As DH riders are getting faster and faster, offering the most protection possible becomes more and more important. With the new Baracon Carbon full-face helmet, POC has decided it’s time to level up their protection. This lid earns two certifications usually reserved for motorcycle helmets, but it’s designed specifically for DH racing or freeride.
Alongside the new Baracon Carbon helmet, POC developed their new Zygon goggles. These goggles feature a unique angled strap that fits nicely with the Baracon full face. They also include adjustable ventilation and are offered with two different cylindrical Clarity lenses.
POC Baracon Carbon Full Face Helmet:
The new Baracon Carbon helmet features a carbon fiber outer shell, in-moulded with an EPS liner. Instead of gluing the two layers together, POC has fused both into one piece with sandwich construction. This increases strength and structural rigidity while keeping weight low. The density of the EPS liner has also been optimized for protection and low weight.
This helmet is certified to not only the usual DH and BMX standards, but to DOT penetration standards and ECE R22.06 (European motorcycle) standards for high-speed impacts. POC says some DH racers have moved to wearing motocross helmets for their higher level of protection, but those helmets are heavy, not as ventilated as bike helmets, and they’re not designed for DH racing. The Baracon Carbon seeks to bridge that gap, providing MX protection within a DH race-specific design. POC does want to remind everyone that despite its certifications, the Baracon is NOT a motorcycle helmet!
The Baracon Carbon employs a MIPS Evolve liner to reduce rotational forces on your brain. Should you crash hard, the helmet also features removable cheek pads so you can pull it off with minimal disruption to the head and neck.
Another feature that helps reduce rotational forces is a multi-directional breakaway visor. The visor is held on by magnets, and whether it takes a hit from the side or front it pops off the helmet. Assuming it survived the crash, the visor can simply be popped back on afterwards.
Like other POC helmets, the Baracon Carbon features ventilation channels to enhance cooling. POC uses CFD (computational fluid dynamics) to optimize their helmets’ ventilation and aerodynamics. They’ve also kept the vents away from where the goggle strap sits so they don’t get blocked.
The helmet comes with extra padding to adjust the fit to your head, and the interior pads leave open space around your ears so you can hear what’s happening around you as you ride. POC stuck with the racer’s favoured D-ring buckle on the Baracon’s chin strap.
Weights per size are as follows: Small – 1030g, Medium – 1040g, Large – 1160g. Given the Baracon’s protection certifications, POC feels this weight is exceptionally low.
The Baracon Carbon’s high level of protection doesn’t come cheap, with an MSRP of $900 USD. It comes in Carbon Matt only, and in sizes S/M/L which cover heads from 51- 62 cm. It is available on POC’s website now and will ship to POC retailers or e-tail partners later this summer.
Zygon Goggles:
POC’s new Zygon goggles are intended for DH or enduro riders. Making sure they mate well with their own products, POC gave the Zygons an angled strap designed to fit nicely with the Baracon helmet. The angled strap allows for even pressure on the face and ideal positioning of the goggles.
The Zygons’ wide outriggers enable the goggles to sit close to your face (with any helmet). The flexible frame’s design and outriggers ensure good peripheral vision, and a large overall field-of-view in all directions.
A cylindrical lens with POC’s Clarity technology provides a distortion-free view tuned to enhance definition and contrast. The 1.8mm thick lens is double layered to resist cracking.
The Zygon goggles also offer adjustable ventilation: A ventilation lid that sits on top of the foam can be removed to open up more airflow. To ensure secure positioning, the goggle strap is 45mm wide.
Triple layer foam matches the contours of your face for a secure fit, and a layer of Coolmax fabric on the inside helps keep your face cooler. The face foam is also DWR treated to repel water and dirt.
The Zygon goggles retail for $150 and are available now. Frame color options are Hydrogen White or Uranium Black. Either color comes with your choice between a Clarity Trail/Cloudy Brown lens or a Clarity Universal/Cloudy Grey lens.
