BLUEGRASS LEGIT CARBON
FULL-FACE HELMET REVIEW

Review by Cole Gregg

When purchasing bike gear like jerseys, shorts and gloves it’s ok to cut some corners and look for the best deal. But when it comes to protecting your brain, I am adamant that there should be no second guess about price point when it comes to getting the safest product out there. At nearly the top of that line is the Blue Grass Legit Carbon DH helmet. It is by far one of the most expensive helmets on the market next to the Troy Lee Designs Carbon D4. While you may cringe at the $550 price tag, when it matters most that investment could potentially save your life.

THE LAB
Starting from the inside the Bluegrass Legit Carbon has hand washable snap in pads including a removable strap pad (big bonus). The cheek pads have three snaps that keep the pads very secure, I have yet to have any issues with these. The pads are thick and supportive but supple enough to be comfortable to catch the first and last chair day after day. After over a year of use they have yet to lose their shape, and I have around 50ish days of use into the helmet.

To keep you cool there are a total of 15 vents throughout the helmet. There are three large vents below the visor and two small ones under the brow sucking in cool air as well as a vented chin bar that features another three high flow mesh vents. There are five vents on the back of the helmet, two of which are absolutely huge. And two small bonus vents right by your years that really help out with hearing your mate yell “sennnnnnd itttt”. For those of us that like a DH lid for enduro it definitely is going to get warm on long pedals but the removeable cheek pads really help with that. Side note, I have my fingers crossed Bluegrass drops a pedal friendly full face!

This lid is ATSM and CE certified, there is no doubt it will do the leg work keeping your brain safe when you hit the deck. The exterior is Carbon Composite with polycarbonate shells in-between the EPS liner featuring MIPS-E2. There are many new styles of rotational protection, but I still feel the most confident using a product like MIPS that has been around for a long time. The visor is in a fixed position which you either don’t mid or hate, I personally do not mind at all. It is angled at a fair position keeping the high noon sun off your eyes. If you do in fact take a slam the visor will pop off reducing the amount of rotation caused by it getting hung up in the dirt.  The Bluegrass Legit helmet is compatible with emergency inflatable helmet release systems allowing your spinal cord to be shifted as little as possible while removing the helmet after a major crash.

THE DIRT
Bluegrass is an Italian company that we rarely see here in the US, especially with the control of the US market TLD, Fox and 100% have. But that does not mean their products are lack luster.  I was in Morzine for a month of unforgettable riding and I brought my Giro Switchblade, a helmet that I really liked without the chin bar. Up until my trip I had not used the chin bar. After two days of riding the extra weight from the chin bar was pulling the helmet down stuffing my goggles into my nose and was constantly on my mind. I decided it was the perfect time for an upgrade. I went to nearly all the local shops to find a helmet I liked. I tried on the TLD Carbon D4, Fox Carbon Pro Frame and the Bluegrass Legit. Unfortunately, I was looking forward to trying the 100% Aircraft, but no shops had one in my size. The TLD was nearly perfect but my ears rubbed on the upper pad and I figured it would get uncomfortable day after day, I have always had great luck with TLD products, and this was the first one I found that was a not a perfect fit. The Fox was comfy but did not really fit my cheek bone shape but was still a contender. Then, I found a shop in Les Gets that had the Bluegrass Legit Carbon helmet in stock. I did not even get it halfway on and I knew it was the one. The fit was perfect, and the simple White/Black color was something I liked.

The size medium fit like a glove and ticked all the boxes I look for in a helmet. The pads were soft and easily removeable for cleaning or pedaling, it had a D-ring moto style strap (my favorite), it was lighter than my previous helmet (1,082g – Medium) allowing for 25 days of constant bike park laps and the safety ratings were up there with the best of the helmets on the market. I was not concerned about how vented the helmet was but was pleasantly surprised that even on the hottest of days I was comfortable.

During my test period I’ve use the Bluegrass Legit with a variety of goggles including: Oakley’s Airbrake, 100% Racecraft One and Two, and Leatt’s Velocity 4.5 goggles, all without issues. The Leatt goggles did rub on the brow but really did not cause to much of an effect. The Airbrakes were the best fitting with the helmet which is a sweet bonus as these are our favorite MTB goggles. I did not try any of these goggles with tear-offs or roll-offs so I cannot speak to the fit and use with those systems.

The Wolf’s Last Word

If you are looking for a confidence inspiring DH helmet that will hold up for multiple seasons this is one of the best options out there. The size medium fits like a true medium and the all-day comfort is a thing of beauty. While it is definitely not a budget friendly lid, we urge you to put safety first when out on the trail. Thankfully I have not had to put the safety specs to the test but if that day comes, I am confident the Bluegrass Legit Carbon will do its job.

Price: €450 // $550
Weight: 1,082g (Medium)
Website: Met-Helmets.com