Giro Insurgent Spherical Full Face Helmet

The new Giro Insurgent Spherical is a helmet that was built with the influence of top-level Gravity riders and racers. The Insurgent is a lightweight helmet with great ventilation and a focus on safety. Giro set out to build a helmet that can withstand all of the possible impacts that riders may encounter. This is a helmet that will protect your head, give you the confidence to ride those gnarlier lines, and keep you cool during those hot summer days.

Highlights

• In-Mold Construction. Pre-preg Fiberglass Shell. EPS outer layer with a low-density EPP foam inner layer.
• EPP Chinbar Liner.
• Size Ranges; XS/S, M/L, XL/XXL
• MIPS brain protection
• Spherical Technology
• One-year warranty free from defects in workmanship and materials for the original purchaser
• Use Application - Gravity, DH, and Enduro
• 1040 Grams (Size Med)
• Built-in action camera mount
• MSRP $350 USD

The Insurgent has many features that stand out but we found that the safety aspects of this helmet are the most notable. The new Spherical Technology is a unique design that uses two foam layers that act like a ball and socket to redirect high-energy impacts. Another safety feature is the Flex Gasket on the underside of the chin bar which is made to reduce the possible impact in crashes where the chin bar presses against the collarbone. The inner liner is also removable and washable and is made of Ionic+ Anti-Microbial padding. Definitely a great feature for those sweaty, dusty days on the trails.

Initial Impressions

When looking at an Enduro or a DH helmet the Insurgent is on the more aggressive end of the spectrum. When we say aggressive we mean that it is not the lightest helmet on the market nor the sleekest but possibly one of the safest. The chin bar is larger than a lot of helmets in this category but when wearing the insurgent we felt very well protected. The helmet feels light while on the trail and weight is definitely not an issue. With all of that said, there are lighter full-face helmets on the market. When looking at weight the Insurgent slips right in the middle of the full-face helmet lineup.

Spherical technology is something that only Giro and Bell are offering. The Giro appears to be made for the more aggressive rider and is a burlier helmet than some of the other helmets offered in this category with some of the more advanced safety features.

On The Trail

We reviewed this helmet in the middle of summer mostly in Northern California. If you have ever ridden Norcal in the summer you know that it’s usually warm with dusty conditions. These are actually prime testing conditions because as far as breathability, most helmets feel great in 70-degree weather. A lot of helmets do not when it's 101 Fahrenheit.

Our first ride with the Insurgent was at Northstar, CA. Northstar is lift-accessed with some very rowdy, rocky, and steep terrain. When putting the helmet on we immediately noticed how comfortable and secure it felt. It seems to squeeze in all the right places and stayed comfortable throughout the day. The helmet feels safe and gives you some reassurance knowing that your head is well protected while smashing through the rocky terrain. We also wore the Insurgent on a 3-day trip to Mammoth Mountain where again there are some gnarly terrain and big jump lines. The helmet continued to be very comfortable with great breathability.

Something we also noted was the visibility the helmet provided. Some full-face helmets feel very crowded around the face which seems to affect your peripheral vision. The Insurgent feels open.

We also tested this helmet on some local trails with climbing involved. When wearing the helmet while climbing it is not as comfortable or as ventilated as some of the other helmets that we have tested but it still performed well. With that in mind, we are aware that this helmet was not really built for trail rides.

On the downhill, we immediately noticed the breathability of the Insurgent. The helmet does have a rather robust chin bar so we were not expecting that great of airflow but it performed well. The Insurgent also felt light and was very comfortable. We wore this helmet for several hours on several warm days and we had no complaints. Something we also really appreciated was how well the inner liner seemed to wick away sweat and keep it out of our eyes. The Insurgent also gave us a sense of security and confidence knowing that we were wearing a helmet built with some of the most advanced safety features and was developed by top-level riders.

Unique Features 

Some unique features that we enjoyed were the action camera mounting space on the visor. This came in very handy and gave good angles when using a camera. Another to note is the extra set of cheek pads. The Insurgent comes with 25mm and 30mm pads in the M/L size which made it easy to get a nice fit. Lastly, when we were riding in Mammoth we found a sticker in the helmet bag that had a place to write all of your emergency contact info. As a first responder by trade, we'll say this can be a huge help in case of an emergency.

Perceived Weight

Coming in at 1040g the Insurgent is right in the middle of the weight spectrum for full-face helmets. The helmet our tester was wearing prior to the Insurgent is the Smith Mainline which is 770g. Even with a 300g difference, our tester did not notice much of a weight difference on the trail. Here are some weights of other popular full-face helmets to give you an idea of the difference. Troy Lee D4 composite MIPS: 1050g, 7iDP Project 23 ABS: 854g, POC Otocon MIPS Race: 754g, Bell Full-9 Fusion: 1046g, Bluegrass Legit Carbon: 1180g.

Climbing

If we were going out to do a long ride with lots of climbing we probably wouldn’t choose this helmet. On long climbs, the large face bar does feel a little suffocating, not unlike most full-face helmets. Now, if we were on that same long ride and there was a technical DH with some large hits to come (such as an enduro race) we might take the Insurgent along with us. It's all about risk vs gain.

Things That Could Be Improved

We absolutely loved this helmet but that's not to say there isn’t some room for improvement.  The weight and breathability feel great on the trail but we might ask for a little sleeker chin bar to make the Insurgent feel more comfortable on long climbs (or transfer stages.) As we will address in a minute, the quality of the stitching and fabric on the cheek pads might need to be addressed. We believe that buying a quality helmet is an important investment for the most important part of your body.

Long Term Durability

The long-term durability seemed good after several days of hard riding. One issue that we did have was with the cheek pads. Riders will need to be careful when pulling on the pull tabs to remove the cheek liners. We gave them a hard tug and the fabric ripped on the first attempt to remove them which had us a little concerned. With a call to Giro, we informed them of what happened and they were quick to solve the problem and send us out replacements. The warranty is one year free from defects in workmanship and materials for the original purchaser.

What's The Bottom Line?

This is a great helmet that gives you confidence for those rowdy descents and to advance your skills. It is comfortable and well-ventilated and has some of the most advanced technology there is to offer in a helmet. We also think it's a great-looking helmet with some cool extra features. The different size cheek pads that come with the Insurgent are a great addition that lets you customize the fit for maximum comfort. The Insurgent is a good fit for just about anyone ranging from top-level DH riders to beginners that are looking to advance their skills and wants that extra protection. As always, we consider if we would purchase this helmet for ourselves and that is a yes. The Insurgent gave us confidence and was a pleasure to ride in.

Visit giro.com for more details.

About The Reviewer

Ryan Lummis - Age: 37 // Years Riding MTB: 19 // Height: 5'7" (1.702m) // Weight: 160-pounds (72.7kg)

I grew up racing motocross and started riding MTB at the age of 18. I started racing local DH and dual slalom races and quickly fell in love with the sport. From riding over the last 19 years I have had the joy of being able to see the sport develop and the technology improve. I have witnessed and experienced many different types of ideas, technology, suspension designs, and bike geometry and I have seen what has worked and what has not. Being from a motocross background some of my favorite trails are fast, flowing trails with large hits and different line choices. Over the years though I have grown to also love the natural, raw and challenging dh trails of the Sierra Nevadas and the PNW.