We first spotted the Vanquish at the Tour earlier this year and then worn to victory in both the men’s and women’s 2017 UCI European Road Championships. So we have to admit we have been waiting for today’s announcement. And while we won’t say we expected just another new aero road helmet, we kind of did. But then Giro started breaking down the details of their successor to the ground breaking Air Attack, and we think that while the Air Attack invented the aero road category, the Vanquish attempts to redefine it.

The Giro Vanquish MIPS

“Giro pioneered the aero road helmet category,” said Scott Junker, Giro Helmet Product Manager. “Throughout Giro’s 30+ year history we’ve introduced countless innovations. Vanquish MIPS is the latest and, we believe, the greatest to date. We leaned heavily on the extensive development and testing capabilities of The Dome (the unrivaled helmet R&D facility in Scotts Valley), and the resulting helmet packs several unique features new to cycling helmets. Most notable is the patent-pending TransformAir design which tricks the air flowing over, and through, the helmet to dramatically reduce aerodynamic drag. The Vanquish MIPS is a testament to the expertise of our industry-leading development team and safety testing resources, as well as the depth of our partnerships with the world’s fastest riders.”

The Vanquish is defined by its new shape including the new wrap-around visor. Giro calls the design “TransformAir.”  An aerodynamic “cliff” tricks the air by reducing drag and providing the aerodynamic efficiency of a full teardrop helmet, in a profile that Giro says is more comfortable and versatile in a variety of head angles. This enables aerodynamics that are 7% faster than Giro’s benchmark aero road helmet, Air Attack, and 13% faster than Giro Synthe, with an additional 2% gained by using Vanquish’s shield.

To keep you cool is WindTunnel Ventilation. A network of vents and channels allows air to flow smoothly across the top of the rider’s head to deliver optimum cooling around the entire helmet, and works to reduce aerodynamic drag. This helps Vanquish have 7% better cooling power than the Air Attack and within 1% of Synthe.

The new Vivid shield by Zeiss is what most riders will see as the defining feature of the Vanquish. This magnetic shield makes the Vanquish even faster by streamlining airflow, and features an all new road-tuned Vivid™ lens that increases contrast and definition while keeping colors true-to-life.

Finally, to keep you safe is the Roc Loc Air MIPS—a combination of the Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) and Giro’s proprietary Roc Loc Air fit system that makes the Vanquish better ventilated, supremely comfortable, and more protective in certain impacts. You’ll also find Progressive Layering—a multi-density foam construction that saves weight and allows the Vanquish to help manage a wide range of impact energies.

Our Thoughts

The Air Attack was one of those products we literally sat around waiting for the UPS driver to drop off. From the beginning, we knew it would be game changing. At first glance, the Vanquish appears to muddy the waters even more when it comes to defining aero road vs full aero. Looking at the aero data above, we couldn’t help but notice that Giro outright says the Evade was faster than the Air Attack. We always appreciate when a company can admit there was room for improvement.

We also are surprised at just how close the Vanquish is to the Synthe in terms of cooling. Just a percentage point off, while the Air Attack (which is noticeably warmer than the Synth) is 5% behind without the shield and 8% with it. We’re also shocked that Giro reports that the Vanquish with shield is actually cooler – something we have to feel to believe.

Like all First Looks, seeing and riding is believing. So we are going to be waiting semi-patiently for ours to arrive in the mail. Stay tuned to AeroGeeks.com for the latest news on the Giro Vanquish and to our social media pages for news on its arrival.