Our favorite sports genre of “mountain biking” translates to “vélo tout terrain” in French, often shortened to VTT. Flip the translation back to English and you get “all-terrain bike,” which clearly differentiates our sport from the one that takes place exclusively on pavement. The French helmet designers at Urge BP have embraced the all-terrain theme with their AllTrail half-shell helmet. They also considered the production impacts on that terrain, making the visor, shell, and straps from recycled materials.
With throngs of head protectors to choose from, what’s special about this one? The AllTrail fits tightly into the lightweight and breezy helmet category, with the larger of two sizes weighing just 314 grams. It’s the lightest lid I’ve tested since the Kask Caipi, and it has a more modern look than that featherweight half-shell.
Like most weight-conscious helmets, the AllTrail doesn’t have MIPS or another similar system to manage rotational impacts. The outer shell and foam layer take care of direct impacts, and the helmet is overall far quieter than the creaking chorus of a MIPS system. If maximum protection is crucial for your helmet purchase you’ll want to keep looking. This one does meet several safety-test standards, and it can be difficult to find a MIPS-equipped lid for the low €79 price tag of the AllTrail.
The AllTrail fits my 61cm watermelon well, with no pinch points or abrasive spots. It’s both comfortable and quiet. The padding is well placed for the retention dial to pull the front of the shell against your skin, leaving a little gap between the shell and the back of your head. Surely that gap is to allow space for your third eye to see how far back your friends are.
The chin straps anchor in the usual spot up front, but the rear anchors are located higher up than most, sitting near the crest of the skull. You can feel the rear straps against your head while riding, which is a little distracting at first. After a few rides, the straps began to feel normal and I eventually forgot about them. I couldn’t determine the advantage of anchoring the straps higher in the helmet like this, but the disadvantage is that if the strap is twisted on one side it can create a knot against your head that has to be sorted before you can pedal.
Like most lightweight helmets, this one breathes very well. There are some sizable internal hallways linking the thirteen vents to let the breeze reach your hair, making this half-shell ideal for sultry summer spins. Given its low weight and eager air flow, the AllTrail should make a good bikepacking and adventuring lid. I’ve reached for it on numerous days with temps above 30° Celsius, and I had noticeably fewer waves of sweat in my eyes than some other helmets tend to produce.
I prefer to blend in with nature a little when I’m out VTT-ing, and I would love an AllTrail in almost any other color. This “safety officer” colorway may stoke some riders who aim to stand out, but it’s the first thing I would change about the helmet. The second and third things would be to add rotational impact protection and a Fidlock-style buckle for easier gloved-hand use. Apart from those factors, the AllTrail from Urge BP is a well-made lightweight helmet option at a reasonable price that’s largely constructed with recycled materials. Hopefully, that helps narrow down your search through the half-shell sea.
Check out our mountain bike helmet buyers guide and our picks for the best mountain bike helmets.
