Test: Helmets with a removable chin guard are currently experiencing a real upswing, and not without good reason. The mountain bike trails and speeds are hardly any different from purebred downhill routes. You can get scared and anxious with a classic half-shell helmet. With the Giro Switchblade it doesn't have to be what we were convinced of in the test.
The Giro Switchblade in the test:
From a purely visual point of view, the Giro Switchblade with a mounted chin guard hardly differs from classic full-face helmets. The weight of around 1.140 grams doesn't make a big difference either. All of this is also intentional, because according to the manufacturer, the Giro Switchblade is a full-fledged downhill full-face helmet with a removable chin guard and not a half-shell with some additional protection for the teeth.
Double-D closure, large helmet shield and ample padding can be found on the Switchblade as well as on any reasonable full face. At the back of the head, as usual with half shells, there is an adjustable fastener that lashes the head in the helmet. Personally, I have rarely worn a full face that sits as firmly on the head as the Switchblade. In order to minimize the rotational forces that can act on the head in the event of a fall, the Switchblade is equipped with the well-known MIPS system.
Even with the chin guard removed, the Switchblade provides extremely high security. The helmet shell is pulled far over the ears and extends to the cheek area. Such a form of helmet has been known for a long time from motorcycle trials and at the latest Ronny Mac made this style socially acceptable with his sawed-off chin guard. The helmet shield is also casual and can be placed far up. So there is enough space to stow the goggle in enduro style on top of the helmet.
The installation of the chin bar is quick and easy with a little practice. Depending on how far you have lowered the adjustable fastener at the back of your head, it may be that you cannot simply slip into the helmet with the chin guard installed. But that's not a problem, because the bracket can be folded up and thus allows you to put on and take off the helmet.
