POC Octal Helmet: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

POC is a without a doubt, one of the most popular helmet brands that we sell. Most of us at the shop are actually riding them, they look great and keep you safe which is what really matters. Our customer Brian was in need of a second helmet and opted for the POC Octal. Check out his review!

Overview

I currently always have 2 active helmets at my disposal. My main helmet is a Laser Coyote Mips in Matte black along with a Bontrager Rally Mips in bright orange (the "please don't shoot me during hunting season" helmet). Recently, my back up helmet started functioning improperly during a ride. I noticed that no matter how much I tightened it down it still felt a bit loose. Upon examination, I noticed that the attachment point had become detached, rendering the helmet unusable for safety at this point. The helmet was outside of the warranty range so it was a perfect time to start the hunt for a new lid. 

My Helmet Requirements

Things that were important in the search in no particular order were brand, comfort, style, coverage, and the option of Mips being available. The first thing I did was to ask a few riding buddies what they wear. I decided to join the POC bandwagon as I have heard many great things. As far as style, I was going between the POC Tectal and the POC Octal helmets. The former is similar to what I have been wearing, a more traditional MTN bike helmet with a visor, the latter leaning towards the racing/roadie side with no visor. 

Why POC?

After much debate, I decided to go with the POC Octal, mainly because I wanted to dabble into some racing this year. As far as color options I chose the Hydrogen white to be a stand out a bit more. During my search, I found what I was looking for at World Wide Cyclery, my go-to for online buying. When I ordered the POC Octal helmet, I thought I had ordered one with the MIPS. But after checking my receipt, I verified that this one did not have the MIPS.

First Impressions

Once it arrived in the mail, I tried it on for the first time. Initial thoughts were very promising. I ordered a LG/XL and used the POC website as a fitting guide. One of my buddies who uses the POC Tectal advised me that his helmet fits a bit snug in the temple area of the helmet. This fact compared to the fit of my other helmets was true. It does not feel tight, just different. As far as the quality of the helmet build/design, it seems slightly better than both the Laser and the Bontrager helmets. The strap adjustability/design is exceptional. The helmet also comes with a soft white back for storage during non-usage which was a bonus. As far as coverage, based on looks alone, it seems that it is not as good as my Laser/Bontrager, but pictures contradict this fact. So all being equal, I will grade the POC Octal a 4 out of 5 for comfort and style.

Final Thoughts

Like many this year, my first race of the season in early April has been canceled due to the Covid 19 virus. So I am looking forward to using this amazing helmet in action this year.