Giro Aether MIPS Cycling Helmet

I purchased this Giro Aether Spherical Adult Road Cycling Helmet for my new RadPower RadCity 5 ebike and you might think that after 45+ years of not riding a bike, I might get to try out the injury prevention qualities of this helmet, but I am proud to say that so far, I've not taken a spill on the bike so I cannot address that from experience. But I can say that the helmet seems to be well designed, the open frame means your head doesn't get overheated easily, and the adjustability means you can get a comfortable fit. I find that the chin strap latches are a bit difficult to undo at first. The helmet is indeed light weight, adding to its comfort. It does seem to be a bit pricey, but that seems to be the nature of bicyccle helmets these days. It is stylish enough for me (I think it looks great) & there are several color combinations to choose from.

I had a lazer blade+ mips that I got on clearance, but ended up being the wrong size, so would tend to shift on my head even if I cranked it down all the way. Put up with it for awhile, but found the Aether at a great price and decided to try it out, and it was a great decision.The aether obviously fit way better being the correct size, with an added bonus of being lighter since I went from a large to a medium. But I like the look as well, not as "mushroomy" as other helmets, and I think the spherical MIPS tech is really interesting, though obviously I haven't tested it's effectiveness. Straps and dial are thinner smaller but still easy to use, and the sunglass holes actually work, my glasses would tend to slide out of my lazer, had some close calls in some parking lots.Definitely pricier than other MIPS helmets, and I do look a bit out of place when riding my cruiser bike over my road bike, but the comfort and fit make it definitely worth it.

Very pleased with this helmet. The Spherical MIPS system in the helmet is a fantastic design. The way it moves in the helmet to protect from impacts is more advanced than other helmets I have used. Also, the helmet is very lightweight, and breathes really well. Overall, a very safe and comfortable choice.

In January 2022, I bought a Bell Stratus MIPS (med) on Amazon for $167, and was reasonably satisfied...until the pads basically fell apart and I couldn't find replacement pads ANYWHERE. So, I decided to go back to what I wore before my sabbatical from cycling: Giro.The Aether is by no means inexpensive, but the features were appealing and it hasn't disappointed. It came out of the box ride-ready. A size large fit my head with plenty of room for a skull cap underneath. The adjustment is in small degrees and uniformly tightens around my head. The chin straps were almost perfectly placed so I had no need for adjustments. The helmet also came with a sticker indicating it was made in January 2022.The interior pads are minimal: 3 tiny ones on the top and a thin brow pad. Unfortunately, no extra pads were included. I hope these pads last longer than the Bell pads.The helmet feels great on a ride; plenty of ventilation and the sweat is carried out of the way to the back. Its stays in place and is lightweight. Overall, I'm good with spending over $300 to protect my dome.

My initial impressions are only "OK," though it should be noted that I only opened the box about 15 minutes ago. For such an expensive helmet, I expected my excitement level to be the same AFTER opening the box as it was BEFORE opening the box. First of all, according to Giro sizing instructions, I should've ordered a size "M," however I did not - I ordered a size L. I'm 6ft tall, 200lbs and nothing I own is size M - not gloves, shoes, pants, shirts, hats or other helmets. In fact, I know my head is quite large and many times is in the 2XL category. The size L fits great, with plenty of adjustment either way - if the M has such broad adjustment of the L, then perhaps an M could fit, too? As for the helmet itself, it's just hard to believe that this small bit of lightweight plastic and foam costs $300. In my hands and in front of my eyes, it's an underwhelming helmet. Next, the item I selected indicated this was a 2021 model, yet the internal sticker says 2020 - perhaps this isn't a big deal. However, a bigger deal is that the "Spherical" sticker, visible in online photos on the right-rear of the helmet, is absent. Anybody buying this helmet paid a lot of money for "MIPS Spherical," and I would like the sticker to be there. Indeed, the helmet has the MIPS Spherical technology - that's obvious, but it's kind of like buying a Mercedes-Benz AMG and not getting the AMG badge. Next, in certain "unboxing" videos, the unboxer removes the helmet from the box and the helmet is in a lightweight bag. It’s similar to the kind of bag that a nice pair of shoes comes in - a cotton or microfleece bag that helps protect the shoes if traveling in, for example, a suitcase. My helmet did not come with a bag. A $300 helmet ought to have a travel bag. Nor did the helmet did come with additional/spare pads – in the helmet, there are three small "regular" pads and one brow pad - extra pads would be nice. My $90 Giro Fathom helmet from five years ago came with additional pads. A $300 helmet ought to come with spare pads. Lastly, what looks like a nice paint job in online photos is, in reality, what appears to be a "cheap" sticker applique. I bought the gray-red-white version of the Aether and it appears, online, that there is a texture or a fade on the gloss white portion that gives the helmet a cool, almost custom look. In person, it looks like a clear sticker with lots of bubbles underneath. The feel is smooth, so there are no bubbles, but it looks cheap - almost like it's a clear, protective, hastily applied protective sticker over the white paint. It's not - it's the actual, intentional finish to the helmet and it's disappointing. The helmet is only 15 minutes old and I'm already worried that this “sticker finish” will chip and peel. I know the real cost of this helmet is on the development side, not on the materials side, but I wish Giro took a few extra steps (bag, extra pads, actual paint rather than a sticker) to make the customer feel like they were getting more bang for their buck. Other issues, like the 2020 vs. 2021 and the missing "Spherical" decal, are additional disappointments. I have no doubt the Giro Aether is a great helmet and will protect my head better than other, non-MIPS Spherical helmets (that's why I bought it), but I expected more from Giro at this price point.

Built to protect and ventilate.Comfortable to wear.Great color scheme and reflective.Awesome!

This is my first time spending over $100 on a helmet, and I decided to upgrade after a recent (but minor) accident. The helmet I had sufficed, but I imagined how much worse it would have been without a helmet and then considered how a good helmet can be the difference between life and death.That being said, I felt that this helmet was top-tier in its price range. It may not be the most aerodynamically efficient, but it makes up for that in comfort and compactness. It takes up much less room in my backpack than my old helmet, and the adjustments on the skull clincher are super easy, smooth and small so you can find that perfect fit.