Building upon the success of their award-winning MT500 helmet, Endura is announcing the updated version will now be available in the USA. Intended for trail or enduro riding, the revised MT500 MIPS now boasts more head coverage and a MIPS liner to improve rider safety.
I planned to have a full review of the MT500 MIPS ready for this article, but a hip injury has kept me from riding for the last several weeks. Endura did send me a jersey and shorts along with the helmet, so I will post a review of all three pieces once I’m back in the saddle. Since I have an MT500 MIPS in my possession, I’ve included some notes on its fit, weight, and eyewear compatibility in this article.
Inside its in-molded shell, the MT500’s 3D-formed Koroyd core provides lightweight protection and allows for plenty of airflow. The MT500 is actually the first MTB helmet that meets the Koroyd Safety Initiative requirements, which are more strict than industry standard safety requirements.
For even more safety, a MIPS liner protects against rotational forces in a crash. Endura provides some thin padding inside the shell which is fast wicking, quick-drying, and easily removable for washing.
Endura’s one-handed retention dial is integrated into the MIPS liner and offers four positions for height adjustment. It also has a thin layer of rubber on the inside to ensure a comfortable, secure fit. The MT500 MIPS’ straps feature Y-shaped adjusters (which I find easy to work with), and a traditional chin buckle.
The MT500 MIPS has quite a few large vents on the front and several big exhaust vents out back. Endura says the helmet features their ‘air intake’ zone up top, but in my eyes, it’s more the forehead and sides of the helmet that have been heavily cut out… either way, it looks like air should flow very freely through this lid.
There are three positions for the MT500’s adjustable visor, but unless you’re stowing goggles you’ll most likely keep it in the lowest position for riding. The higher two positions are completely out of my field of view, but the highest setting does allow enough room to hold goggles on your forehead. A rubberized strap holder on the back of the helmet’s peak provides some grip to keep your strap in place.
Endura says the MT500 MIPS’ front vents can act as a sunglasses dock, though I haven’t figured out how yet, as every vent is blocked by the Koroyd core, so you can’t put anything through them.
Finally, for those who enjoy filming or night riding, the MT500 MIPS comes with a removable mount for POV cameras and a clip for carrying a light.
My scale shows the M/L helmet weighing in at 416g. With its Koroyd core, I guessed the MT500 would come in a little lighter, but it’s not unreasonable for a helmet that provides such generous head coverage.
Given my current injury, I’ll save my comments on how the helmet feels on the trail, how it manages heat, and other observations for my review article, but I can at least give you some details on how it fits my head…
Endura’s sizing splits from a S/M to a M/L at 55cm, and my head measures 56cm. I wind up on the smaller side of the M/L’s size range (55-59cm), so the shell fits a bit larger than most of my other helmets. I have no problem cinching down the retention system until it is tight enough, so I feel perfectly safe riding with it, but the shell has more room to shift around on my head than I’d like. We’ll have to see how this feels once I hit the trails with it…
My head fits fully into the MT500’s shell and its shape lines up well with the top of my shallow, narrow skull. Front to back the helmet fits me just fine, but there is a little more room side-to-side than I’d prefer. The shell provides as much coverage as it possibly could on me, with the forehead sitting quite low, my ears just clearing their cutouts, and the rear portion extending to the base of my skull. Even in its second-highest position, the retention dial sits low enough on me to provide a solid, comfortable fit.
The MT500 MIPS is available in White, Olive Green, Black, Concrete Grey and Blueberry, and comes in sizes S/M, M/L, and L/XL covering heads from 51-63cms. MSRP is $239.99.
The new MT500 MIPS isn’t the only Endura helmet coming to the USA; Their MT500 MIPS full-face, Singletrack MIPS, Humvee Plus, and Humvee Plus MIPS open-faced helmets, along with their Pisspot BMX/skate style lid are all now available to American customers.
