alpinist

I just bought a Variant today for commuting and riding around town. Yeah, it says "Mountain" on the box, but I bought it because it has a lot of venting and I like a visor, when it's raining especially. The guy at the store told me that Bell helmets are all crash rated about the same, and that the cost difference is mainly for things like venting, aerodynamics, looks, and comfort.

I bought the Variant to replace a Giro Hex that started falling apart just 4 weeks after I bought it. The liner started coming loose when I would put it on or set it down. Real flimsy. Worthless, really. It just popped loose with minimal pressure, and would start flopping around on my head. Was a real piece of junk. I returned it, and got the Bell Variant instead (similar design), and hope it will work out better.