Pricey, but provides unique Spherical MIPS protection in an impressively aero road helmet with great ventilation and fit
Pros
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Unique Spherical MIPS protection
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Impressively quiet aero performance
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Excellent, easy-to-adjust fit
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Good ventilation
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Light
Cons
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High price
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Go Aether for more venting but less aero
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First seen in the WorldTour peloton last year, Giro’s new Eclipse Spherical aero helmet slips the brand’s unique twin-shell MIPS slip-plane protection into a compact and comfortably ventilated lid that it claims is also its most aerodynamic helmet ever tested. While that’s impossible for us to verify on the road, we can confirm the lightweight, low-profile design fits great and ventilates well. That comes at a high cost though, so is it worth the investment, and will it give the best aero helmets a run for their money? Read on to find out.
Design and aesthetics
The most striking thing about the Eclipse is how small it looks out of the box, to the point where I had to double check I was sent the right medium size. Even then I was apprehensive whether it would fit, but I needn’t have worried as it slid on just fine. In fact I even had room to slide a thin cap underneath on colder days.
The simple ladder height adjustment and soft-touch dial on the Roc Loc 5 Air cradle system lets you perfect the fit with the helmet on your head, which makes it much easier than repeated trial and error. I really like the little extended tab on the antimicrobial Ionic+ brow pad that helps ease it on and will presumably reduce the chance of the pad peeling back over time. Apart from that front pad there’s just four thin finger strips along the spines of the inner helmet.
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The Eclipse looks very small but fits very well(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
Four thin strips of padding line the spines of the inner layer and a brow pad sits up front(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
It certainly has a snazzy aesthetic(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
This two-piece, in-shell moulded EPS shell design is the heart of Giro’s Spherical MIPS system. The inner and outer shells slide over each other using stretchy connectors, rather than just using a sliding inner cradle. According to MIPS this reduces the rotational trauma transmitted to your brain and the results from Giro’s Dome in-house test lab (I’ve been there and it’s seriously impressive and fascinating to see what it puts its designs through), shows the Spherical system gives the best protection of all, exceeding all global safety standards.
I can’t confirm or deny that, and like Giro’s other Spherical helmets - the Giro Aether MIPS and Giro Helios - the Eclipse design doesn’t give full-wrap coverage like the Merit and Tyrant MTB helmets. You are almost certainly protected from any crash with a forward vector though - and using a ‘cap’ design lets them keep the whole helmet really compact.
Performance
According to Giro, the compact aero outer carapace is the slipperiest helmet it’s made in terms of all-angle aero. To be exact, it claims that it saves 60 seconds over 100-miles at 25mph compared to the existing Vanquish, 160 seconds over the Aether climbing helmet, and nearly 14 seconds over the ‘closest competitor’. While I’ve not been in a wind tunnel wearing it, it’s certainly very quiet on windy days wherever the blow is coming from. Plus although the centre strip is solid there’s a surprising amount of vents (I count 17 in total, though Giro says 14) across the front and around the sides.
By using a very open internal shell inside and putting nine of those vents in the rear and sides for exhaust ‘pull through’, the Eclipse actually uses the internal airflow to boost overall aero. It certainly keeps airflow clean around your neck and shoulders and there’s no obvious turbulence even when burying your head in the bars like all the TT commentators say you shouldn’t.
The healthy airflow also makes the Eclipse impressively cool and breezy at high, hot work rates, too, so saving you seconds isn’t costing you comfort. If you’re all about the air-con though it’s still not quite as airy as the outstandingly cool Aether with its ‘Aura’ reinforcing arches allowing massive vent volume.
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There's plenty of ventilation on offer(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
According to Giro, the compact aero outer carapace is the slipperiest helmet it’s ever made(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
There are nine vents in the back alone(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
Verdict
Even by WorldTour standards the Eclipse Spherical is an expensive helmet but, in terms of overall performance, it’s equally outstanding. It’s seriously fast, quiet and clean when it comes to perceived drag (and measured drag if you believe Giro) but still has decent ventilation and excellent, easy-fit security. Add compact, good looks and — most importantly — potentially next-level Spherical MIPS protection, and if you’ve got an aero road bike and a wad of cash to spare, then it has to be right up there on any shortlist.
