We first reported on what appeared to be a completely new Met Trenta Carbon Mips on the head of Tadej Pogačar back in July during the Tour de France, and now Met has officially unveiled it to the public. Of the options available to UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders, this helmet is one of the favourites in the range and for very good reason – it’s light, well ventilated, and safe. The outgoing Met Trenta 3k Carbon was highly rated by us and praised for its light and airy feel and vast range of adjustability, earning it a rating of 4.5/5 stars and a place among the best road bike helmets.
While the new Trenta doesn’t represent a huge departure in terms of design language from its forebear, Met’s designers looked to improve it rather than reinvent the recipe, and that’s a good thing. Ventilation in the new model is up, it says, by 16%. Safety was another area Met addressed in the redesign, with some impressive claims, suggesting independent safety scores are up by 40%, and they say it’s now among the highest-scoring helmets ever tested by Virginia Tech.
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(Image credit: Getty Images)
New design and 3k Airframe structure
The 3K Airframe is we’re told, an entirely new structure, a key feature of which is that it peaks out from the browline, serving as an air intake and eliminating EPS from the internal frame. This has resulted it says, in a continuous internal air channel from front to back, with two pronounced exhaust ports located in the upper rear section. Not only is the Airframe functional, it’s also aesthetic, adding contrast to the outer shell, which can be optioned in four colours. Aerodynamics it says overall, remain unchanged.
(Image credit: Met)
Cooling system
The new Trenta utilises 20 vents, one more than the outgoing model. These vents, coupled with what it calls, the new Airframe (a carbon wing structure that removes EPS from the internal frame with open air channels), have resulted in a 16% improvement in airflow. In terms of fit, it employs the company’s Safe-T Orbital system with vertical and occipital adjustment.
(Image credit: Met)
Five-star safety
Met receives between 20 and 30 crashed helmets from UAE Team Emirates-XRG per season. This fact suggests every rider in the team will endure at least one high-speed crash in a calendar year – a staggering statistic. Safety has been benchmarked in independent lab testing for linear and rotational impacts, earning a 5-star rating with what it claims, is one of the best scores ever recorded.
The new Trenta 3k Carbon will cost £350 / US$450 / €400 and is available at met-helmets.com.
I currently have the Met Trenta 3k Carbon with me in South Africa, where I’ll be putting it through its paces at Gravel Burn. Look out for a detailed review on Cycling Weekly soon.