Giro Montaro MIPS III review

Giro’s Montaro MIPS III is an open-face trail helmet with a clearly different equipment package from the older Montaro Mips II: the III page names Mips Evolve Core, a FIDLOCK buckle, a two-position visor, front and rear sunglasses storage, and an NTA 8776 e-bike certification statement. Its listed medium weight is 450 g. These are manufacturer specifications and descriptions, not test results. This assessment is based on Giro’s exact US style 100000000500000132 page; no fitting, riding, or impact testing was performed.

Resolve the exact style and color first

The reviewed family is Giro style 100000000500000132, sold as Montaro MIPS III. The observed directory route selected color code 1044, which the exact US page identifies as Matte Motion Orange. In the captured product data the default selected size is M, SKU GR-7201970. The product page offers S, M, and L. That style identity matters: nearby Montaro names include earlier versions with materially different fit systems, accessories, size ranges, and certification statements.

Use the circumference chart carefully

Giro’s product page lists S, M, and L for this style and its adult chart maps those sizes to 51–55 cm, 55–59 cm, and 59–63 cm. A measured 57 cm therefore falls inside the Medium interval, while the listed configuration range stops at 63 cm. This is only a measurement-based place to start trying sizes. A tape reading cannot tell you whether the shell shape fits your head, whether the pads create pressure points, or whether the helmet remains level and stable when adjusted.

Giro names the retention system as Roc Loc Trail in its feature list, while a technology panel on the same page calls it Roc Loc Trail Air. I preserve that naming variation rather than treating the text as two different fit systems. The page describes micro-adjustment, but it does not publish a head-shape profile or enough detail to certify a personal fit. Follow the instructions for the exact helmet and try the actual size; do not use an ill-fitting shell just because the circumference falls inside a printed interval.

Trail features are configuration details, not promises

The III page describes Mips Evolve Core and says Giro intends its Mips-equipped designs to address rotational forces in certain impacts. It does not call this helmet a Spherical Technology model. A shopper specifically requiring Spherical/Mips should not treat the general Mips name as proof of the different ball-and-socket arrangement documented on Giro’s Spherical models.

Other practical details include a one-hand adjustable two-position visor, sunglass holders at the front and rear, a rear strap gripper for goggles, Ionic+ moisture-wicking padding, and oversized vents with deep internal channels. The page does not state a vent count. A storage feature may help when glasses are off the face, but compatibility still depends on the eyewear and fit. Giro describes its magnetic FIDLOCK buckle as a one-handed closure; that is a design description, not a claim that every rider will find it easier. The page does not list a camera/light mount among the main features, so confirm the exact package if that interface matters.

Standards and weight

The US product page explicitly says this configuration meets CPSC and CE bicycle-helmet standards and names NTA 8776 as an e-bike standard. Those are the manufacturer’s product-page statements; inspect the physical label and exact instructions before relying on a marking for a particular use or jurisdiction. NTA is a distinct additional certification statement, not a substitute for checking the model-specific CPSC wording. Giro lists 450 g for size M. That figure is not an independent measurement, and it does not reveal the weight of S or L.

Giro’s recall page checked for this review described a voluntary Merit helmet recall limited to specified pre-January-2023 production and did not name either Montaro version. That dated page check is not a guarantee of future recall status; check current notices and follow the helmet’s post-impact replacement guidance.

How it differs from Montaro Mips II

The earlier Montaro Mips II uses Giro’s Integrated Mips and Roc Loc 5 Air Mips, lists 16 vents, weighs 370 g in Medium, and includes a P.O.V. Plus visor with multiple indexed positions plus a breakaway camera/light interface. Its current product page states US CPSC compliance for persons age five and older. By contrast, the III page describes a Roc Loc Trail/Trail Air system, Mips Evolve Core, a simpler two-position visor, sunglass storage, and the NTA 8776 statement; it lists S/M/L rather than the II’s S/M/L/XL. The two published medium weights differ by 80 g, but no shared weighing method is supplied. These differences help identify what to verify, not rank either helmet as safer or more comfortable.

Bottom line

Compare the Montaro MIPS III when the documented adult trail half-shell, CPSC statement, NTA 8776 claim, adjustable trail fit system, and eyewear features match your needs. Its main constraints are the S/M/L chart ending at 63 cm, unknown personal fit, an ambiguous fit-system label within Giro’s own page, and no published vent count or III-specific camera-mount statement. Confirm style 100000000500000132, the exact size and finish, physical markings, accessories, and return terms before choosing an offer.

Research note: This is a source-based assessment of Giro’s exact US product page, current directory and recall information. It does not claim ownership, hands-on use, trail testing, fitting, independent weighing, cooling results, or customer experience. See the Montaro MIPS III US page and Giro’s recall notices.