The MET Veleno MIPS is a helmet aimed towards cross-country, trail and gravel riders and offers a very well vented and comfortable design but has a few very frustrating features, including a flimsy visor.
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The Veleno is a helmet that aims to cover many different riding styles with cross-country, trail mountain biking and gravel riders. It is similar to most other helmets with an in-mould polycarbonate shell with EPS liner. Our version tested features a MIPS-C2 anti-rotational safety layer also built-in. MET also produces a version without MIPS, available for £20 less.
With 26 vents, it is clear that the Veleno is designed for more active riders. The ventilation is excellent and easy to feel, even with the MIPS layer that can reduce airflow in some helmets. Still, the Veleno had good airflow even at slower speeds.
I tested a medium-sized helmet for 56-58cm head sizes. It felt very comfortable out of the box, and there are some adjustment options. The straps can be adjusted, and there should be enough slack to accommodate all head shapes, and the 360-degree head belt with ratchet closure offers quick adjustment. The rear head support can also be adjusted. However, rather than a slide or ratchet system as some other helmets use, it needs to be clicked into place with 5 heights available. My advice would be not to bother as the connection system is incredibly frustrating. I struggled to click it back into place, partly because the MIPS layer gets in the way, but the clip's design is not ergonomic or simple. I was not the only person to struggle; after trying and failing myself, I asked someone else to help, and they were also unable to clip it back into place.
The visor on the helmet is removable, and I think it looks reasonably good with it both on and off, giving riders the option to choose. Unlike the rear head support, the clip-in design is far simpler and more instant. Although I would be hesitant about doing it too often, as the thin plastic section that clips into place feels fragile, I would expect it to break off with repeated use. With the visor on, you can notice it in the field of vision, which can be a good thing, doing what it is designed to do, but I missed the option to adjust the position up and down mid-ride, and with other helmets, I have that feature this, it is something I commonly use.
The medium helmet tested weighs 306g, which is a reasonable weight, but not a stand-out figure, with many more trail orientated helmets being a similar weight. Compared to more road-focused helmets, if it was used by riders looking for a gravel helmet, the weight is a little above the competition, even with the 31g visor removed.
Value & verdict
At £100, the MET Veleno is up against many other good helmets below £100, and the overall performance is reasonable but also not outstanding. When you consider the Abus Macator (currently on test for road.cc) and the Bell Trace, both feature removable visors and MIPS for £65.
The Veleno is not a bad helmet. It's comfortable and has excellent venting, so it will suit more active riders, regardless of the type of riding you do. A few features, such as the head support adjustment and visor, are frustrating, though, and at this price, there are lots of other equally good helmets to consider.