Headed to Kona this year and am interested in helmet choices. Have only done IM Wisconsin in temperate conditions where I’m not worried about over heating.
Anyone have recommendations or experience with helmets that balance aero with ventilation/ staying cool?
Current Tri Helmet is a Giro Aerohead in black. Will that be too hot, or do I need to keep a white color or something with more ventilation?
https://www.giro.com/p/aerohead-mips-road-bike-helmet/100000000300000048.html
I trained on the island last year (when my wife raced) with my aero helmet. WOW, that was not comfortable. I’m 100% planning on my normal vented road helmet when I race this year. I’m not minutes off the podium, so an easy choice!
I wore a black Aerohead in 2019 with no issues YMMV.
Helmet color doesn’t matter, thermally speaking. The outer surface of a black helmet will be higher than a white one, but all the foam (insulation…basically it’s a beer cooler) between the shell and your head renders it irrelevant.
What will matter is the ventilation difference between an aero helmet and a road helmet. This seems to be highly individual. Some folks find aero helmets stifling, while some are just fine with them. Personally, I have no problems with the Aerohead even in very hot races (did nats in one with a heat index over 100^F). There are grooves in the front foam that I find provide good airflow over the head. It runs cooler than my old Rudy Wingspan despite the latter having a large front vent and no visor. Again YMMV.
You also have the option of running the Aerohead w/o the visor…a mod that still makes it about as fast as the top aero road helmets. You can always pack your road helmet in the bike box as a backup in case you find the aero helmet too uncomfortable.
I rode(not race) in very hot and humid conditions and I sweat a lot. My sweat will just cover my visor so I couldn’t use aero helmet in the summer. I’ve hear that Kona can be wildy so this might help a bit.
I rode(not race) in very hot and humid conditions and I sweat a lot. My sweat will just cover my visor so I couldn’t use aero helmet in the summer. I’ve hear that Kona can be wildy so this might help a bit.
The wind is hot too, so don’t count on that making much difference. I had a little sweat running on my visor (Kask Bambino Pro) but didn’t bother me too much. YMMV.
OP: do a test ride prior to the race and you’ll have a good idea. An extra road helmet is easy to travel with, so you can make a race day decision.
I recently got a Giro Eclipse Spherical. I ride in super hot desert conditions. I found it to be ventilated enough, and that’s with wearing a bandanna between it and my scalp. I have longer hair and I really don’t get uncomfortably hot with it. Now don’t laugh, but I also have a Bell Formula MIPS that is super venty and I don’t even know that it’s on my head. It feels pretty aero, for what it is. 5-star impact rating fro VT and you can pick one up for about $50.
True aero TT helmets just melt me–can’t use them without a single overheating issue, especially in Kona–never bonked so fast in my life & overheated so fast. Used road hemlet there too, not much help as the heat still crushed me. Best solution for me was 1) Stop doing Kona 2) Use an “aero-road” helmet for the best of both worlds for cooling & aerodynamics (using a Kask Utopia now but am considering a Trek Ballista 2 as it has a semi-bent tail on it ala Taylor Knibb style).
Good luck! **Disclaimer: my heat tolerance is very low so FWIW, this is just one take from one dude. It’s individual.
I Live in the Philippines and been loving my Ekoi Perfect.
Has enough ventillation, light and feels aero fast.
https://www.trimax-mag.com/vente-flash-ekoi-casque-aero-a-50/
I Live in the Philippines and been loving my Ekoi Perfect.
Has enough ventillation, light and feels aero fast.
https://www.trimax-mag.com/...oi-casque-aero-a-50/
I looked at the Ekoi helmets before I bought my Giro. I passed on Ekoi because I really couldn’t find too much information about their crash performance. It appeared that the AR14 and 16 helmets didn’t have a MIPS or similar system. How to you rate the protection of your Ekoi? Thanks.
Personally I found the Giro Aerohead the hotest helmet I have ever used. I have a Rudy Wing currently I will be using in Kona. I find it pretty well ventilated, defiantly not as hot as the Giro.
Are those visors compatible with the Ekoi Koina??.. I cannot find a visor 
Have been pondering the same decision. Having chatted with friends who have competed in Kona before I’m going with a Specialised Evade. Much better ventilation and the ability to get water in through the vents. I’m taking the view that giving up a couple of mins on the bike to keep the core temperature down is a price worth paying to mitigate cumulative heat issues, and greater time lost, on the run.
NB- I am a pasty Brit not used to Kona levels of heat and humidity- nor will I be troubling the podium.
Don’t underestimate the severity of the heat and humidity on that island. It can affect people that otherwise are very resilient in tough conditions. Yes, a less aero helmet could cost you a couple minutes, but getting through that race is largely about managing the environmental effects (on the bike and run). I’ll be wearing a road helmet again.