Ok, so the new Deviant isn't available till mid August, but hear me out.
Being a rider who spends a fair amount of time trying to get my bike to do things that I haven't always the skill to pull off, I've been a long time fan of the Specialized Deviant range of full face helmets.
Looks wise the Deviants are a bit different, the huge number of vents (bigger and more of them than any other helmet I can think of) and svelte profile sets it apart from the sea of 'Troy Lee wannabees'. Don't get me wrong, Troy Lee's are superb helmets but neither cheap nor particularly well ventilated and not everyone who wants the added protection of a full-face is planning to be hoisted to the top of a run every time so a decent amount of ventilation makes a lot of sense. This level of ventilation makes even more sense when you take into account the fact that the Deviant exceeds the strength requirements for competition DH helmets.
The fitting is also very un-like most downhill lids in that it is all very XC, in a good way; a Specialized 'pro-fit' cradle gives a very snug but un-restrictive fit. Both Deviants are light but the Carbon model exceptionally so, this combined with the ventilation makes wearing them for extended periods of time a pleasure.
So what we have here is a great looking, well ventilated, extremely protective, competitively priced, ultra light full-face helmet that is perfect for anything from light free-ride to full blown competitive downhill racing; personally I can't work out why everyone who needs a full-face isn't wearing one.
I certainly wear one, or to be exact I've owned a couple, the first did it's job perfectly whilst practising what I thought would be a sneaky line in last years Megavalanche, my head has never hit a boulder so hard and fast and despite having a ring of tweety birds orbiting my head for a while I was otherwise fine. The helmet on the other hand was totalled, but that's what they're for.And the best part (apart from not dying - that was pretty good) is that Specialized operate a crash replacement policy that means that if you destroy your helmet in a crash they'll replace it for approximately 40% of the original price, winner.
What more could you want for the 2010 model? Well it's here, details are not completely clear at the moment but Specialized have slightly redesigned the Deviant with "a re-designed interior, chin bar and face/Mouthport for improved comfort, stability and goggle compatibility."
The current model is superb and Specialized being a company who rarely redesign for the sake of it I can only assume that the new Deviant will actually be better.
Too bad I'm not doing the Megavalanche this year, I could do with an excuse to buy a new model.
Posted by Chris
