Monday, March 16, 2009

Cool Bike Stuff Review # 1 - LAS Istrion

So after years of sporting the GIRO brand my teammates and I get to wear some 'euro' protection on on our heads now. The stealth-looking LAS Istrion is the model of choice for this year's TX Tough team.




At 275grams it's very lightweight and still very stiff and handy at the same time. The one-size-fits-all approach really favors people who usually have to pick size Large when it comes to buying helmets > me! Comparing to a Large Ionos (what I used for the last 3 years) the LAS Istrion is a bit smaller in general yet still fits me thanks to the single-size adjustment system on the back part of the helmet. You can go from 53cm to 63cm circumference in a few clicks by using the red adjusting system in the back of the helmet.

Another cool feature is the set of winter and summer-style pads it came with. The winter-style pads feature a large net made out of COOLMAX and is a bit warmer during the cold month whereas the few summer pads are very slim and lightweight and keep the air flowing through the helmet. Oh yeah, "air'! Comparing to its rival Ionos, the Istrion has 6 more vents - totaling at 27! You almost don't feel that you are actually wearing a helmet.

One of the most convenient things this helmet comes with is the securing / strap system. You can compare it with putting on a pair of Oakley's - it just fits! You don't have to do a lot of adjusting, cutting or re-aligning in order to get the straps run smoothly around your ears and head.

Overall, this helmet is a definitive "Buy" as it not only features some innovative technology but also has a sleek, Italian look to it and is very light.

3 comments:

  1. I just crashed headfirst into the back of a car wearing one of these lids this morning. Cracked it in 2 places but it saved me big-style.
    One of the first things I'm going to do is buy another one. Great helmet!

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  2. Helmet fits great but absolutely no support from company. It comes with no instructions as to how to install all the velcro and padding bits in the box and no amount of emailing will get you a response. You would think Las would be worried about lawsuites from incorrect pad installation but I guess not. Good luck if you have a warranty issue.

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