Lee from our Support Team has been busy putting the new Trek Ballista Aero Helmet through its paces. Here are his thoughts.
Courtesy of Trek, I’ve had a lovely new Ballista helmet to try out for the past couple of weeks.
So how does it stack up? Upon unboxing my immediate thought is it feels light. Once home this was verified on the scales, however, I didn’t need them to tell me it weighed less than my current aero helmet as the difference was noticeable in hand.
A good start. I suspect a lot of this saving has gone into the impressively svelte BOA and MIPS air systems which are incredibly comfortable once the helmet is in place. The MIPS system also allows the side ventilation holes to double as sunglass holders. As a previous user of Wavecell helmets where this wasn’t possible, I’m now aware of how much I value this feature previously taken for granted.
Ed note – What is MIPS? Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS). This patented protection system disperses rotational force caused by angular forces.
Before heading out for a ride I did have a small gripe with the helmet straps as the buckle side is a fixed length with no adjustability. This sits further under my chin than I’d like, although now I’ve gotten used to the positioning I no longer notice this when out riding. Greater adjustment options on the strap would be an improvement, however.
How’s it going to look for the all-important riding selfie?
Pretty good, if I do say so myself.
The large front vent does lead to some Pogačar style tufting, should you have a reasonable head of hair! Not something that’s unique to this helmet though, I find the same on most helmets featuring larger apertures.
Given it’s not particularly warm in the UK right now, it’s hard to tell how well the ventilation is going to perform. I decided an aero helmet was the perfect choice for an MTB XC race to really give it a proper test.
Even working hard at a much slower speed than you’d ride on the road I never felt it getting hot. In fact, wearing this I never really feel like I’m wearing a helmet, which is perhaps the best compliment I can give to its feel. I’d definitely recommend giving it a shot!
Ed – sounds like a winner
