White helmets are faster, right? It kinda feels like that sometimes. Well, MET is on board, and alluding to their earliest white Uno helmet, they have created three limited edition mid- to high-end road helmets – the Manta, Rivale & Trenta – in pretty much as close to all-white as possible. But, while making a white foam & white shell helmet is clearly just an aesthetic exercise, these helmets also include the first-ever transparent MIPS liner, likely opening the door for less obtrusive rotational impact protection.
MET Absolute White edition road helmets with clear MIPS
White logos on white polycarbonate shells, in-molded over white EPS protection foam. Lightweight light gray straps, white & light gray plastic buckles & dials, and washable light gray padding inside. MET made these three helmets as light in color as possible, while still keeping them reasonably usable so they don’t just instantly get gross when you sweat in them.
But the one actually unique element in each helmet is the transparent MIPS Evolve Core liner. While MIPS demanded visibility with their iconic yellow low-friction layer plastic liners from the start, as they became a benchmark in helmet safety, they could tone down that bright yellow look.
Now that everyone essentially understands what MIPS does, and why additional anti-rotation protection matters in a cycling crash, it seems they are finally more content to step out of the limelight a bit.
So, these new MET Absolute White limited edition all feature the same safety tech as their standard colorful siblings – the aero Manta, the affordable all-rounder Rivale, and the long-running (non-carbon) fully-vented Trenta. They just are whiter than ever before.
MET Absolute White – Pricing, options & availability
MET hasn’t given an exact number to say how limited they are, making it seem more like they understand that not everyone really wants or needs an all-white helmet. In fact, their PR campaign selling us on the idea includes a couple of roadies decked out in all-white cycling kit – including white bibs and clearly translucent white jerseys… yikes. That’s clearly a look that the majority of cyclists thankfully won’t be getting behind. But if you do appreciate a “light, bright, absolute” aesthetic, these are some classy-looking white helmets.
Three MET Absolute White special edition helmets are available now, at the same price as the standard colors. The $230 / 170€ Rivale is the most affordable, while the Manta and Trenta both sell for $300 / 260€. All come in three sizes (S 52-56, M 56-58 & L 58-61cm) and are either CE/EN or US CPSC certified. All three have the same claimed weight of 250g for a size M, although they differ a bit in other sizes.
Get yours now directly from MET or your local dealer.
