Bell introduced the Full 10 Spherical to the media throughout Crankworx Whistler final summer season, and eager eyes might have observed their sponsored athletes carrying them eventually 12 months’s occasions. At this time the Full 10 Spherical formally launches and turns into out there to the general public. Learn on for the important thing technical particulars and my impressions of how the Full 10 feels in motion.
Bell Full 10 Spherical – Development and Options:
The Full 10 Spherical is the successor to the Full 9 MTB helmet, and shares key applied sciences included into Bell’s Moto 10 Spherical off-road motorbike helmet. The Full 10 is licensed for Downhill, BMX and e-Bike use, and can also be perfect for slopestyle or freeriding.
Inside its unidirectional carbon shell, you’ll discover the Full 10’s major security characteristic; Spherical Expertise, powered by MIPS. Bell’s Spherical Expertise permits the helmet’s internal and outer EPS/EPP liners to rotate round one another throughout a crash (like a ball and socket) to redirect and scale back rotational forces on the mind. Should you haven’t seen one in all Bell’s Spherical helmets up shut, they conceal all of the anti-rotational know-how so that you don’t see a typical MIPS liner tacked on to the inside; the within seems to be like a non-MIPS helmet and is absolutely padded for consolation.
One other key security characteristic is the Magnefusion magnetic pull-out cheek pads, which might be yanked from the helmet simply to help in elimination when first responders imagine a neck damage might have occurred. Much less crucially but in addition handy, the Full 10’s inside makes use of Ionic+ antimicrobial padding with silver yarn to cut back odor buildup.
Air flow was a significant precedence when Bell designed the Full 10, in order that they included their new ‘Thermal Trade Airflow System’ (T.E.A.S.). Bell has found out that good air flow isn’t merely achieved by slicing out essentially the most or greatest vents on a helmet, however encouraging cool air to circulate within the entrance and heat air to flee out the again simply. Bell examined this idea with their Moto 10 helmet and located nice success, they usually even checked out how the air flowing round the Full 10 helps to drag air by way of it.
The Full 10’s large rear vents are laborious to overlook, however there are a number of smaller vents on the entrance and sides that hold air flowing too. By the numbers Bell boasts 3 consumption ports, 5 outflow vents, and 13 chin bar vents. Moreover, channels constructed into the Spherical Expertise internal liner additionally assist in air flow, directing air over your brow and thru the highest of the helmet.
The Full 10 was designed with a Panoramic goggle port, and options Bell’s Flying Bridge visor. The visor itself contains air flow channels, and provides a small vary of non-incremental peak adjustment. Simply above the visor is an built-in breakaway digicam mount, and a GoPro mount is included.
The highest-end Full 10 is completed with titanium D-rings and a magnetic snap to maintain your chin strap neatly tucked away.
Bell wasn’t attempting to make the Full 10 the lightest full face helmet in the marketplace, they have been extra involved with together with all the security options they may. That mentioned, this carbon-shelled helmet will not be very heavy, with a measurement medium listed at 1000g. My scale confirmed my measurement XS/S weighing in at 1011g.
The Full 10 Spherical shall be bought in XS/S, M, L and XL/XXL sizes, protecting heads from 51-63cm. There are three completely different shell sizes, and every helmet comes with three units of cheek pads in various thicknesses. Bell will even be promoting the thinnest and thickest out there cheek pads individually (they’ve produced 5 completely different units in complete) to make sure a dialed match for each head.
There are 4 colorways out there – Matte Black, Come up Matte/Gloss Black, Come up Matte/Gloss White/Bali, and a Gloss White/Black Fasthouse version. The Full 10 Spherical retails for $650 USD, and is now out there on-line and thru Bell retailers.
Try this video that includes Bell athlete R-Canine (Ryan Howard) explaining all of the know-how discovered within the Full 10 Spherical…. and naturally leaping with model!
Trip Impressions:
The very first thing I observed whereas using within the Full 10 Spherical was the air flow – It’s glorious! Air does circulate very properly by way of the helmet, and this lid is well one of many coolest full faces I’ve worn. Whereas using I might really feel air shifting round my ears, on prime of my head, and up over my brow by way of the entrance intakes. The large exhaust vents within the again should do their job as a result of this helmet doesn’t maintain in a lot warmth, even after a number of bike park laps on a scorching summer season day.
One aspect impact of Bell’s Spherical MIPS building is noise: I examined their Tremendous DH full face helmet just a few years in the past, and observed you’ll be able to hear the internal and outer liners sliding round on one another whilst you experience tough terrain. The Full 10 is quieter than the Tremendous DH, however you continue to hear the shell layers rubbing when your head is shaking round. I discovered this straightforward to overlook about, however I might see some riders getting aggravated by it.
Wanting on the Full 10, I’m fairly stunned Bell didn’t chop away on the chin bar much more. A whole lot of present full face helmets have gone that path, and after using in a single myself (the Smith Mainline), I can affirm the airflow is superb with a closely cut-out chin bar. The Full 10’s smaller entrance vents do a nice job of letting air in, however the place this helmet’s air flow actually excels is on the highest, sides and again of your head.
On account of Bell’s sizing, their helmets have a tendency to suit fairly comfortable on my head and generally don’t really feel significantly deep. Though my head is 56cm round, a medium Full 10 was a bit too large so I went with an XS/S which is marked for 53-55cms. On my first few rides, I discovered it fairly comfortable however was blissful to search out my cranium sat deep sufficient inside it. After just a few rides, the liner packed out ever so barely and the helmet obtained extra comfy. As testing went on I wore the helmet all day within the bike park with no consolation points. Besides that one time…
On my second experience, I fell sufferer to an uncomfortable (however simply fixable) shock. After just a few hours within the bike park I got here dwelling with a dent in my brow! A part of the helmet left a round, crimson indentation proper on the center of my hairline. Fortuitously, I later found a button on the detachable liner had popped misplaced and was pushing into my head. I put the button again in place, and that downside was solved. This in all probability received’t be a standard concern, but when your Full 10 immediately appears to be jabbing you within the cranium verify the liner buttons!
Regardless of Bell’s ‘Panoramic’ goggle port, I discovered bigger goggles problematic. I attempted a pair of Leatts, which have large frames, and the Full 10 pushed down on them to the purpose of placing stress on my nostril. After just a few hours of using, the bridge of my nostril was crimson and sore from the goggles, so I might not experience that combo once more. Fortuitously, the Full 10 does jive properly with my leaner Smith Squad goggles. They nonetheless felt somewhat comfortable top-to-bottom, however weren’t uncomfortable to put on.
Earlier I discussed the visor doesn’t have an enormous vary of adjustment, however the vary it has is practical. In its lowest place, the visor is well seen and undoubtedly low sufficient to maintain the solar out of your eyes. At its highest, you’ll be able to nonetheless see it but it surely opens up your discipline of view nearly utterly. One factor this visor doesn’t do is provide room for stashing goggles in your brow.
Lastly, the Full 10 Spherical is a DH helmet and never marketed as an enduro lid, however I needed to attempt climbing with it because it’s properly vented and pretty gentle. My large takeaway was the way you don’t really feel a ton of airflow at climbing speeds with the Full 10, you might want to be shifting quicker to get the advantages of this lid’s air flow. That mentioned, it was nonetheless fairly tolerable on a heat fall day. There are higher choices for enduro using however this helmet is properly inside motive for the occasional climb in the event you’re taking your lengthy journey bike as much as one thing gnarly.
Try Bell’s web site for all the main points on the brand new Full 10 Spherical. Title picture by James Stokoe.
