New Stuff Part Two

Catlike Vacuum 2009 Helmet

£79.95 from Prendas Ciclismo (limited sizes and colours on sale for £69.95)

Catlike are known for their distinctive and somewhat funky looking helmets, which is one of the things that first attracted us to the brand. For the past couple of years we have been using the Whisper and Whisper Plus helmets supplied by Prendas Ciclismo, and we’ve been pleased with the fit and comfort of these helmets. This season, Prendas have sent me one of the new Vacuum helmets to try out.

A name badge and a couple of Fast Kiwis make this super-cool helmet my own.

First thing to note is that it looks nothing at all like the Whisper Plus, it has a funky look all of its own. The Orange Monkey team have been using the Vacuum this season, and it has certainly turned a few heads. From the front it looks a bit like something out of Alien v. Predator and from the back it looks like a space ship. Love it or hate it… it’s a look that is kind of growing on me.

The concept behind the Vacuum is that it is designed to provide maximum airflow at lower speeds, i.e. on a mountain bike rather than on a road bike. There is no weight difference between the Vacuum and the Whisper, and no reason not to use it on the road, but it is marketed as a mountain bikers’ helmet and thus comes standard with a peak (although this is removable).

The fit for the 2009 helmets seems to have been upsized since 2008, and the first issue I had with both the new Whisper Plus and the new Vacuum was that the size small was not quite small enough. The helmet shells were fine, however the adjustable plastic retainer piece was bigger than in previous years. Luckily this is a replaceable part and I was able to take the retainer piece out of an old Whisper and swap it into the new Vacuum.

With the smaller retainer in place, the new Vacuum is a perfect fit. Helmet fit is very much a personal thing, depending on the head shape of the individual, but for me the Vacuum is by far the most comfortable and secure helmet I’ve ever owned. It fits snugly without leaving red marks from tight spots or pressure points. Adjusting the straps is easy, fitting perfectly around the ears and under the chin.

As for the ventilation aspect of the helmet, I can honestly say it’s not yet been hot enough here in the UK for me to worry about a sweaty head. However, I do get a rather odd sensation of my hair blowing about between the vents in the Vacuum, so the system is obviously working. We’ve opted for plain white for our team helmets again this year, in order to maximise the cooling benefits. I’m looking forward to the hot weather testing out in Kamloops in a couple of weeks, which will certainly put this super-cool helmet through its paces.

The peak comes as standard, but is removeable. I like peaks, so I've left mine on.