You may have seen images of mountaineers like Steve House and ski alpinists like Jason and Andy Dorais grimacing their way up high and snowy peaks with the letter "G" on the front of their helmets. That "G" stands for Grivel, the alpine equipment company that brought the first front-point crampon to life way back in 1929. Now you too can find superhuman strength and dual-certified head protection on the ascent and descent with Grivel's new helmet which checks in at the same level of Italian badassery but at a fraction of the weight. Made with expanded polypropylene, a proven technology in ultralight helmet design, the Duetto takes EPP to a new level with dual certification for climbing and skiing -- a key pairing for the aspiring skier and skimo racer. The Duetto thickens slightly at its sides, providing increased head protection during impact and balancing the feel atop your head. Best of all, a helmet that weighs in at just over 200 grams won't make your neck sore while you ogle the next big objective from the valley.
- Expanded polypropylene is fully recyclable, has superior thermal regulation compared with traditional casque material.
- Adjustable sizing harness accommodates heads from 53cm to 61cm around.
- Dual-certified for climbing and skiing, as the name reflects.
- Thickened lateral foam protects against impact
Specifications | |
Weight |
204g |
Certifications | CE 1077 (alpine skiing) EN 12492 (climbing) |
Specs Verified | Yes |
Design | |
|
Expanded polypropylene (EPP) throughout |
Skimo Co Says | |
Usage | Skimo races, speed touring |
Notes | Thickened sides for impact protection |
Bottom Line | Ultralight, dual-certified helmet |
Compare to other Dual Certification Helmets |
Questions & Reviews
This Grivel Duetto is able to accommodate that range of head sizes because of the strap system, which can be adjusted both vertically up and down on the back of your head, in addition to being adjustable in width. Also, the helmet comes with multiple liners to take up volume in the helmet space.
I found the fit to be instantly comfortable yet secure, thanks to both the lack of weight on my head combined with the highly effective yet very simple adjustable strap on the back of the head. A few extra foam pads are included in case you want to fine tune the fit a bit more.
Also included are a storage bag and a helmet carry for securing the helmet to the back of your pack on long warm approaches (although I've never felt the need for this feature since any helmet has its own carry system in the form of the chin strap & buckle).
Vents though are rather minimal, as its typical (and perhaps inevitable) to meet the standards for both climb & ski.
The exterior clips are of the double-duty variety as they also serve as the anchors for the strap system. They seem fine for a headlamp strap or cord based on some indoor tests. For goggles, the clips seemed to provide decent security in the back, although I haven't tested this for real since I wear goggles once a year or so at most. A couple pairs I tried inside also fit fine in front. More importantly, something about the shape of the helmet is inherently accommodating for a goggle strap, as the strap didn't seem to have a tendency to slip up or down, unlike many other climbing-only helmets I've tried.
As for looks, stunning. As in, stunningly horrendous! Although Grivel does not receive any ingenuity points since the Duetto is simply a beefed-up first-generation Sirocco (i.e, 100% EPP design), the lack of any taper at the bottom of the helmet sides make the helmet look even wider than it really is. I surprised that my measurements showed the Duetto as merely ~2.5mm thicker than the Sirocco, as it looks more like 25% thicker. The Duetto avoids the Crystal Dome look of the first-generation Sirocco, and my muted-grey Duetto stands out far less that the auto safety orange of the first-generation Sirocco, yet to the Duetto still comes across as downright bizarre. And by contrast, my climbing-only BD Vapor and dual-cert Camp Speed Comp are wonderfully fashionable compared to the Duetto. Fortunately, anyone who laughs at your will stop laughing immediately once you let the person lift up the helmet!
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