Bike helmet is necessary for all riding activities because it protects our head and brain from damage of any possible accident. Especially mountain biking, we will need more heavy-duty material and proper protection like what POC Tectal Vs Trabec offer because they are playing an important role for the overall safety. These brothers are very similar to each other but are also different to each other and before you go shopping for one, go check which of them will be your best option.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Which Helmet Suitable for Mountain Biking
- What are POC Tectal and Trabec
- What POC Tectal and Trabec Look Like
- How are the Safety of POC Tectal and Trabec
- How are the Fitting System of POC Tectal and Trabec
- What else POC Tectal and Trabec can offer
- POC Tectal Vs Trabec
Helmet for Mountain Biking
Everybody knows that our health is the most important and none of us want to fall ill or have some conditions that hinder our activity. Unfortunately while our body is already developed enough to live as convenient as possible through a long process of evolution, it is still prone to be damaged by a great impacts. It is a risk that we have to compromise when choosing an active lifestyle and depending on your activity, the risk will vary as well.
Bicycling is a great activity to keep you busy during the weekend and a method to stay fit while also being a good transporting method if your city often has vehicle packed roads. Mountain biking itself is among the most popular extreme sports with lots of enthusiasts today and similar to any extreme sports, the first thing we have to own before executing the plan is a good, reliable helmet. Its function is crucial to protect our head, our brain so then we can continue doing our favorite activity.
For mountain biking, there are several helmet types that you may want to consider and all of them should be fitted with the kind of activity you are doing because not all will deliver the same experience.
- The most minimum requirement for MTB is cross-country helmet and the main goal of wearing this type is to provide as much air as possible for your riding experience. It is very similar to a commuting helmet but there is an additional cover at the back and side while putting lots of vents all over the helmet surface. In addition the material is more heavy-duty than road or commuting helmets.
- The more common helmet being used for MTB is trail helmet which different is the most prominent on their design because this one is more similar to a motorbike helmet with a full cover on the back and overall bigger than your regular cross-country combined with either removable or fixed visor. Most of them are also designed to be suitable with either sunglasses or goggles.
- The last is a full-face or enduro helmets just like Bell Super 3R Vs Fox Proframe and as the name suggests, it has a protector on the face area which makes it the safest option for gravity riders, downhill ricers, enduro racers, or free riders. The main concern here is protection hence some models doesn’t offer what you usually have on the rest of the helmets and in comparison, it is heavy-duty while also heavier which makes some riders dislike it despite the great safety level.
| POC Tectal | POC Trabec | |
|---|---|---|
  |   | |
| Product Dimensions | 17 x 10 x 9 inches | 14 x 9 x 10 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 15.2 ounces | 1.7 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About POC Tectal and Trabec
For those who aren’t fall into the last category, any of the first two helmets are actually already safe for most applications and are great if you are the type who can’t wear a heavy helmet or worried about how the vents will keep your head cool during the ride. We do recommend choosing the trail helmet because it is in the middle in terms of protection and while it does have a little bit of additional weight due to the construction, they are still very well cooling.
There are various reliable brands to look for in the market and chances almost all of them will offer a nice option for you application but when talking about bike helmets, our mind instantly recalling POC as one of the most well-known helmets today. They are a very popular option for different riders with their vast collection of different types of helmet but the best thing is that they always offer high-quality products for their customers to choose while the price point is something that we do considered pretty high.
If you are an enduro rider, two of the most ideal models that can suit the application are POC Tectal and Trabec. Both of them are a trail helmet which is great and right in the middle for protection without heavily rely on the bulkier built. However, they are not very safe if you are riding downhill and very fast because there is nothing covering our face and it can be dangerous for chances you will fall face first into the ground.
In comparison, the Trabec is probably the more popular helmet in their collection because it fits into most people’s heads and very comfortable but it is also true that there is no product can satisfy all of us and this is where Tectal comes through. Both of them are very similar to each other mostly made with the same construction but seems to have different fitting. They also doesn’t hold back in providing lots of vents to cool your head with plenty of them.
POC Tectal and Trabec Design
Before moving further, the model we are talking about in this article is their standard version because both are coming in MIPS version as well so if you are for the higher protection and are willing to add a little bit more into the budget, we definitely recommend it. Side by side they are very similar to each other sporting the common trail bike design but with different vent sizes and exact placement but in terms of weight, they are at 340 and 350 grams respectively.
This makes POC Tectal and Trabec not the most lightweight or among the top lightest weight helmet like Giro Xar but they are clearly among the lighter options you can consider if light helmet is what you want to have. Similarly, both of them are coming in different fashion options with different bright and subtle colors as well as 3 different sizes to fit your head.
POC Tectal and Trabec Safety
Moving further, let’s check the safety based on how POC build their helmets and in this side, both of them are literally identical to each other because they use the same Aramid-reinforced fibres within the expanded polystyrene helmet core and with this,the helmet is increased in overall level of impact resistance and ability to remain connected through the impact. What’s more amazing is POC also analyzes where the helmet usually experience an impact and by understanding this, they can position the seam or the weakest part of the helmet away from those impact zone.
Similar to most helmet, these two are also using the in-mould construction which is designed to increase durability and commonly has a great ability to dissipate impact forces over a wide area of the helmet. Another safety feature offered by these helmets is the Recco reflector which is helpful to help search and rescue operators from helicopter to pinpoint your location in case you are missing in the wild.
POC Tectal and Trabec Fitting System
Moving further, the next point we want to talk about is their fitting system and in this side, there is no fancy strap or convenient adjustment because POC Tectal and Trabec are equally coming with a standard adjustable retention system which may come a little bit loose after being taken off and need readjustment from time to time. We don’t have any issue with the strap because they are comfortable and sit well on the chin.
The rear retention band is adjusted with two small buttons and will require two hands to operate in Trabec but in Tectal, the rear retention is using the more common click wheel and in comparison, we do think the wheel does a more efficient job and being the more convenient system. Another difference is the overall shape because Trabec is more of a round helmet so it fits those with rounder head better while the other is more oval.
POC Tectal and Trabec Feature and Vents
The last point we want to talk about is their features including vents because they are also different in this side. First is the visor, as you can see both of them are featured with visor but what makes them different is that Tectal also allow you to adjust the visor quite greatly in which Trabec only offer a slight movement. In addition Tectal has 17 vents compared to 16 vents in Trabec but both are working well and cools your head effectively.
POC Tectal vs Trabec
Both of POC Tectal and Trabec are a nice option for your MTB application but they are also different and in our opinion, their fitting system play the most important role here because those with rounder head will find Trabec more comfortable while those with slightly oval head will like Tectal better. In addition, Trabec also have wheel retention system which is more convenient to provide the best fit and it has slightly more vents into the helmet with a better adjustable visor.
Conclusion
All in all you can pick any of these helmets and still be safe while riding but in comparison, we do like POC Tectal better because it is more convenient and also lighter than Trabec yet, it is also fairly expensive even to those from other brands.
