TESTED: 100 Percent Altis Helmet
Mike Blewitt checks out the 100 Percent Altis Helmet.
Words: Mike Blewitt
Photos: Gerard Lagana
The Altis is a new helmet in the 100 Percent range, and the trail lid comes chock full of features without going overboard on price.
At first glance, the helmet has a modern aesthetic, and the black, white and grey colour options suit just about everyone, and having three sizes goes a long way in suiting a lot of head sizes, form 50-63cm! There’s a micro-adjust retention system, although it can’t be adjust up and down like with some brands. The buckle and straps are no-nonsense, although the straps can hold sweat a bit more readily than those on some higher-priced helmets. The stout visor has three positions, with the highest position allowing enough room for a pair of goggles to sit below them and off your face, if you’re an open face and goggles sort of rider.
The EPS foam on the Altis is covered with a bonded polycarbonate shell, with 14 decent sized vents to help keep air moving over your head. Getting venting right on a mountain bike trail helmet is different to a road helmet, as you want the coverage that the shell provides, but you also want airflow to help prevent overheating in hot conditions and on climbs. 100 Percent have found a good balance, with the vents moving air over your head, with top mounted vents allowing plenty of hot air to escape right out of the top. My S/M test helmet weighed 350g, which is pretty good for a helmet with a visor.
With rotational slip liners like MIPS adding an extra element of safety to helmets, along with Bontrager’s WaveCel, 100 Percent employ their own SmartShock system. The idea is the same, the helmet has a liner that is attached at 11 points to the shell. The idea is that this allows the helmet to ‘slip’ on the liner, increasing the time the impact occurs and therefore reducing the impact. The rubber parts of the SmartShock system do sit against your head, and while I’m not bald yet, I can imagine it may not be comfortable in sweaty conditions. Still, they also hold the padding in, which is antibacterial, removable, and washable – plus there’s a spare in the box!
On the trail, the Altis was easy enough to forget about. I found the shell size spot on, although I really did want to be able to bring the retention system down a little lower for a more secure fit. This highlights how important it is to visit your local store when buying a helmet, so you can try on a number of models before buying the one that fits best.
After more helmet reviews? See below for some recent helmet tests.
TESTED: Bontrager Rally Wavecel Helmet
TESTED: MET Terranova MIPS Helmet
TESTED: Lazer jackal MIPS Helmet
In terms of protection, obviously the helmet passes the required safety standards, but while it has a little more coverage than some helmets, the shell doesn’t extend as low at the back as some others on the market. With that in mind, while I found it to be a comfortable (and good looking) trail helmet, for those looking at pushing their limits a little more, you may be better trying on a few other brands and models to find a helmet that has the coverage you need while also offering the optimal fit.
All that said, at $189.99 the 100 Percent Altis is a really good value helmet. The finishing is neat and tidy, the vents are generous, and the visor is far from an afterthought – and it never budged when riding. I found the helmet really comfortable, and the fact that it has a rotational slip liner at well under $200 is to be commended. It’s well worth trying one of these on for size at your 100 Percent dealer if you’re after a new trail helmet.
Hits:
- Comfortable, easy to adjust
- Stylish and stable
- Has a rotational slip liner
Misses:
- Height adjustable retention system would be good
RRP: $189.99
From: fesports.com
