The aero-road Eclipse Spherical Helmet adds some subtle characteristics to Giro's Spherical-series helmets. The Eclipse features the impressive, collaborative Giro-Mips impact protection system, plus is the most aero road helmet Giro has developed. Not only is Eclipse Spherical a big step up from the speed of their previously fastest aero road helmet, the Vanquish (without the magnetic visor), it is the fastest road helmet they have ever tested. Eclipse beats the closest aero road helmet competitor by 14 seconds over 100 miles at 25mph, and is a full minute faster than Giro's own Vanquish. Not only that, but Giro tested with their proprietary Therminator head form to measure helmet cooling efficiency and the results prove that Eclipse is almost as cool as their previous best-in-class road helmet, Aether Spherical, setting a new standard for today's aero road helmets.

The safety heart of the extraordinary Eclipse shell design and performance is Spherical Technology, which utilizes a ball-and-socket design powered by Mips, the market-leading brain protection system that can help to reduce rotational forces. Spherical Technology allows the helmet’s outer liner to rotate around the inner liner during a crash, and also allows Progressive Layering of the inner and outer liners to provide more comprehensive protection and performance. The Eclipse Spherical combines an airy, open design with a revolution in rotational energy management to advance head protection for cyclists. MIPS Spherical was designed in the Dome, Giro’s in-house test lab in Scotts Valley, working directly with MIPS engineers in Stockholm, Sweden to ensure zero compromises in MIPS protection. The key to the system is the elimination of the plastic slip plane of the original MIPS design, and integrated the new system into the EPS sandwich. Inside the shell a dual-density, dual layer EPS foam liner system featuring lightweight, compact Nanobead foam technology helps to manage a wide range of impact energies. Giro's proprietary MIPS Spherical is the ball and socket system which isolates the two layers at impact, allowing the inner layer to move independently from the outer layer. This reduces the original impact force on the skull that the shell and outer layer absorb. The free dual layer action reduces the shearing forces of an angular contact as well as the rebound effects- the two actions within the skull that are mostly likely to result in traumatic brain injury; and even limit more mild concussive effects in a less impactful event.

On a less worst-case-scenario-level, comfort and all functions of a road helmet are still Giro priorities. The 14 vents of the Eclipse bring serious air into the aero helmet structure, which features Giro's Wind Tunnel Internal Channeling system. The channels are designed to circulate the incoming air quickly and quietly over the surface of the skull, reducing heat and moisture build-up by carrying it away and exhausting it out the back. This complements the Ionic+™ anti-microbial padding, which is easy hand wash and holds up over time. Comfort, ease of use, and unobtrusive are the watchwords of Giro's featherweight webbing with the Slimline Buckle, serving to keep the whole helmet on your head and properly secured during rides over any surface. The final touch is the minimalist feeling, but maximally effective RocLoc 5+ Air fit system, featuring three dimensional fit tuning, that allows easy adjustment in seconds for the ultimate in comfort thanks to it's one- hand rear dial that makes micro tension changes quick and simple as you ride.

If a true, fully capable, highly protective and comfortable aero road helmet is in your plans for this season, the Eclipse Spherical has to be on your list. Fit and features matter, so shop smartly and get the right helmet for you. If you are a true road race specialist, the Vanquish Mips may be the better race-day option, but the Eclipse can still be the preferred choice for serious enthusiasts who ride a Cervelo S5 or Specialized Tarmac SL7, aero bikes that anyone can buy, for daily rides at the limits of your capabilities.