Met Helmet Trenta 3K Carbon review

How it is done

Tempo di lettura: 9 minuti

How it is done

When I enquired about the availability of this helmet, I asked for the black version, because the white version is hard to photograph, especially for a modest old hand like me. In the hindsight, I am thankful that black specimens were not available in my size, so instead of waiting for a new supply, I accepted this one. Which is elegant and perfectly matched with the further material I received in the meantime for other tests. I’m happy.

This Trenta 3K Carbon is familiar, we find stylistic elements presents on other models of the range; here, however, every detail has been “expanded”, made aesthetically stronger. Beautiful and really involving, for me, the rear view, with the two large vents and the pretty central fin.

There is an effective aerodynamic study to determine the shape, and that it is ready to rend the air can be better appreciated (I think…) in the three-quarter images.

Yes, I really liked the line, you got it. But there is also a lot of substance, as we will see.

For now let’s stay on the static presentation and let’s devote ourselves to the ventilation system.

A very important aspect on a sports helmet. The bike, trite remark, is moved by our legs’ strength. And I am always in favor of every detail allowing us to exploit our energy for pedaling only, without dispersing it in thousands of trickles, without consuming it due to excessive sweating, a shoe that slows down our circulation, a jersey that warms up and so on.

A cool, ventilated helmet, that does not create condensation, is one of those details that allows us to dedicate ourselves to the athletic gesture only.

Nineteen air intakes do not place it among the most “open” helmets on the market; if, however, we look at its effectiveness and not only at the number, then it justly falls within the top category. As we will see in the paragraph dedicated to the road test.

In the front view, the scene is dominated by the four large intakes at the bottom, surmounted by two smaller ones and, at the top, the Venturi’s effect intake, that we find on other helmets manufactured by this Company.

By slightly turning our point of view, we discover other air intakes on the sides, one at the bottom and the other two at the top.

Continuing to rotate our Trenta 3K Carbon, we have a complete view of the wide lateral windows, both at the entrance and at the exit.

The cut, let’s call it like that, is optimized to ensure the best flow without penalizing the aerodynamic penetration. In the image below, we can also appreciate how thin is the inner material, to the benefit of its lightness and the containment of the cap’s size.

At the top, the Venturi intake with NACA input that, as I said, is also the hallmark of the Company, that exploits it on different models. I wrote extensively on it in the Manta and Strale helmets’ tests (the latest has only the Venturi’s one), however I quote myself and I report here what I wrote on the Venturi’s effect.

“…it is a paradox and explaining it is not easy for me, not one of the best physics’ student. I try.

In the most suffocating days, all of us go around the house, trying out different combinations of open and closed windows. Outside there is a little bit more than a light puff of wind, yet once we find the right combination we will be able to get a gentle refreshing breeze. This is because our timid puff of wind, once forced to pass through a narrow passage, that is the window, will increase its speed to keep its mass unchanged. However, if we move to a larger room, all of our beautiful breeze will disappear, even if the window’s curtains dashingly wave. In fact, by reaching it, we will recapture our providential cool and this because the breeze slowed down in the larger room; but near the second narrow passage, in our domestic example represented by the other open window, the mass build-up will result in a new increase in the outflowing speed. In practice, with the Venturi’s effect, we have a flux that, in normal conditions, we don’t even notice, but if we submit it to this paradox, we increase its effectiveness. The wind outside is exactly that, it does not increase if we open the windows. We do force it, opening, precisely, the windows.

All right, but how do we relate all this to our helmet? Having an air vent with the Venturi’s effect means that, in the theory, even at low speed, and therefore with a limited flux, thanks to it we have an increase of its effectiveness: cool head even if we go slowly.”

The Trenta 3K has the NACA intake too, slightly narrower than the Manta’s one. I remind you that with NACA intake we mean the “shape” of the intake pipe, i.e. the path that the air flow must cross and that is shaped to convey it, guaranteeing a low aerodynamic resistance at the same time.

