Trail Tested | Alpinestars Vector MTB Helmet

Trail Tested | Alpinestars Vector MTB Helmet

Price: $179.99

Alpinestars has been making mountain bike riding gear for years now and with last year’s release of the Supertech M10 motocross helmet, we began to wonder how long it would be until an MTB helmet followed. Lo and behold, we spotted an Alpinestars helmet on the head of our friend Anneke Beerten on her Instagram earlier this year and started to get excited.

Photo by @lil_viggs

The Alpinestars Vector Tech MTB Helmet is finally here, and it is available in a multitude of colorways. The shell shape is reminiscent of the Supertech SM10 moto helmet, and it features 19 vents for maximum airflow, a reinforced air scoop at the front, and an adjustable visor. The Vector Tech offers extended coverage around the temple and nape areas for extra impact protection, and molded into the eps shell in the front and rear of the helmet are a pair of rigid cages for structural strength and impact resistance.

A MIPS slip liner is incorporated into the interior of the helmet to help guard against rotational impacts, and other features include a quick release chin strap, a fully adjustable dial sizing system, a washable, replaceable and breathable comfort liner with quick-dry antibacterial fabric and an adjustable visor. The Vector Tech helmet is available in three shell sizes: small, medium and large.

Thanks to the adjustable dial at the rear of the helmet, acquiring the perfect fit takes only seconds and the helmet is comfortable from the get-go. The removable and washable interior pads are comfortable and in all the right places, and the forehead pads absorb a good amount of sweat as they are thicker and wider than those found in some other helmets we’ve worn. We like the extra coverage that the Vector Tech helmet provides in the rear area, but the shell extensions in the temple area seem a little strange at first. The extra coverage certainly makes sense, but at first we were puzzled by the look of that area of the helmet. That’s when we remembered the time that Alex Ray took a digger and smashed his face into the ground…if he had been wearing an Alpinestars Vector Tech helmet, he may not have bloodied his face!

Alex Ray | Photo by Davi Millsaps

The MIPS slip liner is quite active in the Astars helmet, as you can feel how it allows the helmet to rotate on your head by simply applying pressure to the shell and applying angular pressure. Though we haven’t (yet) crash tested the Astars helmet, we have hit the ground in other MIPS-equipped MTB helmets and completely endorse the system’s ability to disperse rotational impacts to your melon. 

The ample venting in the helmet provides plenty of airflow, as well as a couple of different options to jam the arms of your sunglasses into for storage when you don’t want to wear them. The visor has three height settings, with the highest being designed for storing goggles when not in use. All in all, we’ve enjoyed the Alpinestars Vector Tech helmet as it is comfortable, protective, and has a distinct look out on the trails. 

Visit alpinestars.com for more info!