This new iXS Trigger X 3/4 enduro helmet does a good job of hitting that pedalable sweet spot between an open half-shell and a full-on full-face. More ear, cheek, and extra back of the head protection. But light enough, comfy enough, and well-ventilated enough that you will really ride in it.
I’ve been riding with the new Trigger X for a month now – from wet winter weather to sweating through unexpectedly summery blasts of heat. And I’m pretty happy to pull it on for those more technical trail rides, and a bit extra sense of security…
The safest helmet is the one that you actually wear, right?
iXS Trigger X open 3/4 shell enduro mountain bike helmet
iXS talks about their new Trigger X like it matches your mullet hairdo attitude. “Party in the front, protection in the back“.
And I guess the mullet analogy is a pretty good fit for this new 3/4-shell lid. The Trigger X strikes a nice balance between Swiss protection maker iXS’s Trigger AM half-shell and their wildly-light full-face Trigger FF.
For those types of rides where you think a full-face would be overkill, but you feel like a lightweight XC helmet is equally inappropriate. Essentially, the iXS Trigger X offers enough protection that you can feel good about your decision-making skills even on days when you get shuttled to the top of the hill. And yet you can still wear it when you pedal up the climbs, too.
Tech details
iXS calls the Trigger X helmet, a “streamlined open-face helmet with full protection”. It gets a MIPS Air system to protect against rotational impacts. The traditional multi-part in-mold polycarbonate over EPS helmet features open ear “SlapGuards” that taper around your head to protect from side impacts. The EPS of those SlapGuards is also separate of the main helmet body, so you can flex them out to the sides quite a bit to comfortably pull the 3/4 shell over your ears.
The iXS ErgoFit Ultra system offers horizontal and vertical adjustment, with a big rubber-coated dial to adjust a secure fit on your head. And webbing straps with a magnetic Fidlock buckle make it easy to get in and out of the Trigger X. Then, the visor/peak has a wide adjustment range to fit goggles up top, plus a grippy insert on the back to keep your goggle strap in place.
Riding Impressions
I’ve only been riding in the new iXS Trigger X helmet for a month now, from southern to central Europe. But thanks to a climate in crisis, I feel like I’ve ridden through 3 seasons. On the colder and wetter end of the spectrum, I’ve probably most noticed how open and vented the new 3/4 helmet is. It does fit well under the hood of a couple of my trail rain jackets (Velocio & Leatt, so far). And a classic thin Buff underneath has kept my ears and brow warm, without messing with the Trigger X fit.
At the warmer extremes of my winter/spring around 20°C (68°F), I certainly did start to sweat in the iXS Trigger X. But the thin integrated MIPS Air pads did a good job of soaking up my sweat, and not dripping it down my glasses. Plus, the MIPS Air system doesn’t block any of the vents or internal channels, so airflow is pretty good even at slow MTB climbing speeds. Most pleasantly surprisingly, the ear openings are plenty large to let my big lobes shed heat. And while the check pads also got sweaty by the end of a warm afternoon ride, it was never unpleasant.
Fit Review
A tricky thing to any helmet that wraps around the side of your head is fit. My 58.5cm circumference melon fit nicely inside the Medium Trigger X. And all I had to do was swap in the thinner cheek/ear pads included with the helmet for a comfortable, but not constricting fit.
Then, the wide-ranging dial rear adjustment secures the helmet on my head, so it never felt like the ear “SlapGuards” were pressing against my head. That means it feels like a light half-shell on your head, not like an ultra-padded moto-style DH helmet.
The real 571g light weight of my iXS Trigger X goes a long way towards that lightweight overall feeling. Sure, a light half-shell can be 200g less. But my favorite light full-faces are still 100-300g heavier. Let’s call this a happy medium, with a good sense of protection.
iXS Trigger X – Pricing, availability & options
The new iXS Trigger X 3/4-shell enduro helmet comes in 3 sizes: S (53-56cm), M (56-90cm), and L (59-62cm). It’s EN & KC certified, and comes in 3 half matte / half gloss colors – white/black, my all-black, and racing red/black. The Trigger X sells for 239€, and is officially available starting today. Although the first consumer helmets are expected to arrive at your door starting in a few weeks. From around the middle of April 2024.
