Scott’s Vanish Evo is the swiss brand's flagship road helmet and the choice lid of the Orica-GreenEDGE team. With a low profile, the 276g Vanish Evo is great looking without giving you a mushroom head look.
Despite its hugely ventilated appearance, the Vanish EVO suffers from the same problem as the Wit-R we previously tested. The 24 vents allow for plenty of heat to escape the shell, but lacking airflow leads to a sweaty ride. Our AS/NZS 2063 approved test sample is also 27g heavier than the more reasonably priced Wit-R (also AS/NZS 2063 version).
We're a bit surprised by the limited airflow considering the size of the vents
Head angle also drastically affects the amount of air moving through the helmet. In the drops and head down, there is limited air flow through the helmet, while sitting up produces noticeably more air movement. Although Scott has put some channeling under the front brim, it’s quite shallow and mostly blocked by the brow pad.
The guts of the helmet is made from dual-density EPS foam, and features 'Conehead' technology. Each layer of EPS is moulded into peaks or ‘cones’ and exhibits different impact energy distribution characteristics. In an impact from a crash, the developers of Conehead say the cones compress, creating lateral forces, and spread some energy sideways through the higher-density outer foam layer. The inner layer is made from a lower-density foam, which compresses and reduces G-force experienced by your head in an impact.
Rear coverage is a bit lacking
While we’re happy to see Scott implementing new safety technology, we feel there isn’t quite enough rear coverage on offer. The back of the helmet sits noticeably higher than road lids from Lazer, Bell, Giro and POC we have lying around the office.
With three possible height settings, the MRAS 2 retention system has solved our complaints with the previous version, with some added height adjustment allowing it to securely grab the occipital bone. Made from nylon, the system is relatively lightweight and quite comfortable, while the rubberised rotary wheel makes for effortless one-handed adjustments.
The MRAS 2 retention system is a definite improvement on the previous version
The head pads are also slightly rubberised for added comfort. Lightweight webbing used for the straps is quite comfortable and makes for minimal wind noise.
The sizing of the Vanish Evo left us confused, however. For one of our testers, the size small was way too small, the medium way to big. Another tester though found suitable comfort with the medium. The Vanish is most definitely a 'try before you buy' helmet.
For those that have been paying attention, Scott voluntarily recalled CE and CSPC versions of Vanish Evo lid, which do not include AS/NZS 2063 versions. Kane Butcher, brand manager of Scott Sports at Australian distributor Sheppard Cycles explained, “As long as your helmet has AUS standards it’s not affected. The serial number reflects manufacture dates so some will come up as affected when entered into the site, however the Australian helmets were a completely different production run with a different construction so there’s no issue.”
Coming in at a thrifty AU$230, the Vanish Evo is nearly half the price of some of its flagship competitors. If we’re honest the Vanish Evo left us wanting a bit more considering its placement at the top Scott’s range. However, for its cost the Vanish Evo offers plenty of performance for the money.
