POC Obex Spin Helmet
Efficient padding protects noggins from frontcountry snowmobiling to backcountry splitboarding.
Our take When cutting tight turns through the trees in Colorado’s Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forest, the last thing you want to feel is your helmet rattling or overheating you. Enter the Obex Spin Helmet, which is built with a full inch of squishy silicone ear protection for maximum protection and fit. “There is a ton of padding compared with other helmets, but it’s efficient and solid. Plus, the tightening wheel mechanism allowed me to adjust the size based on my layers throughout the day’s range of temperatures,” our tester says.
The details Despite the extra protection, the helmet only weighs 15 ounces—lighter than resort helmets—and features a streamlined exterior design without aerodynamic cut marks, fins, or a bill. Even the elastic goggle clips don’t protrude from the simple design, allowing the helmet to be strapped to your pack without catching branches on the approach. Ding: The earpieces took a bit of breaking in.
Trail cred “Typically, my head heats up whether I’m wearing a thin beanie or a thicker hood. The Obex didn’t give me that problem,” our tester says. “I also appreciated the closeable vents, which let me seal out 70-mile gusts and sideways snow on our approach to Guanella Pass in -7-degree weather.”