Tested & Reviewed: POC Cularis Helmet

POC’s reputation for high-quality, lightweight, and stylish equipment has been a hallmark of the brand for years. The new POC Cularis takes the baton and surges forward with that very same swag and reputation, upholding the sleek and protective design style that POC has held intact across their product lines. This year, that tried and tested design has led them to be ranked number one amongst 269 other helmets tested in the Virginia Tech Helmet rankings, the general standard for bicycle helmet testing. 

Overview: Design & Tech Touches

Before we render a ride review, let's first take a quick tour of the primary design and technology touches of the POC Cularis: 

• World-class safety and protection, as validated by the Cularis' #1 ranking from Virginia Tech, is surely the standout feature. POC makes this possible with MIPS technology--which reduces rotational motion to the brain in the event of a crash--along with extended protection zones, durable construction, and a patented breakaway helmet peak, which will break off the helmet in an accident, directing impact forces away from the head. The peak is also adjustable so you can easily find the best position for your 'noggin. 

• An adjustable visor, with 4 available positions, ranges from more sun-shading over the eyes, to more setback and relaxed. It also enables sunglass storage (what POC calls an "eye garage") in the higher positions--a nice feature for when trails get shady and dark, or for the heavy face sweaters out there, who prefer to remove and store sunglasses while climbing. That said, the visor is slightly smaller than other models in this category, does not extend as high on the helmet as other models, and worth noting, it takes more effort than expected to click and move through each position (rest assured, you won't break the visor, but it does somewhat feel that way). 

• 16 ventilation cutouts, spread across the front, mid, and rear of the helmet, make for a convenient and modern design packed into a slightly less bulky footprint than other models, such as the Kortal, a more enduro-leaning helmet from POC, also in the trail category.

• A Fidlock magnetic buckle slides seamlessly into place, with one-handed functionality, and in our view, is much less likely to accidentally pinch or grab the underside of one's chin. 

Ride Review: POC Cularis 

For my ride review, I tested a black matte Cularis. In my experience, such a helmet can be unpleasant when riding in the desert, absorbing the sun's heat, but I was impressed by the amount of ventilation and cooling that the Cularis offered. 

For a trail helmet, the Cularis is very lightweight and doesn’t feel bulky or invasive--especially when compared to other POC helmets like the Kortal, which is designed with a more aggressive, enduro trail rider in mind, and has a slightly larger footprint (headprint?) that extends further down the base of one's skull. POC has stated that they tailored the helmet towards XC and 'downcountry' riders using some of the same ventilation design techniques as their road helmets, to further the benefits of having more air flow. However, since it is a higher-rated helmet, I would not stray away from more aggressive trail and enduro riding with this helmet. 

The Cularis is able to combine excellent weight and a studied and tested design into a small footprint that creates a very comfortable and protective design. Although suggested for lighter trail this helmet is a very versatile helmet I would trust in almost all conditions with the exception of full-on downhill riding, when I would opt for comprehensive protection, including a full face mask, and more skull coverage. POC knocked it out of the park with this helmet, creating quite literally the best (tested) helmet, able to deliver safety and performance designed for a wide range of riders, from XC to trail to enduro riding. 

Bottom Line
On the downside, the Cularis is pricey, and I didn't love the more limited adjustability of the visor. But on the upside, there's a lot to like with the Cularis, including researched-backed world-class protection, excellent ventilation and light weight, numerous color options, and an enthusiastic thumbs up on my ride review. 

Overall, I would endorse this helmet without reservation.