MET once again updates the Trenta 3K Carbon, their top vented road helmet. But this time it’s a ground-up redesign, with an all-new carbon skeleton and completely redesigned internal & external venting that promises both huge performance gains, and a lot more rider safety.
Airflow increased by 16% and independent safety test performance boosted by 40%. It might have looked similar on top of Elisa Longo Borghini’s head when she won the 2025 Giro d’Italia, or with Tadej Pogačar’s sticking out of the top while he was winning a second straight UCI Road World Championship in Rwanda a couple of weeks ago. But this is a completely new MET Trenta 3K Carbon helmet.
2025 MET Trenta 3K Carbon MIPS, a safer vented road helmet
MET describes their all-new Trenta 3K Carbon as “the most ventilated road helmet ever”. But the bigger priority seemed to be a focus on improving rider protection.
Through their sponsorship of the UAE Team Emirates XRG and UAE Team ADQ pro teams – of course, including Pogi – MET says they see between 20-30 crash-damaged helmets from the team, “most of them showing clear signs of high-energy impacts“. That essentially equates this on average assumption: “almost every rider of a World Tour Team experiences at least one high-speed crash per season, which is why minimising the risk of concussion is a top priority, at the same level as performance.“
So, MET decided to completely redesign their flagship lightweight, fully-vented road helmet to increase rider safety without compromising performance.
Old vs. New
The same overall concept remains as it did when the Trenta 3K Carbon first debuted back in 2017 – by adding an in-mold carbon skeleton, MET could open up the front of the helmet for increased airflow without compromising on impact protection. But now, much more advanced construction takes that to new extremes.
The carbon structure is much more integrated to the overall structure of the helmet, which allowed MET to eliminate EPS foam overmolded onto the underside of the carbon 3K Airframe through the ventilation channels. Instead, not three main EPS ribs provide impact protection over the top of the helmet, linked by the new 3K Airframe. This let MET thin the carbon wing structure, deepen those continuous internal ventilation channels, and improve aerodynamics at the same time.
The result is a helmet that is visually much more open from the front, which a claimed 16% increased ventilation, as optimized in MET’s own in-house wind tunnel. That means a cooler head overall. And it also moves more of the helmet away from your head, which they say boosts comfort, too.
All-new 3K Airframe inside
The more complex 3K Airframe inside is a big part of the significantly improved protection offered by the new Trenta, even with the fact that it appears much more open. The stronger, higher energy dissipation of the new 3K Airframe pairs with increased rear coverage and a more fully-wrapped polycarbonate shell to create a more robust, more reliable, and safer helmet overall.
The result is a 40% safety performance improvement in “independent lab testing for linear and rotational impacts”. It now earns a 5-star rating in the recently updated Virginia Tech system. MET says this new Trenta 3K Carbon MIPS will rank “among the top 5” in the VT testing protocol. That will be a huge step up from its predecessor, which sits at #174 out of 282 and had previously been on the threshold of 4- to 5-stars based on the previous rankings.
Interestingly, the new, more open helmet is about 10% heavier than its predecessor. That puts the new 2025 MET Trenta 3K Carbon MIPS at a claimed 260g, which MET feels is totally worth it for the improved rider safety alone.
Tech details
- all-new 3K Airframe in-mold carbon cage for improved safety & free airflow
- Virginia Tech 5 Star rating (new testing scale)
- lightweight version of traditional in-mold EPS foam + polycarbonate shell over the 3K Airframe
- 24 open ventilation ports connected via continuous internal channels
- MIPS Air Node ultralight anti-rotation impact protection
- Safe-T Orbital full wrap-around dial & height adjustable fit system
- lightweight & adjustable Air Lite straps with plastic buckle
- sunglasses port in front side vents
- EN CE, US CPSC & AS-NZ certifications
- three sizes: S (52-56cm), M (56-58cm) & L (58-61cm)
- 260g weight claim (M)
MET Trenta 3K Carbon MIPS – Pricing, options & availability
MET says the new helmet was developed “in direct collaboration with Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates, and UAE Team ADQ” to provide better protection for these elite cyclists and then for amateur riders, too. It’s already been worn to big 2025 wins at the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia Women, and UCI Road World Championships as the UAE pros picked it over their other options for its real safety and ventilation improvements.
The new MET Trenta 3K Carbon road helmet sells for $450 / 400€, including a soft helmet bag. It is available now in 3 sizes and four solid colors – white, black, grey & green.
