I gave up wearing a fullface helmet a few years ago for 2 reasons.

  1. They were relatively hardcore back then. As in, you’d only wear one while racing because if you weren’t “racing”, you’d look a prized pillock going the speeds I do.
  2. I did dumb sh$t. A little like getting into my rally car, there’s something enormously powerful about being surrounded by safety. That placebo made me often ride things I could do easily, yet in my life stage, I probably shouldn’t have.


Being now 2024, the humble fullface helmet is widely accepted and welcomed with point 1’s stigma being that of a past myth. The modern embrace of safety is now something no one will downplay if you so choose that and that’s a brilliant thing for our sport. Kids, trail riders, ladies pushing boundaries and even old guys riding E-bikes doing things way beyond their pay scale wear them without qualms and hey, they all look good.

Enter the MET parachute. A liteweight, removable chin barred fullface helmet with mips, fidlock and safety ratings most other companies are trying hard to gain. A modern, trendy and good looking helmet you can wear up, down, wherever and whenever (yup, certified to race in too being one of few removable chin bar helmets that meet the ASTM standard for dh racing).

Who's it intended for? Anyone! What's the details?

Fit:

Available in various colours over standard sizes. Our model reviewed is the kiwi Iridescent colour-way in a size large and fits true to most other Large helmets. Fitment in both modes is quite different dependant on your pick on the swap out cheek padding and desired firmness in the half shell mode.

The mips head restraint system on the parachute incorporates the boa system with fine straps rather than the usual wider plastic versions we’re used to seeing.

The fidlock strap is a welcome change in a Full face with not needing to jam my fingers up underneath the chinbar but I did miss the ability to adjust the strap below my ears which was more pronounced in the full face mode.

Vision:

The parachute sits well on your noggin. The visor has minimal adjustment with only 2 to 3° total movement, but I found it to be adequate even with wearing goggles. On that, goggle fit is great in the FF mode with a neat channel to fit the strap and section on the rear to support the strap high, but in half shel mode, the goggles get swapped for glasses which I am fine with. Again, pillock?

The ride:

Tested so far, over summer months. I've found a few distinct traits on the overall aspect of it.

In half shell mode, the parachute is noticeably bigger than a standard half shell helmet, but not by feel. It actually sits very well, and allows a lot more air than you realise to flow in, up and around the mips shell. The helmet does have a tendency to push forward a little more and find its own natural sweet spot in this mode, but it's nothing game changing.

In full face mode, I had no issues with the chin bar being awkward or feeling bulky and even found enough of an ability to squirt drink into my mouth without making myself look like i'd dribbled too much.  In fact for once, I think I forgot it was even a fullface helmet and didn't do dumb things like I once used to. I did at first find the strap going under the Mips system a little weird and possibly exacerbated more in FF mode, but I think that was more a case of muscle memory vs any kind of issue.

Merging between, I'd seen a video of a seemless change of modes while glued to your head. Could I replicate that? Nope! but I guess after a while you would manage, maybe? Definitely needs a little learning with the magnet and hook system it uses.  

Pros:

  • Liteweight
  • Stylish
  • Well ventilated
  • High standard of safety
  • plenty of colours to choose from

Cons

  • Lack of visor adjustability
  • Reconnection of chin bar a bit more fiddly than shown
  • Paint finish on the edges in half shell mode is lacklustre.

Overall I find the Parachute distinctly in two scenarios.

A fullface for occasional half face duties, or the ultimate riding holiday companion being; Ride the gnar one day, ride the trails the next and not need to carry the kitchen sink when space is already a compromise. It lives up to the claims of lightweight, strong and comfortable. It's now a welcome addition to my gear which I happily now wear in both modes while putting my previous days of full face experience well behind me.

Helmet supplied and donated by: Advanced Traders New Zealand for demo purposes.