While the new Speed Comp Helmet from Camp has its roots in Skimo racing it makes a great backcountry ski touring and ski mountaineering helmet. Functional and well thought out it’s light enough to make the decision to bring it easy!
The Skimo racing industry’s been testing the limits of what is possible from technological (any physical) standpoint and taken “fast and light” to a whole new place. Now while much of this gear is not of much use to those of us that go touring just for fun there’s still a lot of crossover equipment and tech. One such crossover is the new breed of dual rated helmets. Tested and certified for both skiing and climbing these lightweight helmets are ideal for the backcountry where rock or icefall in a couloir is just as much of a hazard as falling. The new Camp Speed Comp is one of these new dual rated helmets.
Features:
- Weight: 364g (as tested)
- Polycarbonate shell over EPS foam
- CE Certified for both Skiing & Climbing
- Headlamp clips
- Ski Goggle straps
- Removable foam padding
- Harness System: Nylon webbing w. rear plastic ratchet assembly
- No insulation or ear muffs
Construction & Materials:
The in-mold construction used on the Speed Comp fuses a card shell to a formed layer of energy absorbing EPS foam. A very common construction method for all types of helmets including cycling, climbing and skiing. What makes this helmet a little different is the super thin polycarbonate shell that is utilized. Very common in cycling and mountaineering helmets (think Camp Storm, Petzl Meteor, BD Vapor, etc.) the Speed Comp is one of very few helmets that have taken this tech to the ski crowd.
Fit & Feel:
The Speed Comp features a nylon harness system with a plastic rear ratchet assembly for tightening/loosening the helmet. By closing the ratchet the rear part of the harness is pushes forward making the front-to-back length of the helmet smaller. However, it does not reduce the side-to-side width of the helmet. I personally found that this left a little side-to-side play in the fit though of course this will be a function of head shape. I wore my toque (beanie) underneath the Speed Comp most of the time and found that it helped to fill-out some of the room on the sides of the helmet.
The design of the chin strap assembly makes it a bit more involved to tweak the positioning. However, once set I found that it worked quite well.
Overall I found that the harness system wasn’t overly comfortable but when worn over a toque the helmet’s so light it’s easy to forget it’s even there. So obviously it’s not uncomfortable either!
Other Thoughts:
In addition to the rear goggle strap that all ski helmets have Camp include two side straps. The side straps are designed to keep the goggles in place when they’re being worn on the helmet, not the face. An interesting idea and one I think I would appreciate more if I wore the helmet on the way up more than I do.
I really like that the Speed Comp helmet doesn’t come with any insulation or ear muffs. When out ski touring I typically only wear my helmet on the way down (except in the odd couloir) preferring a light toque or baseball cap for the walk up. So it works great if I simply put the helmet over my toque. A little less to carry and less snow gets stuck to interior when there’s no fabric inside.
Summary:
Pros: Lightweight, functional, Dual Certified
Cons: Harness assembly only tightens front-to-back
Overall: Light enough that you’ll forget you’re even wearing a helmet, the dual certified Speed Comp is ideal for backcountry ski touring and ski mountaineering. If you’re looking for a ski hill helmet there are other options that would work better.
Disclaimer: We were provided a sample for testing but of course it did not influence the review in any way.
