling summer heat. If you're willing to throw down the money for this helmet, we don't think you'll be disappointed.

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