Specialized S-Works Prevail II Vent

The Specialized S-Works Prevail II Vent is a better-vented version of the company's top-end vented helmet. It is cool, comfortable and fits very well, plus you still get the safety benefits of MIPS and ANGi technologies should you have an off.

Specialized has probably looked at the world of smartphone tech and decided that incremental changes make for good business because the American brand has come out with lots of iterations of its main products. Here it has made a more airy version of its top-end vented helmet, the Prevail II (note, no Vent), by using aramid struts that turn that helmet's ten big vents into three huge ones. Specialized claims this change means it'll move air across your head 18 per cent faster than the non-Vent Prevail II.

> Buy now: Specialized S-Works Prevail II Vent from Sigma Sports for £159.00

With my hair set to wavy mode and calibrated for waft, I headed out before I went on an actual ride to see if I could tell the difference. The results? A marginally more frozen head on a January morning with the Prevail II Vent than with the standard Prevail II.

With that highly scientific testing done, I put a warming hat on under the Prevail II Vent and set off for an actual ride. I found the standard Prevail II to be very comfortable, that is until I crashed on my head halfway through last year and changed the shape of the helmet. The Vent keeps that (pre-crash) comfort and is an easy lid to wear on longer rides.

On my head the Vent sits quite low, with the front rim dropping to just above my eyebrows. How it sits on you will depend on your head shape, but if you're looking for a bit of extra skull coverage, it could be a good option. The retention system provides plenty of adjustment at the rear.

Specialized opts for a fixed splitter on the straps, which doesn't work for everyone. On me, they sit just below the ear and are perfectly comfortable, but there is one thing I would change about the strap design and that is the anchoring point. I'd like it to be on the inner edge of the helmet shell, rather than in the middle. The current middle position leaves both split straps sitting away from my face if I don't wear sunnies, and the rear split strap sits out regardless. At higher speeds, the wind gets at the split straps and causes them to buzz against the cheekbones. It's a minor annoyance, but one that I don't have with other helmets.

The internal MIPS liner didn't irritate me while riding and it does help the helmet to gain a five-star safety rating from the Virginia Tech team.

> All you need to know about MIPS

We can argue about helmet safety all you like but for me, a MIPS-equipped lid is worth the marginal weight penalty as the data is there to show a reduction in rotational forces acting on the brain in the event of a crash. I like my head, so I'll take that.

Another safety feature, though not one that I use myself, is the ANGi device on the back of the Vent. Specialized says that it'll detect a crash if you have one and then contact a nominated number without you needing to be conscious. My issue with it is that it needs to be connected to the app and then the app needs to be running on your phone in the background. If my head wasn't fixed to my body I'd forget to take it with me, so it's probably not something that I'd remember to be doing before each ride. And also, I wasn't about to go and do another head skid to test if it works. Anyway, it's there if you want it and easy to remove if you don't.

Value and conclusion

Price-wise, it is £20 more than the standard Prevail II and you can easily get a comfy road lid for less – the Lazer Z1 MIPS is a favourite of mine, now up from £169.99 when George tested it in 2020 to £209.99 – but equally, you can spend more – the Met Trenta 3K Carbon is £270, while the Giro Aether MIPS is £289.99.

> The 10 best lightweight high-performance cycling helmets

If you've got the cash for the Prevail II Vent, you won't be disappointed. Everything that was good about the standard Prevail II is here, it's just a bit more breathable. Overall, it's a superb vented helmet, even if it does sit in the upper range of what many will be willing to pay.

Verdict

Airy and comfortable, this is a top-end road helmet with good safety features