Reviewing the FOX Rampage Pro Carbon Mips Full Face Helmet

Fox’s Rampage Pro Carbon helmet has graced the top step of countless podiums thanks to the excellent roster of mountain bike athletes on the Fox Racing roster. Those athletes, along with some dedicated designed at Fox sought to improve their top-of-the-line helmet and as a rider who spent time in the first-generation model, I was excited to see what was different once on my dome. The last Fox RPC downhill helmet was a great looking, but heavy unit, and there’s always room for improvement as technology and development evolve. So, in preparation for the upcoming bike park and downhill bike season, let’s begin our Full-Face Friday series with a review of the new Fox Rampage Pro Carbon MIPS helmet.

THE DIRT
Following a chat with the Fox guys last year, we were supplied with a Large sized helmet for my 57cm head. As you may have seen in our unboxing video, this proved to be the right fit for me, providing a very snug wrap-around feeling on the head that suggests riders with the suggested 59-60cm head on the Fox size chart may struggle to fit inside this helmet. As with every helmet, it’s important to try before you buy to make sure your head is as well protected as it can be, but we’d suggest going a size larger if that’s not possible.

The first impressions of the metal flake paint job and general lines on the helmet have held true throughout the test period. This is a stunning helmet to look at. Thankfully with the correct size helmet on your head, the performance matches the looks, giving a reassuringly solid feeling on the head devoid of any unwanted movement or noises no matter how much slower you are than Sam Hill. Speaking of noise, the thick padding around the ears does block a fair amount of noise so the helmet will isolate you from ambient noise more than some other more open and airy helmets. For us, a quieter helmet and experience can give us a sense of calm and that we’re not actually going that fast, so we can push harder and faster. Think of riding in a super loud rattly car with the windows down at 70mph vs a silent luxury car at 90mph.

The thick padding all around the head ensures there are no pressure points, and so it’s a helmet we’d happily keep on our head for a full day shuttling. At 1,241g, the weight of the helmet is on the higher side in the mountain bike world, but it wasn’t so heavy to be a nuisance. Ventilation is acceptable too, and thanks to ample space between the mouth and chinbar, the effects of the mesh and foam coverings over the mouthpiece don’t create the same “hot breath” sensation. The vent screens do a nice job of keeping debris out, but also add a step when cleaning the helmet after a muddy day. Even though ventilation is fine for a full-face downhill helmet, it’s not the helmet we’d grab for racing enduro or spending any serious time in the saddle, but then again, that’s not what it’s designed for.

The X-Static padding does a good job at fending off the smells until the pads are thick enough with dust and dirt to demand a washing, and through multiple times being popped in and out of the helmet they remain solid in the helmet and have resisted too much packing down. Double D-ring closures are the downhill and moto standard for good reason, with unparalleled feelings of safety as you tighten them. The carbon fiber buckles are an awesome touch of class, adding to the generally ultra-premium notions of the new Fox Rampage Pro Carbon MIPS helmet.

The breakaway visor looks real neat on the helmet, with its fixed position perfectly matching the lines elsewhere on the helmet, but when combined with its relatively short length, the lack of adjustability leaves your vision very susceptible to flaring up in the evening sun. This, combined with the weight would be our only requests for change with this brain bucket, which ticks all the other boxes but doesn’t quite reach the level of perfection that we’d love if spending our own money on it.

THE WOLF'S LAST WORD
At $500 bucks, the Fox Rampage Pro Carbon MIPS helmet is a serious investment into both style and protection. While style is subjective as is value, one thing that is not is safety performance. A big area we’d love to know more about from all helmet manufacturers is the safety and ability of how well their products handle impacts of varying speeds and how they compare to others in similar categories. With the current system just giving consumers a Pass/Fail experience of only knowing that a helmet met the certifications, we think consumers deserve to know more.

For the complete review, visit our site:
https://theloamwolf.com/2022/03/18/review-fox-racing-rampage-pro-carbon-mips-helmet/

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