Today we took the time to review the Giro Ledge helmet, one of the highest rated helmets out there in the game today. We’re pretty big fans of Giro snow gear in general and consider them to at least be in our top 3 best brands. This particular snow helmet is relatively new to the game as opposed to some of their more reputable helmets, but it’s continuing to make a name for itself as the years go by, especially since a lot of the styles have an option for the beloved MIPS protection system (for a few more bucks, of course). Before you buy this one to protect that head of yours while you ride, let’s get into the details and see what it’s all about.
Main features of the Giro Ledge snow helmet
Hard shell construction- Auto Loc 2 Fit System
- Vertical tuning (on-the-fly)
- Super Cool Vents
- Stack Ventilation
- Removable goggle retainer
- Removable earpads
- Compatible with audio systems
- Certain styles offered with MIPS
Helmet build
The first and foremost part of a snow helmet we want to look at is the overall build — not only the materials included in the construction, but also the technology they offer. We want to make sure a helmet does what its essential job is supposed to be — protect us from even the worst falls we aren’t expecting. Giro’s hard shell construction is one of their higher-end builds composed of a rugged outer shell which is molded and attached to additional layer inside of your helmet (the interior EPS foam liner which surrounds your actual head). As opposed to some cheaper helmets that have only layer of plastic to stop falls with some foam glued on inside to help keep your head comfortable, this fuse is more advanced and offers additional protection (the outer shell is made of a lot better material than other, cheaper helmets in the market).
We also want to highlight the fact that this also offered as a Giro Ledge MIPS version, giving us one of the most popular helmet protection systems in the world. Combine this with their hard shell construction and you’ll have even more confidence when it comes to protecting that noggin. So what is MIPS? Standing for multi-directional impact protection system, it works by having three layers — an interior foam liner, elastomeric attachment system, and low friction liner. These three components combine to create a special system that reduces rotational forces when you fall in certain ways. The system lets the helmet rotate itself around your head to redirect impact energy. Pretty nifty, right? When it comes down to it, we highly recommend grabbing a LEdge helmet with MIPS, even if it costs a few more bucks — additional protection is always recommended.
Additional Giro Ledge helmet features
Your helmet should always fit near-perfectly. One of the biggest additional features of the Ledge we love is their fit system. The “Auto Loc 2 Fit System” is more than what typical helmets have (a strap or two to adjust the tightness). it has three different circumference settings. Although we’re usually fans of the dial systems we’ve seen around the market, this particular technology “automatically adjusts” to cradle your head accordingly. A con many may say is that they do prefer to manually adjust this so they can get it just right, but this systems works for most without a problem. Here’s where the vertical tuning technology comes in. You also get that dial we were talking about to lock in your goggles and fine-tune that fit without having to take off the helmet.
The Giro Ledge also has some nice venting to it. Giro’s “stack vent” has a large vent at the center of their brim so it can line up with your goggle’s vent (some, at least — especially Giro models, which is how they like to push you to buy their goggles as well so they can be ‘seamlessly compatible’). This helps decrease that build-up of fog and air we’re all used to after long runs. The ‘super cool vents’ are the additional vents you see in the photos to keep that airflow going in all areas of your head. Venting is superb in this one, especially if you’re wearing some Giro goggles as well (not many do, though).
How the Ledge holds up vs. helmet competitors
Considering the price of this helmet, it isn’t necessarily complete ‘high-end’. It lands near the lower to middle price-point of the popular helmet game so we’d say a big competitor or two to the Ledge would be the Smith Maze MIPS although it may end up coming in a bit more expensive, may be a better fit for you in terms of a little better technology if you have a few extra bucks to spend. You can also check out our best snow helmets guide to get some more options if you wanted to compare and contrast before purchasing. We’re only assuming you want a helmet in the same price-point as the Ledge, so in case you want to see what else is out there, we hope it can help.
All in all, the Giro Ledge helmet is a top-notch piece of snow gear for those who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on their model. You’re covered for a decent construction, awesome protection (especially if you go the MIPS route), as well as venting to keep your head cool while you binge ride those mountains for hours. Who know many who consider a helmet an investment for many years to come, so we recommend grabbing this if you wanted a relatively cheaper helmet, but not necessarily as cheap as those no-name knock-offs we see in sports stores.
