{"id":19850,"date":"2015-06-10T13:55:00","date_gmt":"2015-06-10T12:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2015\/06\/10\/review-661-evo-am-mips-helmet-r2622\/"},"modified":"2023-02-08T10:50:25","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T10:50:25","slug":"review-661-evo-am-mips-helmet-r2622","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/review-661-evo-am-mips-helmet-r2622\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: 661 Evo AM MIPS Helmet"},"content":{"rendered":"

With exaggerated rear cover, big vents and at least one model in the line up with bright colours, the 661 Evo AM fits squarely in the modern trail\/ all-mountain helmet category. The Evo AM is also bang up to date on the spec sheet with features like the 360 BOA closure system, MIPS, and a magnetic buckle.<\/p>\n

\"661<\/a><\/p>\n

Aesthetics<\/h2>\n

The 661 Evo AM is a chunky trail helmet. It features 15 vents, which managed to keep me sufficiently cool. The visor is impressively large but doesn\u2019t obstruct your vision. Our test helmet weighed in at 387 grams, give or take a few grams to account for the dirt and sweat. Meaning that weight was never an issue out on the trails.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\"661<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\n\"661<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\n\"661<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\n\"661<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As you can seen in the photos, I got my hands on the Le Mans colour scheme, which I think looks fantastic. A touch of peacocking but not too brash to cross the line of decency (if such a thing even exists in mountain biking). And yes, the racing colours giving this model its name helped me knock at least a few seconds off my Strava PBs. If your sense of style requires something not so loud, the Evo AM also comes in a sleek black design as well as black and yellow, and grey and white colourways.<\/p>\n

Safety features<\/h2>\n

Being a trail-oriented helmet, the Evo AM features additional protective foam which is most notable on the extended rear cover. The foam used is Contego EPS material, which is claimed to absorb up to 30% more energy than regular EPS foam found in many other bike helmets.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\"661<\/a>The MIPS sticker.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n
\n\"661<\/a>MIPS exposed with the padding removed.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n
\n\"661<\/a>Elastic attachments that stretch on impact.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Evo AM features the Multi-directional Impact Protection System or MIPS. MIPS is designed to absorb rotational forces that cause twisting of the brain. The inspiration for MIPS is the cerebrospinal fluid found in your skull. This fluid allows the brain a small amount of movement to absorb shock. MIPS seeks to do the same by allowing the helmet to move slightly around the head on impact. Check out the video below for a simple explanation:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n