This new Caipi is a more affordable MTB helmet from an Italian brand with a cult following on the road bike scene. Kask already offers a more angular, enduro-styled, Rex helmet and has added this slightly more streamlined and noticeably lighter model that clocks in at a featherweight 252g in size Medium.

The curvy rear end is slightly extended down for extra coverage, but with a stubbier peak, the Caipi leans more to XC or gravel bike styling than many. It’s £55 cheaper than the Rex, yet still packs a lot of the more expensive Kask helmet touches like a comfy-against-skin, padded faux-leather chinstrap and Octo fit retention system ( the only really omission is anti-bacterial, Coolmax padding in the liner). The Octo fit part refers to a floating inner cradle that wraps fully around the skull and can rotate on gel pads for a snug fit, which tightens on the rear with a quality rubberised retention wheel.

The polycarbonate shell has 22 vents for cooling, including huge rear exhaust ports to dump excess heat and, in keeping with the XC styling, the Caipi is rocking a low-profile volume and that sits nice and close to the head.

The cross-country vibe also extends to the ventilation being sufficient to match high intensity activities, and there’s superb cooling that’s a fair notch above many enduro helmets I’ve tested. The fact the overall weight is very low is also immediately noticeable too; I’d say this lid feels almost invisible on the head, and more like my flyweight S-Works road bike helmet than many chunky enduro lids.

Comfort and fit are superb with a perfect inner shape (for me) and three different shell sizes for 50 to 62cm heads (compared to only two sizes on the Rex). The rear retention dial has loads of adjustability in small increments to tune the rear cradle height, so it’s easy to get a perfect fit at the back of the skull and nape of the neck. Stability when riding hard is also dialled, so the Caipi doesn’t wobble or jiggle over really bumpy terrain.

The only negatives here are that the fixed visor was slightly visible in my line-of-sight looking ahead, and there’s no room to stash goggles under the peak if that’s your thing. Kask’s finish is top quality, but reflected in a price that’s at the high end for a helmet with no extra rotational impact technology like Mips, to help absorb forces from glancing impacts.

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