POC Tectal Race 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 makes some of the worlds best looking and proclaimed "safest" helmets and protective gear in the cycling and snow industries. We have always chosen to run the Tectal Helmet for its great aesthetics and comfort. The Tectal is probably the helmet you will see most of the staff here at Worldwide Cyclery using. Our buddy Eric recently purchased one. Let's see what he thought!

Eric's Review

POC makes very high quality stuff and this helmet is no exception. What sets the Tectal apart is its great coverage and relatively low weight. The M/L Race with the SPIN system (pads) came in at a respectable 362 g. The fit was spot on for my 58 cm circumference head. The front sits lower across the brow than any other helmet I’ve had but did not interfere with my riding sunglasses. The point around the ears drops down a little low and I was worried that might interfere with the arms of the glasses but it didn’t. The pads soak up and catch sweat well with no weird dripping or leaking.

The helmet wraps nicely around the back of the head and provides solid protection much like a full face just without the faceguard. Venting is good with 17 well-placed slots/holes. The stiff, slotted visor has lots of adjustability via a single ridged screw. I like that you can run it low for more shielding from the sun’s glare.

There are no hot spots or pinch points.

The shell is round-shaped and should accommodate a lot of different head shapes and sizes. Everyone I know with this helmet really likes it. The straps are adjustable although they were perfect right out of the box and didn’t have to mess with them. The clip is a standard pinch buckle and not exotic like a magnet latch or something. The Tectal Race comes with a goggle clip on the back, which is a nice touch although I tend to wear this helmet with glasses and save the goggles when using a full face.

Colors are limited to gloss white and gloss black so not much to say here other than maybe a little stormtrooper looking. It does look good on with a smooth profile and no weird bulges or angles. No idea why POC prints the contents right on top of the shell instead of inside the liner with the other technical information.

I have not crashed yet with this helmet (yet) so fortunately, I can’t comment on its survivability. POC handles MIPS with their SPIN silicone infused pods rather than a plastic liner, which offers an edge in comfort and weight. Not sure if provides the same benefit as a true MIPS helmet that is designed to rotate around your head when impacted. But some say your hair by itself does a good job of that and the benefits of MIPS is overstated.

Conclusion

"Keep in mind a helmet that fits well for one person’s head shape doesn’t necessarily work for another. But the general consensus is this helmet seems to work for a lot of different heads. It is expensive but you would be hard-pressed to find a better trail/enduro helmet with this amount of coverage at a lower weight." - Eric