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review

Met Camaleonte helmet

8
£39.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Stylish, weight and wallet friendly city cycling helmet
Weight: 
254g
Contact: 
www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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This smart, chic urban cycling helmet is made by one of the most respected names in helmet construction, the Italian company MET and with an rrp of £50 this could be the perfect helmet for your ride to work.

Don’t fancy looking like a Lycra clad speed merchant? Prefer an understated helmet over a vent filled, carbon formed, featherweight £150+ offering? The Camaleonte is a combination of road helmet and urban bmx/skater style lid and it works well. Bringing together ventilation and urban design this helmet fits like a glove but is light enough so you wont notice it. The inner pads offer support and raise the protective layer and shell off the head enough to allow a good amount of airflow to keep the head cool.

The Camaleonte from MET comes in three colours, white, black and this fetching green/blue that I have had on test. To be honest, I normally wear a Giro Prolight or Met SineThesis so this was a bit of a departure for me and I would have felt more comfortable in either the white or black helmets but this is what MET sent so this is what gets tested. Riding a carbon road bike to work in this helmet does draw a few looks but surprisingly not ones of derision, I got nods of approval but I didn’t spend too long reading meanings into these. My other bike option, a Kona HeiHei Supreme was no more fitting for this helmet but if I had a hybrid, tourer or fixed then I would no doubt look the part.

The helmet fitted more comfortably than my road bike helmets which was a surprise but one I was happy to handle. If anyone has been watching the recent road races on Eurosport in which Team Sky have been participating you may have seen their Kask helmets, the Camaleonte doesn’t look too dis-similar, especially when seen in black.

With high quality, tried and tested MET technology taken from the top end road and trail helmets such as ‘in moulding’ shell construction to keep weight and bulk down. The helmet also has a reflective tab at the back to add some extra visibility for those winter commutes and a removable visor helps keep the rain and dirt out. The helmet liner pads are removable and washable to make sure no smells build up and the helmet has a long lifespan.

Verdict

All in all though, this helmet looks the business, especially in a commuter, fixie style. Coming in at 254g for a medium and a shade under £40 online this is a weight and wallet friendly city helmet.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Met Camaleonte helmet

Size tested: M

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes!

Would you consider buying the product? In black for commuting, yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? I have done and will continue to.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 5ft 10  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: felt ar4  My best bike is: i like my felt and my orbea ora tt bike equally

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, mtb, triathlon

Add new comment

3 comments

Avatar
jezzzer | 13 years ago
0 likes

that looks weird. wouldn't fancy rocking that on even a commute when it's hot.

Avatar
Tony Farrelly | 13 years ago
0 likes

Sometimes they go back to the manufacturer/distributor but more usually the reviewer keeps it – not much you can do with a helmet that someone has sweated buckets in to.

That does mean too that next time they do a helmet test they may well have a direct rival on hand for comparison.

Avatar
DaveP | 13 years ago
0 likes

What do you do with all your 'test' lids?  3

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