Kask Mistral aero helmet review
We’ve used Kask’s Bambino Pro and the Protone for the past two seasons, so were pretty excited to unpack another part of the family: the Mistral, which is conceived as the tri-focused big brother. It’s said to offer more venting to keep your head cooler on the bike ahead of the run.
The fit’s very comfy. The internal pads and adjustment systems are identical to the Bambino and the lateral covers for the ears are really embracing, giving us the feeling of wearing the same helmet. The main – and unmissable – difference is the aerodynamic tail. Six front openings allow airflow to enter from the anterior part of the helmet, while two wide rear ones let the air exit for both aero and venting purposes.
We tested the helmet both in cold (7°C) and warm (22°C) conditions. Even in the cold, we started to overheat 30-40mins into the ride and had to take the visor off and use our sunglasses to cool down. In the warmer conditions, the visor was full of sweat after 20mins.
It’s disappointing to see that the venting remains the helmet’s Achilles heel when it should be a main strength. A visor with some extra openings (as seen in ski goggles) might solve the issue. Until then, we’ll stick with the conviction of leading tri coach Brett Sutton (and many others) that it’s better to have a slower, cooler bike ride instead of starting the run already hot... and to our Protone.
Verdict: comfortable and aero, but with major venting issues 72%
Buy from Wiggle.co.uk
Do I need an aero helmet for triathlon?
A quick guide to aero helmets
Aero cycling helmets: how to choose the right shape
Contact : www.kask.com