Pros: Well ventilated, cutting-edge MIPS, good looks, great straps and adjustments
Cons: Difficult to fit versus prior Giros, allows sweat down the forehead.
I used the sizing chart as recommended given the different MIPS design and it said medium. Medium felt tight at the rear sides of my head -- like a flat spot pushing against the helmet. Tried large but it was HUGE on my head. I ended up with the medium -- very snug, almost too tight, but when I ride I do not notice this. I wear large in other helmets with no issues. The fit of this one is DIFFERENT, so hopefully it fits you better than me.
The front padding is from temple to temple which is nice but it is very thin. It takes very little sweating to saturate the pad and have sweat running down your forehead even with wearing a thicker skullcap such as Headsweats. This is much more of a problem with this helmet than any of my other helmets.
Summary: nice looking helmet with great tech and features, but the fit is more difficult and the front padding is not as absorbent and allows more sweat down the forehead -- perhaps a function of the tighter fit of the helmet on my head.
Had to replace my Giro Synthe after taking a header at 45 mph in Big Bear. Replaced it with the Aether, so far so good. The helmet sits lower on the forehead which puts the sunglasses right at the base of the helmet. Will see how that works out? Also the helmet makes noises when the base and outer shell rotate from each other while riding. That my drive me crazy?? Quality, Fit and Finish are Nice.
The fit of this helmet in size Small is the same fit for me as my Giro Synthe (non-mips). I feel it is true to size. I bought the helmet for the added safety and also hoping that it would be cooler than my Giro Aeon or Synthe in the Texas heat. I wore my new Aether tonight in 92-95 degree heat and I could feel the cool air flowing across my head. It was almost like an air conditioner! The helmet is noticeably cooler than my Giro Aeon. I will continue to reserve my Giro Synthe as my winter helmet. The Aether is very comfortable and I certainly did not notice the few extra grams (apx 35) between it any my other Giro helmets. Adjusting the helmet is super easy and I love the new Roc Loc and the sun glasses holder. Highly recommend!!!!
My Giro Synthe helmet was ready to be replaced and I had been drooling over the Aether, so, at a big % off, it was great deal. The Aether has the MIPS technology built in to the helmet instead of being attached to the already made helmet, so the entire interior of the helmet rotates to absorb shock in case of a crash. This seems much better than the Synthe. Fit is very good. I've only had one ride in 85 heat and the ventilation was good.
I use the helmet on all my rides. It is light and comfortable, and fits my head without any undue pressure points. It works with all my Oakley sunglasses. I have used several winter caps under it, and with a twist of the knob it adjusts for a perfect fit.
I crashed once, but did not get to test the helmet as there was no head contact with the ground. I hope to not test the helmets crash worthiness.
This is a replacement for a ten-plus year old Giro helmet that finally succumbed to the heat, the elements, and for when I have fallen over after forgetting to unclip. The Giro Aether is a very lightweight helmet that fits nicely over my melon and the rear dial attachment is quick and easy to adjust during a ride. The helmet stays cool, and I couldnt say anything but great things about it.
I bought this helmet for hot summer rides because of the air vents. helmet worked great. I am on my second Giro Aether Spherical MIPS helmet as my first one was put to the test and did it�s job perfectly. I had a head strike to the pavement and basically walked away without serious injury. Helmet took all the impact and cracked but protected me perfectly! Thanks Giro !!!
Ive been an avid cyclist for 35 years averaging 500 miles per weekalways with a helmet properly attached to my head! Over the years Ive had every top-end helmet produced by Giro. The Aether is by far the best helmet Ive had! While I cannot attest to its crash durability and protection, this helmet is very comfortable, easy to fit, and highly ventilated. In all previous models, I had to wear a headband to prevent sweat from getting into my eyes but not so with the Aether. Its air channeling is simply the best. For those who ride at night, a taillight and headlight can be attached to the helmet without interfering with the MIPS liner.
