Bluegrass Golden Eyes Helmet - Review
Bluegrass calls their 400 gram Golden Eyes lid an all-mountain helmet, which I assume is similar to an enduro / trail / mountain bike helmet in that it offers some extra coverage that extends lower at the back and sides of the shell, and it certainly sports a more argo appearance than a slimmer cross-country helmet. They've incorporated a nifty little clip at the back of the helmet that keeps your goggle strap from sliding off, and also positioned the visor high enough on the shell so as to allow room for said goggles when you're climbing up to the top of the run, two design points that make it very enduro-ish in my books. It features Bluegrass' HES (Homothetic Embedded Skeleton) construction that sees the two different shells partially embedded into one another, a technique that is claimed to both reduce weight and improve safety, while the adjustable Gravity Occipital Lock Advanced retention system at the back of the helmet works to hold it in place. There's even a removable camera mount that works with different brands just in case you wanted to bless the internet with an exciting video of you riding down your favourite trail. And no, I'm not sure as to where the helmet's name comes from. MSRP €120 (USD pricing unavailable) www.bluegrasseagle.com
![Bluegrass Goldeneye helmet]()
Pinkbike's Take
The Golden Eyes offers a great fit and good protection at the back of the head, two points that should be more important than its somewhat unique appearance.
Pinkbike's Take
 | The Golden Eyes has a pretty neutral fit that should work for most riders, especially those who find Giro's helmets comfortable - it feels very similar on your head. In fact, the Bluegrass helmet felt mostly invisible shortly after I put it on, with none of that "new shoe" feel that can have a fresh helmet putting pressure anywhere that I'm not used it. Up front, the Gel O2 pad did a great job of keeping sweat from running down my face when riding in warm weather, more so than the common fabric front pads that come on most helmets, and it seemed to want to channel the sweat off to the sides. Out back, the Gravity Occipital Lock Advanced retention system was equally unobtrusive, and the single, central dial is easy to turn with one hand when on the move, perfect for backing it out during a long climb and then snugging it up before dropping in. I certainly had some comments from other riders about the helmet's odd looking visor that sits pretty high on the shell, something that gives the Golden Eyes quite a distinct look. Whether or not you're a fan of its appearance, the high visor actually serves a purpose as it allows for goggles to be easily slid up and stored on the front of the shell when they're not needed. All the enduro jokes aside, this actually is a functional design that works as advertised, as does the goggle clip at the back. The visor's high position also meant that it was never in my field of view, but it's long enough to still block the sun and any errant branches that might be trying to take an eye out. The only real complaint that I have is that the Golden Eyes helmet does get a touch warm for my liking, even compared to the current crop of minimally vented "trail" style helmets. If you're sensitive to this, or live and ride in a hot climate, you might want to look elsewhere. I think that my only other gripe with the Golden Eyes helmet, which is entirely subjective, boils down to its appearance - it just looks damn strange in my books. Then again, I've been known to wear fanny packs on a regular basis, so what do I know? If you're looking for something a bit different, the Bluegrass Golden Eyes could be for you. - Mike Levy |
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Member since Oct 18, 2005
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Will they be picked up by any major distributors to make them even remotely convenient to get?
It actually seems okay in the Green-Black colour on their site. Would have to try it on before making a call of course.
www.bluegrasseagle.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=70&virtuemart_category_id=18&Itemid=822&lang=en
The helmet does get pretty hot but it's nice to have several big vents with deep channels in the helmet where you can actually feel the air move around rather than lots of small ones. The gel strip at the front is also a good addition and certainly does work from stopping sweat running in your eyes.
Another bit of good design which is not mentioned in this review is that the straps from the outside of the shell rather than the inside so they don't rest against the side of your head around your ears like says a Giro Hex (my old helmet). also the helmet straps are vented which are a bit different but make them wider and helps them dry out quicker when they get wet.
Now we just need a deterrent for those pesky sharks and cougars. www.customcomedy.net/Cougar_SE.jpg
+1
I think the gold ports are
www.pinkbike.com/news/Preview-MET-2014-Helmets.html
Kind of in the same way in which the Bell Super 2 has a "bell super inside"
I am very interested to see if any other manufacturers decide to "extend" their trail helmets into light-weight fullface lids, maybe giving us a quick-release style chin guard like Bell's but that also passes fullface safety standards, like the parachute...
Even the visor is the same as of the parachute...
Is it all for A bit of 'coolness' , Aerodynamics? Streamline? Do all these holes and gaps provide more than the regular GIRO helmets , the basics ?
I mean don't get me wrong , they look fantastic. But is it ALL NEEDED?! Who can afford a £100 helmet , not everybody !
The one that rules them all..
Bell Super, IXS Trail RS, POC, Bluegrass, Urge,... ???
https://www.flickr.com/photos/shadowrunner101/8340178954/