Italian helmet company MET have launched an offshoot 'gravity' brand called Bluegrass. Their debut range includes full-face and pisspot helmets, as well as various items of body armour.
The kit has been put through its paces on the World Cup circuit over the last year by the likes of Sam Blenkinsop, Fabien Cousinié, Shaun O'Connor and Florent Payet. You can watch them in action at the bottom of this article.
Pictured below is the Brave helmet, which has a fibreglass outer shell and EPS inner. Particular attention has been paid to airflow in the chin area, following feedback from the pro riders. Claimed weight is 860-940g, depending on size. It's available in XS/S/M/L/XL, and a choice of three colourways. RRP £125.
This is the £99 Grizzly chest/spine protector. Available in three sizes, it has an articulated polypropylene spine guard along with EVA foam inserts on the chest and shoulders. A £50 more expensive version is also available that replaces the plastic spine with one made from d3o – the material found in pads from the likes of SixSixOne, which is soft 'at rest' but hardens instantly in the event of an impact.
D3o is also used in these Bobcat elbow and knee pads. Again, a cheaper non-d3o version is also available, with high-density foam padding instead. They're held in place by a perforated Neoprene sleeve and silicone gripper, along with two Velcro straps. Unlike some knee pads, there's padding at the side – good for those who like to push their knees against the top tube. RRP is £55/£90 for the knee pads and £45/£80 for the elbows.
Bluegrass products will be available in the UK from March through Fisher Outdoor Leisure. You can watch the kit being put through its paces by Bluegrass's sponsored riders below. For more details, visit www.bluegrasseagle.com.
Bluegrass
