Summary: The bike-style Simond Bumper is a good choice for the winter ice cragger. Those industrial-chic Frankenstein bolts on the exterior aren’t for show, they’re for the face shield. The Bumper fit most testers well, but the fit system is not permanently attached to the rear of the helmet, but instead is pasted on via hook-and-loop patches. For this reason the helmet was difficult to fit in a reasonable amount of time. Unlike most of bike-style brethren, the Bumper relies on finicky old-school its shock-cords for headlamp retention.

• Pros: Light; comfortable; optional face shield.
• Cons: Difficult to adjust. Limited headlamp compatibility.
• Overall grade: B-

Simond/Vertical Addiction: (514) 526-1830, www.vertical-addiction.com