German brand Abus has really stepped up its MTB helmet game recently, with this Moventor 2.0 one of a trio in a reinvented range. Targeting the trendy down-country sector, it’s a more XC-style  helmet with an airy rounded shape sporting nineteen big vents, and it scores highly enough to be rated one of the best mountain bike helmets we’ve tried and tested. 

At 334g, the Moventor is light, despite packing the popular MIPS slip plane technology that will add grams. Implemented here using what looks like a chunkier plastic webbing/liner than most other helmets we test, the MIPS has the same basic idea of the outer shell being able to twist independently at the moment of impact, rather than immediately twisting your skull. This is claimed to significantly reduce brain injuries. 

Another nod to extra safety is Abus’ helmet being Quin-ready, which means you can pay another £60 to add a (Specialized ANGi-style) Quin crash detection system that alerts emergency contacts to your location via GPS if you badly stack it. Whether or not anyone is going to add this in as an extra is up for debate, but the option’s there if you need it.

Abus’ chin straps use something called a TriVider adjuster that means you can wriggle them laterally to perfectly position around ears and the internal fit adjustment system is also really dialled. Alongside a standard tensioning wheel on webbing (that has a well-shaped, nicely smooth interior where it touches on the back of the skull), the height adjustment is one of the best we’ve used. It has a really wide range over small increments, so you can get the lid gripping exactly where you want it. 

The visor moves over five indexed positions, so it’s never in the line of sight if you don’t want it, and also goes up high enough to fit goggles underneath, despite this being a more XC-style lid. Finally, there’s even a cutaway in the bottom of the rear shell to make room for a ponytail. 

In terms of both fit and cooling, there’s little to complain about here; airflow is copious, the helmet felt light on our head when riding, and didn’t budge over really rough terrain. Internal pads aren’t the thickest or cushiest, but the shape inside is well scooped out, so it still sits really planted on the head. 

One slight complaint is, while it’s good that the underside of the shell is fully wrapped to protect the EPS, the black glossy finish gets easily scratched and scuffed when cleaning off mud and gunk sprayed up off the front tyre. This Moventor 2.0 is pretty dialled; price and function are both decent, but the more conservative rounded styling might not appeal to everyone. 

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