We have thirteen intakes: six on each side starting from the center and the Venturi/NACA on the top.

Six intakes have the task of expelling the hot air, thus avoiding the formation of an annoying condensation.

The rear view is dominated by the two large air outlets: did I tell you already that this is the detail I liked the most? Oh yes? Sorry: how can you blame me…….

With a red light we can appreciate them better. In sequence.

Graphically here is the air path when hits the helmet.

Comfort, however, is achieved by combining many different factors: one of these is the fitting’s adjustment.

Helmet at the top of the range, it obviously benefits from the most advanced system among those offered by Met Helmets.

Here we have the Safe-T Orbital, which has three adjustment parameters. The width with the classic wheel, the excursion of the entire structure on four positions to always have the best connection to the nape, and the possibility of adjusting the two occipital retainers in the longitudinal direction. Before looking in detail with my images, I prefer to publish this short official video, which certainly explains better than my words.

Now the images. In detail the whhel for micrometric adjustment; small but easy to operate even when wearing winter gloves.

And then in sequence the other two adjustments; the one on four positions to establish the height of the occipital band and the stops that manage the two “ears”, with the soft padding in non-slip material in the foreground.

Enlarged and with the arrows, you can see this further possibility of customizing the fit.

Chin strap with a traditional look, also to contain the weight at the highest degree.

So we find the classic clips of the Met company, a quick release buckle and the small ring to stretch them easily, accompanied by a small rubber band to hold in place the excess.

There is no flap to come in contact with the skin, as it is normal on sports helmets.

The internal padding, removable, washable and hypoallergenic, is reduced to the minimum terms while remaining very comfortable and soft, a sign of a good quality internal sponge. Some small ovals keep it still.

The Trenta 3K Carbon provides two options, common with other models of the Company.

The first one is the fresh frontal gel pad, to be mounted instead of the padding.

I tested its effectiveness on the Met Manta, tested in the hot torrid of late July, discovering its effectiveness. I did not test it with this Trenta 3K, because I pedaled in cold weather and I mounted it only to make sure it did not interfere with the fit. No problem, at it was logical to expect.

The second option is the LED light, rechargeable and with twilight sensor. In practice it turns on by itself in the dark.

It mounts to the occipital band, does not affect the accessibility to the adjustment wheel and has a fixed, intermittent and, as said before, crepuscular function. The latter is extremely useful if we meet tunnels. We set it and it turns on and off by itself, without having to stop to activate it.

I explained in detail the working in the test dedicated to the Met Helmet Grancorso, an urban helmet that uses the same light. Without shooting a new video, which would have been identical just changing the helmet, I propose again the one created for that test, that clearly illustrates the operation of this useful light.

An additional security aid is placed on the rear fin, where we have a strip of reflective adhesive. Invisible by day, therefore very discreet, it lights up when hit by the light. As usual, much more than I can show in the pictures…..

In high visibility metarial also the two small writings on the side, in the rear area. Not even I try to photograph them….

The standard and not optional carrying bag is appreciated and practical.

Padded on one side, in perforated fabric on the other one (so you can store your helmet even if you sweat profusely), with drawstring seal and the Company’s logo.

All contained in an elegant box with the reference of the most important technical characteristic of this helmet printed on it, namely the presence of the carbon fiber.

Three are the available color variations at the time I am writing.

The white one seen here and named “Raw”, indicating that it is not as raw as a literal translation would mean; on the opposite, it has some beautiful pearly reflections that I am unable to reproduce in my pictures, as it’s impossible to show you and describe the velvety feel to the touch, a silky one I would say.

Then we have a mat black version, also called “Raw”, and finally the “Anniversario”: black base and mention to the tricolor.

I imagine that the versions with the Team Gran Tour official colors using this helmet will be available soon; they exist for other models of the range and I deduce it only from this, I have no information about it.

I report, just for completeness of information, the presence in the catalog of the Trenta version, therefore without a carbon fiber structure.

End of the static presentation, we can turn over the page and start the test on the road.