Constantly struggling with sweat in my face with my 2017ish Bontrager Velocis MIPS (same model as available now) thinking to try the Poc Ventral Air but wondering what else people are using. I’m kind of a TREK fanboy so third party are welcome but personally not going to be using Specialized etc
Who’s using what and how’s it been? Specifically in warmer climates since I only ride outside if it’s 60-100f
I don’t have a ventilated helmet, but I have two Kasks. The protone for my road bike and the rex for my mountain bike. I was really impressed in the quality of both compared to my previous experience with Specialized helmets. I think the valegro or mojito may be good options.
POC Ventral is fantastic. The best ventilation I have experienced. I live in Houston. It makes a nice difference. But…I still drip sweat in my face and on my glasses in the summer. Even with a Halo.
I find the Giro Aeon a great helmet, and can also recommend the POC Octal which is on par, maybe even a little bit better ventilated than the Aeon.
Curious do you have the Ventral or the Ventral Air? I also read they run small but a friend just got one and said he had to size down, any feedback there? I could always get two sizes and return one but not a fan of that type of consumerism if I can avoid it
so would that be a no to the Ballista? I’ve had a white one and now a black one, and during the summer its always sunny and 90-100F.
I’ll put in a vote for the Giant Rev, if it fits your head - it’s kind of geared towards a rounder fit. Been wearing one all summer, noticeably less sweat in my face than from my old Giro…good value, too.
I had a ballista def a bit hot for me
I have a Ventral Spin, not a Ventral Air. It is a Large, and inside it says 56-61. I just measured and my head is 58, so it’s dead on.
I live in Japan with hot and humid summers, so ventilation was a big issue — until I got a POC Octal and a POC Tectal. Both have amazing cooling and the Octal is super light. Both have great fit. So good that in fact I sometimes forget to close the strap on my Tectal, because the fit is so perfect and the helmet does not move. (Don’t do this, kids.)
Oddly, my Lazer G1 Mips is very well ventilated - I can feel the airflow through my hair - but it has terrible sweat management. So my sunglasses are always covered in sweat, especially on long or steep climbs. My Bell Z02 Mips doesn’t feel like it vents as well, but has great sweat management. The sweat usually drips in front of the glasses.
I have the Ventral Air. Very nice helmet.
The vents are huge.
Warning: depending on your hairline, you may need to apply sunblock to your forehead. I learned this the hard way!
Work during the day? What is temp of room you work in? I used to sweat a lot outside and then we set thermostat to 78F and my office is usually 82F. Working all day in warmer temps made riding outside much more comfortable. Some out of the box thinking that might help 
I ended up with the POC Ventral Air Spin after asking a similar question on here. It’s a great helmet for keeping your head cool.
(South East Queensland).
Just measure your head for the sizing. I found the fit did what it said on the box. Med 54-59 just fit my noggin.
It’s worth noting that I didn’t get a spare set of padding with the Ventral. Probably because they have the gel type padding for the “Spin” upgrade. My Tectal MTB helmet came with a spare set which means I can wash them and still use the helmet with the spare set fitted.
I always get a hot head, even in cold weather. Giro Aether has been brilliant for me. I still use a thin sweat band in the summer though.
I have the poc tectal and ventral air spin. I like the tectal but the ventrals straps pinch my ears. the foam liner soacks up sweat and drips it into my glasses - same issue with the tectal. I’m a heavy sweater so this might not be an issue for you.
What puts you off specialized helmets? I’ve nothing but good experiences with specialized stuff - if you can stomach the insane prices…
You need a Kask Valegro. Trust me there is so much air going through it I swear it’s like a 20w penalty.
I got a catlike whisper, catlike mixino and the ventral air spin. The ventral air is good but the catlike is still the most airy. The mixino is much lighter than the whisper. Unfortunately catlike helmets are no longer in the market. I was so looking forward to the new catlike Evo helmet.
I’ve been using the POC octal (MIPS version) for years and love it - I still buy these older helmets as you can find them at discount but the POC ventral air looks the same and am sure it works the same or better.
I heard the Kask Utopia, although aero, has great ventilation, I might try this helmet in the future as I am seeking something a little more aero.
Do cycling helmets expire? Sounds silly but motorcycle helmets do expire though I’m not sure if that’s due to material decay or maybe just regulations (racing seatbelt harnesses expire too).
The one I use now is from 2017