Product Description
New Giro kids models with Xen inspired styling and revolutionary One-Step Fit Technology for ease of use and proper fit.
| List Price: | $40.00 |
| Price: |
$26.26 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
| as of Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:48:05 GMT ***Remember, deals price on this item for sale just for limited time*** | |
Product Details
- Size: Universal
- Color: Black/Yellow Shards
- Brand: Giro
- Model: 2019486
- Released on: 2009-10-01
- Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, 3.40 pounds
Features
- In-mold hardbody with full coverage shell.50-54cm
- 7 upper vents, 5 rear vents, and an in-molded bug net
- One-Step Fit Technology with self-adjusting fit and LED flashing lights
- Fixed webbing position eliminates need for time-consuming Tri-Loc adjustment
- Universal Child Size: 50-54cm
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful.
By Nathaniel Allen
Our son has been wearing a Giro Me2 Infant Bike Helmet since he was 12 months old. He's 2 years 4 months now, and in the 70th size percentile for his age. His head, as measured per Giro's guidelines just above the eyebrows and ears, is 19½ inches / 49.5cm. This puts him only midway through the Me2's fit range (48-52cm), and right at the start of the Rascal's range of 50-54 cm.
Allow me to just preface this review by stating that we gave the Rascal a thorough in-person checkout at REI. There was enough I had questions about that I didn't buy it, and instead looked around on the web before deciding on the slightly cheaper Giro Rodeo Youth Bike Helmet. The following review I wrote and posted for the Rodeo, but it's basically a point-for-point comparison to the Rascal (with some Me2 thrown in), so I slightly edited it for reposting here. I hope some of you find it useful in making a selection.
Initially I was confused as to why Giro was offering two similar products (actually, three, considering the Me2's size range overlap), but reminded myself that these are all focused at different price points & market segments, with slight feature and styling differences, just like with Giro's adult helmets. Anyway...
(Just a tiny bit of background: the Me2 is being handed down to our youngest son. The older boy's new bike is black and yellow, so we were looking at the black/yellow Livestrong color scheme, offered with both the Rascal and Rodeo.)
Weight of the Rodeo is 255g, only 20 grams more than the Me2. I've seen the Rascal listed at a surprising 288g, and while 33g isn't necessarily significant, it represents an unnecessary 13% increase on a little kid's big bobblehead perched atop a scrawny neck. It's clear to me the lighter helmet wins this contest.
Giro touts the Rascal's "one step" easy fit, which is really just the use of an elastic strap joining two pieces around the back of the headband, pulling the headband in to the base of the skull. It replaces any sort of manual fit device. This was one of the flags that caused me to question the Rascal while test-fitting it at REI. I'm going to counter that "feature" with:
(1) the "difficult fit" of any helmet (adult, too, but especially small children) is setting the chin strap just right, and the Rascal's "one step" system has nothing to do with that.
(2) the Rodeo has an easy-to-use thumbwheel adjust system that's similar (though not identical) to the Me2, and that allows very quick and hassle-free size adjustment of the headband -- not once have I had a problem using this on the Me2, and rarely do I need to adjust it (just a quick turn of the thumb wheel occasionally to adjust for growth).
(3) I believe (not 100% certain) that the Rascal's elastic auto-adjustment is the reason it fits a smaller size range (50 to 54 cm) versus the Rodeo (50 to 57 cm according to the Giro website).
(4) I can't help but believe the "fixed" fit of the Rodeo's headband exhibits superior helmet retention properties when compared to a helmet with a headband secured with elastic. In actual use, this probably won't make a difference, and I'm sure Giro thoroughly tests their products before releasing them.
Compared to the Rascal, the Rodeo has a taped-on polycarbonate shell, as do many cheaper adult helmets. The tape is not so obvious in the black/yellow product photo on Amazon, but the tape stands out on other color schemes such as their "Lavender Glitter" mode. This, in comparison to Giro's In-Mold technology used in the Rascal (and on their premium helmets) that directly fuses the shell to the EPS. What this means in the real world is that if you subject the Rodeo to abuse and possibly storage in hot cars, the taped-on shell can become detached, whereas the Rascal's shell should hold on even if the EPS cracks in half. But in the year-and-a-half of moderate use our Me2 has seen, the taped-on poly has held up fine, and looks like it will survive being handed down to our youngest.
The Rascal also offers 12 vents, doubling the 6 on the Rodeo (and the Me2). I don't put much stock in this, especially at this age. I do think vents make a difference in hotter climates for long rides and at higher speeds, but I just don't expect this to make a lick of difference for they casual, shorter duration riding kids do. For what it's worth, my son has never expressed any discomfort wearing the Me2.
The Rascal features two LED lights built in to the back of the helmet. No doubt, they're a cool feature designed to attract both kids and their parents. This might be a consideration if my son were going to be riding unattended in the street in the dark, but...
The last comparison point worth mentioning is that the cheaper Rodeo has a flat/matte black finish, while the Rascal is glossy black.
In the end, we based our choice primarily on the lower weight and manual fit of the Rodeo. I don't think we would have been unhappy with either helmet. I certainly wish the Rodeo had the In-Mold shell.
BTW, unrelated to all of this, we got frequent complaints from our son (in the form of yelps, screams, shrieks and crys) that Giro's so-called "pinch free" chinstrap buckle was anything but. I think he was overreacting most of the time, but nevertheless, I replaced the stock buckles on both helmets with this magnetic buckle from helmet manufacturer Lazer: Lazer Magic Buckle for Regular straps: Magnetic Assist Closure. Simply put, they're awesome, but they do require a bit of effort to install since the chinstrap must be unlaced from the helmet then relaced. For us, it was well worth the minor bother.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
By Cooper's Mom
This helmet is great, but it runs much smaller than stated. My son's head measures 52 cm, so it should have fit, according to Giro's sizing for this particular helmet. Please note that Giro's general size chart does not include a "Child" option (whether S/M or M/L)... they list "Infant," "Toddler," and "Youth." Regardless, the upper limit of the Rascal helmet is listed as 54 cm, which is obviously inaccurate, given that I couldn't even get it past the top of my son's head. Very disappointing because the Rascal is very sturdy, has easy-fit straps, cool reflector-lights, and a solid/integrated sun visor (vs. snap-fit). I ordered the Giro Youth Flume Bike Helmet, and it certainly will fit ("Youth" size goes up to 57 cm), but it seems flimsier and lacks the easy-fit feature and lights for the same price. The Flume's interior pads are not nearly as nice, and the AcuDial circumference adjustment employs a cheap plastic sizing wheel at the back of the helmet. Bummer. My 3-star rating reflects the confusion over sizing. If the helmet fit as it was supposed to, I'd give it 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
By Mommy of Two
We took this helmet out of the box and immediately put it on our 3yr old son's head and it fit perfect! Slight adjustment to the chin strap and he was ready to go! We bought the black one and love the similicity of it w/o graphics. He loves to wear the helmet (even inside playing trains). Down the road when he is actually riding a bike (in a bike trailer for now) I am sure we will appreciate the blinking lights on the back of the helmet. Now his baby brother inherits the Giro Me2 helmet (also great!) for his first bike ride after he turns one!
No comments:
Post a Comment