Reviewed by Kay Levesque
Tested POC Cularis Pure in Uranium Black Matt size Med 55-58cm
Just when you thought manufacturers might be running low on helmet innovation, POC has come up with a brilliant new helmet feature. I was able to test out the POC Cularis Pure in black matt on the trails of Bellingham and, given the PNW’s climate, I’m pretty excited about this feature.
The helmet comes with two interchangeable visor pieces — one with ventilation for dry days and one without for misty, wet (snowy?) days. POC refers to the visor as a peak cover.
Here in Bellingham, rainy days can be the best riding days because the trails become crazy tacky. But a wet head is a sad head. POC has solved that problem with their interchangeable peak cover.
The peak covers are very easy to swap out, with four snaps that make a solid audible sound to indicate you’re locked and loaded. Both visors will break away should you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of a frontal impact. I did not test this feature and hope never to see the day, but I appreciate knowing POC has taken my safety one step further. When the visor portion breaks away, the forces transmitted to your head and neck are reduced.
Like many helmets on the market today, the Cularis Pure utilizes Mips (multi-directional impact protection system) technology to reduce rotational forces of a crash. I wouldn’t buy a helmet without that technology.
Among their helmet lineup, POC offers the Cularis and the Cularis Pure — both provide very similar safety features, such as a breakaway helmet peak and rotational impact protection. The Cularis offers superior ventilation and a magnetic buckle that you can secure with one hand. The Cularis Pure features an interchangeable helmet peak, giving you the option to protect against wind, rain, and snow. The Cularis includes RECCO (radio-based rescue) technology, while the Cularis Pure does not. Both helmets are lightweight and come with an eye garage.
What? An eye garage? I don’t know about you, but when I try to be one of the cool kids by stowing my glasses up on top of my helmet, they fall off. Not so with the POC eye garage.
Basically, POC thought to integrate non-slip padding where the temple piece of your eyeglasses rests when you stow them on your helmet during those hot climbs or when you’re snacking and chatting.
If you’re not sure which Cularis is right for you, POC breaks down all the details on their website. (Both Cularis models include the cool eye garage.)
Trail Helmets: The Cularis Series | POC (US)
With an excellent-fitting liner, lightweight design, and interchangeable peak covers, I was pretty pleased with the Cularis Pure. It literally fit my noggin right out of the box. No tweaking needed. I found that when I’m wearing my sunglasses, the temple pieces fit easily on top of or under the helmet straps. Comfortable and well designed, the Cularis Pure comes in six colors and the standard S, M, and L sizes. I particularly like the style of the Rhos Red Matt/Citrine Yellow Matt.
Based in Stockholm, Sweden, POC believes in using sound research to achieve its goal of protecting lives and reducing the consequences of accidents. On their POC Lab Advisory Board are a head trauma specialist and a spinal cord injury expert. Keep an eye out for POC — they are evaluating the use of airbag technology, so innovation is still very much alive in helmet technology!