Rudy Project Egos Helmet Review

The Rudy Project Egos is a lightweight and airy helmet that combines protection, discretion, and comfort. This high-end model, worn since last year by the World Tour team Bahrain – Victorious, does not reach the highest prices of some of its competitors. It’s a helmet that you quickly forget you’re wearing.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: ©Rudy Project/3bikes.fr

Rudy Project is an Italian brand that has been manufacturing helmets and eyewear for 40 years, for cycling as well as for winter sports, water sports, or simply outdoor activities. The firm from Treviso in Veneto (like Pinarello) stands out for the technicality of its products while offering them at slightly lower prices than what the competition sometimes charges. Rudy Project helmets and eyewear are not exactly cheap, but let’s say they are rather well-positioned in terms of value for money, as we will see soon with the Kelion eyewear.

This is the case with the Egos helmet, worn by the pro riders of the Bahrain – Victorious team since 2023 in many Classics and Grand Tour stages, when lightness and ventilation are paramount compared to pure aerodynamics. The Nytron is the other helmet model chosen by the pros for fast races. But the Egos has also been studied in a wind tunnel to optimize air circulation around the head and inside the helmet, making it a versatile helmet par excellence. It is interesting to note that with the Egos, Rudy Project goes somewhat against the solutions offered by the competition, opting for numerous small air inlets (23 in total) rather than large openings, while claiming to preserve aerodynamics. But as we recently saw with the Kask Elemento test, the cooling provided by a helmet is not just a matter of the number or size of openings, as it sometimes also involves the interior and the way the shell is sculpted.

Safety Standards

Speaking of which, Rudy Project has designed what the brand calls a dual-density inner shell. It consists of a light gray part with a lower density than the main EPS shell part, like most helmets, to offer better energy absorption in the event of an impact. Rudy Project does not use Mips technology or anything similar for the Egos, but the brand claims it has its own internal tests against rotational impacts and that its shell design is at least as effective. The helmet naturally meets European CE/EN 1078 and American CPSC 12.03 standards.

Optimized Channels

To return to ventilation, a characteristic easier to test than fall protection, the Egos benefits from deep channels between the two parts of different densities to optimize air circulation under the helmet. Air seems to be drawn in by the front opening at the forehead, as well as by the openings on the top of the helmet, to then be directed inside and towards the back, to evacuate any excess heat. As I observed on a long fifteen-minute climb in full sun, overheating is not systematic, and it is only when stopping at the summit that one feels sweat dripping down the forehead.

The front padding is also quite effective at absorbing perspiration, in addition to being comfortable. It is fully removable for washing, and above all, it can be easily replaced by padding with an insect net, also supplied with the helmet. A very rare option at this price point, one wonders why.

Modern Retention System

Regarding the retention system, there is a height-adjustable head basket on the rear part, to adapt the helmet to all hair lengths or neck shapes. I also found this system easy to adjust while wearing a skullcap under the helmet (which inevitably adds a little thickness) to protect the head from cool drafts during these still cold March mornings. Adjustment is made using a dial that adjusts notch by notch when tightening, but releases more smoothly when loosening.

At the neck, the helmet closure is done by a magnetic system, easy to manipulate. The straps are adjustable, so that the helmet can be properly adjusted at the forehead, or so that the straps remain flat against the face rather than flapping in the wind. This may seem like a detail, but gaping straps that catch the wind are enough to nullify most manufacturers’ efforts to gain aerodynamic efficiency. And here, the Rudy Project Egos is perfectly designed so that it can be effortlessly adapted to many head and face shapes.

Very High Comfort

The primary function of a helmet is to provide good protection in the event of a fall. And on that front, I always avoid testing the product in real conditions, just as I hope you won’t have to test it either. So, only purely subjective impressions remain.

Let’s start with the design. In terms of size and proportions, the Egos is similar to the Kask Elemento and Protone, meaning that it is rather compact and doesn’t give you the impression of wearing a mushroom on your head. The finish is irreproachable, and its look is rather “racing” oriented. Perhaps a little too much for some, especially since the available colors (four in total) are not super exciting from my point of view. In short, many will choose this helmet primarily based on taste, and as the saying goes, there’s no accounting for taste.

Next, comfort. In this area, and still from my point of view, the Rudy Project Egos is on par with the most renowned helmets on the market, thanks to its light weight, an easy-to-adjust and pleasant-to-the-touch retention system, and very effective ventilation. A good helmet is one that you forget you’re wearing once it’s on your head, and the Egos undoubtedly belongs to this category. The additional padding with the insect net is also an extra argument in favor of this helmet, sold at a retail price of €219.90.

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