Hot
- Maximum airflow, with 37 vents
- Light weight, 180 g for size small
- Comfortable fit
- Eco-leather chin strap for comfort, avoids skin irritation
- Single rear dial, for one-handed fit adjustments
- Breathable and quick-drying pads
- MIT technology for safer design
- 14 colorways
Not
- No adjustment for side straps
- No MIPS or WaveCel for rotational crash protection
- Pricey
Price: $249.95
How obtained: Review sample from company
Availability: Online, Retail
Sizes: Small (50-60cm), Medium (52-58cm), Large (59-62cm
Colors: 14 colorways
Weight: 180 g (size Small)
As Summer Heats Up, Your Head Stays Cool
Finally, summer weather is upon us and the heat is on. Staying cool while on the bike can be difficult. KASK’s Valegro helmet uses 37 vents along with breathable, quick drying pads to keep riders cool and comfortable.
According to the company, the Valegro was developed with and for Team Ineos’ multiple Grand Tour winning riders and is based on their feedback. This helmet also earned an iF Design award in 2018. In July 2019, KASK added five new colors, bringing the total color choices to 14. The new glossy colors include Aquamarine, Ash and Gypsum, alongside two matt colors Pine Green and Purple. These muted colors should appeal to gravel and cross riders.
The Valegro does more than keep you cool and look good — it is also very comfortable. KASK’s Octo Fit adjustment system uses floating cradle contact points combined with internal gel pads for optimum comfort. These supports are designed to oscillate freely through 180 degrees to fit any shaped head. To fit the helmet, use the adjustment bar that slides up and down about 2” in the back of the helmet. This sets the vertical position on your head. There are two “cups” that slide in and out and also flex, to fit properly on your head. The vertical positioning bar and cups need to be set up once, and then simply use the single rear dial to adjust the final fit, which secures the helmet. While on the bike, one handed adjustments are easy, using a single dial at the rear of the helmet to tighten or loosen.
Since there are so many air vents, padding inside the Valegro helmet is minimal, but still comfortable. The 5mm layer is breathable and quick drying by taking the moisture away from the rider’s head and moves it to the helmet’s outer shell. The padding is made from Resistex® Carbon yarn which has unique technical characteristics with a continuous filament of conductive material based on active carbon.
breathable and quick drying pads
To also provide comfort, the chinstrap is covered in an eco-leather material which is washable. Unfortunately, the side straps are static, so there’s no adjustability around the ears. The strap placement worked fine for me, but I’m not sure if it works universally. The design is nicely done, so the straps lay flat against your face which eliminates gaping or twisting.
Eco-leather chinstrap for added comfort
MIT, not MIPS (or WaveCel) for Crash Protection
According to KASK, they use several technologies to improve the safety of their helmets. They’ve strengthened the inner frame to provide greater mechanical strength and a better compactness. Should there be an impact, it prevents the helmet from breaking into many pieces. An innovative Multi In-Molding Technology (MIT), joins the inner polystyrene cap to the outer polycarbonate one, thus ensures better shock absorption. MIT guarantees a higher safety and complete protection because of the polycarbonate layer that covers the shell on the top, base ring and back. I did not find anything in the marketing materials that talks about MIT reducing concussions or rotational forces.
Bottom Line
If you tend to overheat on summer rides, take a look at KASK’s Valegro road helmet. With 37 vents and breathable, quick drying pads it is sure to keep you cool on your most spirited group rides.
Sheri Rosenbaum regularly contributes articles and reviews products for RBR. She’s an avid recreational roadie who lives in the Chicago area and a major advocate for women's cycling, serving on the board of directors and volunteering with the Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club. Click to read Sheri's full bio.
Did you weigh the helmet? 180 g sounds like the weight for a European spec version, not CPSC.
Yours was the only review that even mentioned that the side straps are NOT adjustable. In fact the Kask web site and product literature doesn’t mention this. I don’t understand not allowing adjustment on a helmet this expensive. Thanks for mentioning the obvious, this was a very helpful review.