I've worn Giro helmets for as long as I can remember, and the thing that is most outstanding is the fit. However, in recent years some of the retention materials of Giro helmets have become marginal and I find the useful life of these expensive helmets to become quite limited. Having said that, someone at Giro must have gotten the message because the Aether helmet is definitely built with much better quality and materials. The design of the helmet within a helmet is revolutionary and makes this not a superior safety device but more comfortable for long rides as well. I must say you pay dearly for these features, as this is more than I've ever paid (or hoped to pay) for a bicycle helmet. But considering all the safety and quality, I say it's pricey but definitely worth it.
I use this for road riding and am pleased with the helmet's performance (although I haven't tested it for it's intended purpose of crash protection). I like the ventilation at the front of the helmet, the air coming through the vents is very noticeable although it seems like the airflow over the back of my head is not quite as plentiful as on other helmets I own (Bell Zephyr, Giro Aeon). The fit is great for me (I wear a medium) and the roc loc system works well. This helmet seems to sit further down on my head than others and I like the additional coverage but it sits low enough that it interferes with one pair of sunglasses with larger frames. While I read they claimed it is less bulbous than it's predecessor, from a style perspective it still hews to the mushroom head look.
I have enjoyed the comfort of the Giro Foray mips helmet for sometime. However, when I recognized the technological advancement of the Giro Aether mips model, from a safety standpoint, the only logical conclusion was to purchase the Aether model.
Since purchasing the Aether model, I have worn this helmet dozens of times over hundreds of Colorado roads this summer. The Aether helmet is noticeably lighter and more comfortable than my Giro Foray helmet, yet fits snuggly with the adjustable wheel at the back of the helmet. As advertised, the flow through ventilation of the helmet has kept me cool, even on some hot afternoon rides.
When you read the advanced safety features of the Aether model mips design, you realize this is the design to wear, but hopefully never to depend upon. One problem with this helmet now I have to purchase the Aether helmet for the rest of my family cyclists.
I have enjoyed the comfort of the Giro Foray mips helmet for sometime. However, when I recognized the technological advancement of the Giro Aether mips model, from a safety standpoint, the only logical conclusion was to purchase the Aether model.
Since purchasing the Aether model, I have worn this helmet dozens of times over hundreds of Colorado roads this summer. The Aether helmet is noticeably lighter and more comfortable than my Giro Foray helmet, yet fits snuggly with the adjustable wheel at the back of the helmet. As advertised, the flow through ventilation of the helmet has kept me cool, even on some hot afternoon rides.
When you read the advanced safety features of the Aether model mips design, you realize this is the design to wear, but hopefully never to depend upon. One problem with this helmet now I have to purchase the Aether helmet for the rest of my family cyclists.
My previous helmet was in dire need of replacing so I started doing research for the best helmets of 2019. I was happy to find that Giro was on that list. The MIPS technology was a little new to me so I was a little confused about how it would fit and or work. Don't be afraid of it! I need to say this is the best fitting, most comfortable helmet I have ever used. The MIPS isn't even noticed. I'm also quite happy with the amount of airflow through it on to my head. I would highly recommend Giro helmets, but especially this Aether line.
I am an avid cyclist. My rides are long and often. I have not ridden with this helmet yet, but the size is perfect. I am between a medium and a large and chose the large for when I need extra warmth for my head. The retention system works great and is very easy to adjust. I highly recommend this helmet to anyone who is wanting a fantastic helmet.
I've been looking to up grade my helmet for some time. I wanted the extra protection of mips , light weight, good looking, comfortable and with good ventilation. This checked all of those boxes.. I would recommend to a friend
Like my past Giro helmets top marks for fit, weight, finish, adjustability, straps and buckle function. Hope to not be testing crash performance but confident it will live up to R&D claims.
I believe this helmet is the best protection and it fits nicely
Bought this to replace a Synthe that took a fall when bike was knocked over. While it was a bummer, I was always secretly wanting an Aether, especially given the improvement to the MIPS system and the fit. Was not disappointed. This thing rocks and I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Ventilation is stellar too, especially on hot Florida days.
Road and Mountain Bike, cold and hot weather.
It is difficult to review the most essential function of a helmet, protection in a crash. So, I will need to defer to the testing completed by Giro, and talk about the feel. This helmet fit beautifully out of the box. It is light and snug and very comfortable. I also look for a helmet with a lot of air flow and this helmet meets my needs. I would highly recommend this helmet to anyone with a little extra cash to splurge.