Suomy Scrambler Helmet

The name may sound Finnish but Suomy helmets are actually designed and made in Italy. The brand has a long history in motorsport protection but has only recently ventured into cycling. With its extended rear coverage, adjustable visor and plenty of vents (23, to be precise), the Scrambler is their take on the trail/enduro helmet.

 

It’s available in no less than 10 colour-ways and two shell sizes. Our small-medium weighed 295g including the visor; slightly more than the claimed 280g but still very much a lightweight compared to many similar helmets. The Scrambler retails for $219, which is getting towards the upper end of the spectrum.

 

It seems the Suomy team have paid a lot of attention to the details on the Scrambler. Although it’s made using the now ubiquitous in-mold technique where the EPS liner and polycarbonate outer shell are made as one piece, the shell completely covers the lower edge of the helmet, so dropping it on the ground can’t damage the fragile EPS like with many other helmets. The padded insert is anti bacterial and is easily removed for washing and even the chinstraps can be removed for cleaning/replacement. The dial adjuster is simple to use, and because it wraps around your head from temple to temple (it’s not just at the back), the Scrambler cradles your head quite evenly for a snug and secure fit—well it did for me in any case. I also had no problem with fitting sunnies or glasses under the helmet; something I can’t say for some other designs.

 

 

 

The retention mechanism is height adjustable at the rear, so it can be placed securely under your occipital lobe. Although the rear shell doesn’t extend as low as, for instance, a Bell Super, it certainly offers a lot more protection than a typical XC or road helmet. Despite being careful, I did manage to break off one of the pins that attaches the adjustment cradle to the shell whilst adjusting its position. I’m going to put it down to the one-in-a-1,000 chance of a fault in the moulding—something that could happen with any brand. Fortunately the cradle is available as a spare part, as is the visor, the visor retaining pins and the chinstrap assembly—yay for not having to ditch an otherwise perfectly good lid because you loose or damage one small bit!

Low-Pro Lid

 

In terms of styling, the Scrambler is one of, if not the most, form-fitting helmet I’ve yet come across; no mushroom head here folks. I know looks shouldn’t matter but the truth is that they do play a part in almost all of our buying decisions. The narrow shape also has the added advantage of reducing leverage and hence rotational force in the event of a sliding fall; it might not be as good as a MIPS liner but logic implies it’ll be safer in this type of fall than a much wider fitting helmet. The visor is also very narrow; it looks sleek, but doesn’t offer quite as much glare protection. There’s no goggle retainer at the back, nor a camera mount, but these tend to go unused for many. I haven’t seen too many people rocking the open face/goggles look anyway but the omission is worth noting.

 

 

 

In terms of ventilation I never felt the scrambler get hot or sweaty, but testing did take place in the cooler months so it wasn’t put to the test in the same way a tropical summer would. That being said, there’s plenty of vents in the shell and internal channelling to keep air moving over your head, so I’d be comfortable in saying that it’s a long way from a head sauna. The only thing I’m not sure about is the padding over the brow. It has thick and thin sections, and in my experience this can sometimes lead to sweat dripping down into your eyes from the thin sections in very hot weather; I’ve generally found a more uniform brow pad works better in hot weather.

 

Probably the best way I can sum up my time with the Scrambler is that, once I’d put it on, I never once thought about it whilst riding except when other queried me about it on the trails. It might be a first foray into MTB helmets, but Suomy’s past experience with head protection clearly shows. The Scrambler is a helmet that I would be very happy to use on a daily basis. It’s lightweight, well designed, fits nicely and looks good in any of it’s 10 colours; what’s not to like!

 

FE Sports  www.firstendurance.com.au