Poc Omne Lite

Poc's Omne Lite is an evolution of the Omne helmet, made lighter and with added airflow. The fit on me is great, making the helmet near unnoticeable on my head, and the stripped-back retention system helps give it a light, airy feel. This kind of quality does not come cheap, though.

For more options, check out our guide to the best cycling helmets.

The Omne Lite is a new helmet in the Swedish brand's range, introduced this year alongside the Omne Ultra. Both are based on the existing Omne Air model, which we reviewed the Rapha-styled version of in 2021.

The Omne variations are Poc's least expensive helmets, and for the Lite it's stripped back the Omne Air to make it lighter and has also added extra airflow. The size medium on test weighs 237g on our scales which is pretty light, though not the lightest – that prize goes to another Poc helmet, the Ventral Lite, which only weighs 188g; we also reviewed the Rapha-styled version of that one.

Crash protection

I'm not as dedicated as our Dave when he tested the Ventral Lite and actually crashed it, but I can tell you a bit more theoretically speaking.

The lid is based around a lightweight EPS liner, with a minimal polycarbonate shell to provide structural strength while keeping the weight as low as possible, all conforming to EN, CPSC, AS/NZS certifications, though it does not have Mips. That stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System – a technology that can be found in other helmets that lessens energy from rotational or angular impacts via the use of a slip plane, which allows a sliding motion in all directions of the liner against the shell. We have a whole feature about it, if you'd like to know more.

Poc says it's optimised ventilation and airflow by adding extra exhaust vents at the back of the helmet. In total, there are 12 ventilation holes opening up to the five channels that run on the inside in the EPS liner. The combination of the holes and channels works really well; the ventilation is top notch on this helmet.

Adjustability

The retention system has been stripped back – there's a thin plastic wire running front to back rather than the more usual plastic strip.

This saves weight but there's an extra benefit: the big internal channels and the minimal retention system give the helmet a really light, airy feel, making it almost unnoticeable in use.

The chin strap is the usual adjustable affair; between it and the retention dial at the back, the fit is just so for me. Though it has to be said that helmet fit is a bit of a personal thing and Poc's shapes have worked well for me in the past.

Colours and sizes

The Omne Lite is available in seven different colour combinations and three sizes: small, medium and large.

We've got a medium on test, which is what I would usually go for in a helmet. It's the right size for me, with enough adjustability to fit me from when my head is freshly shaved to when it's really cold out and I'm double-skullcapping.

Value

At £170, this helmet is not cheap, especially for a non-Mips helmet. Mips does add a bit of weight so you could argue that if your design goal is 'Lite' then Mips doesn't fit that requirement.

We've reviewed plenty of helmets in this price bracket and above recently. Rudy Project's Egos costs the same, while Bell's XR Spherical, which George tested earlier this year, is a bit more expensive at £209.99, though does benefit from Spherical Mips.

You can spend more: Met's Trenta 3k Carbon MIPS helmet costs £290, up a tenner since Jamie tested it last year.

You can get a decent helmet for less, though: Specialized's Align II is only £45 and has Mips. Hollis thought it was excellent for the money, though it's quite a lot heavier.

Conclusion

I've enjoyed wearing this helmet; it fits me really well, the ventilation is top notch and I like the lightweight airy feel. It's easy to make the argument that £170 is a lot of money to spend for a non-Mips helmet, though. If extra protection is more important to you than weight, Poc's own Octal MIPS is only £10 more.

Verdict

Great fitting, light and airy feeling helmet, though expensive for non-Mips