LAS Squalo helmet £99.99

The new Squalo from LAS arrived in the RCUK office a couple of months ago, and since then I’ve been putting in many miles in the Italian company’s latest choice of lightweight helmet.

With a claimed weight of 260g, the Squalo is indeed light. Setting the helmet up for initial use is beautifully simple, the Catseyes retention device using a large knurled red dial that, along with the soft straps and simple buckles, makes getting a good fit a two-minute job. There’s also the provision for vertical adjustment and a soft chin-strap which keeps any excess strappage under control.

Inside, there’s the choice of two liners, one of which doubles as a bug guard for the frontal vents with mesh areas. The lighter summer-specific lining is fitted with Silver Dry material. The vents, of which there are 29, ensure a cool head and seem to adequately pull air in and across the scalp.

But it’s the helmet’s exterior look that most divided opinion. Some thought the ‘euro’ style cues were smart but others, and I include myself here, found the curvy and slightly haphazard ‘stepped’ design a bit ugly.

I liked the helmet’s low overall bulk; it seems noticeably more compact than other lids and doesn’t perch on top, as some helmets can tend to do. It’s comfortable too, among the more comfortable of the batch currently being tested. As long as I don’t look in a mirror or catch a glance of myself in a shop window while riding, I really like the Squalo and can recommend it. It’s a good choice for those who want something a little different from the usual crop of helmets.