For our comprehensive Alpina test, we thought it best to bring in not just one, but two of our guys. Eugen and Daniel took a ride on their home trails together and were fully equipped by Alpina as far as their heads were concerned. Eugen tested the Alpina Stan MIPS MTB helmet and the Alpina Rocket Bold Q-Lite sports glasses. Daniel opted for the Alpina Roca enduro full-face helmet, plus the Alpina Scarabeo goggles. You can read about their experiences below, so let’s get started! But wait, who’s going to go first? Let’s play a round of rock, paper, scissors: Eugen loses and goes first.
Contents
The MTB helmet: Alpina Stan MIPS
When I unboxed the Alpina Stan MIPS, I immediately noticed the low weight and the rather short visor. The helmet looks very aerodynamic thanks to its edgy design. My head circumference is 57.5 cm, so the Alpina Stan MIPS in size 56-59 cm fits me perfectly and is really comfortable to wear. Whether on the trail, uphill or when riding out of the saddle, thanks to the flexible adjustment system I never had any uncomfortable feeling of tension or pressure anywhere on my head. What’s more, there is sufficient space to fit a cap under the helmet on cold days. While I was riding, I easily tightened or widened each side of the Y-clip system with just one hand. I was also able to open or tighten the Ergomatic belt buckle with just one hand.
The ventilation of the helmet is excellent thanks to Air Flow Venting. With the exception of the front pad, the sweat pads were never soggy even after having mastered steep climbs on warm days. Another positive feature was the Fly Net mesh fabric protecting me from all kinds of insects. This is something every helmet brand should offer. Combined with the Alpina Rocket Bold Q-Lite sports glasses, you get the ideal helmet/glasses kit for every forest trail.
My verdict: Whether on fast XC rides or rough enduro trails, the Alpina Stan MIPS managed to convince me on every single occasion thanks to the good ventilation, the comfortable fit and the easy operation with one hand. If the visor had been adjustable, I would have been perfectly happy.
The sports glasses: Alpina Rocket Bold Q-Lite
Every mountain biker knows the problem. The rim of the sunglasses constantly disturbs your view while riding! With the Alpina Rocket Bold Q-Lite sports glasses, that’s a thing of the past. Previously, I used to wear goggles or smaller sports glasses when riding. With the Alpina Rocket Bold Q-Lite sports glasses, that’s a thing of the past. For most of my home trails, goggles are somewhat oversized and sports glasses are somewhat underwhelming. So I was very curious to test Rocket Bold with Q-Lite technology, because it looks as if Alpina have combined the advantages of both product types.
Thanks to the removable dual-component foam, the glasses fit comfortably on the forehead – just like goggles. In terms of looks, the glasses are positioned quite high up and match the Alpina Stan (MIPS) MTB helmet beautifully. When I first put them on, I noticed the intensified contrasts, owing to the Q-Lite technology. Green and brown tones looked much more saturated to me. When it comes to comfort, I rate the glasses with full marks. They don‘t squeeze or pinch at any point. Even when worn with a helmet, the Rocket Bold Q-Lite won’t be bent downwards.
The nose pads are made of a rubberised material and can be easily adjusted by slightly flexing them. The temple ends are also rubberised and flexible to ensure that they neither pinch nor slip at the contact points. The Rocket Bold Q-Lite offers excellent peripheral vision thanks to its large lenses. In contrast to when I was wearing my narrowly designed sports glasses, I rarely had to turn my head and was able to concentrate fully on enjoying the great trail rides. Thanks to the ventilation, which directs the airstream perfectly past the eyes, I always enjoyed a fog-free view. I was also pleased by the fact that even with direct sunlight I was not dazzled. A high-quality protective case and a special cleaning cloth are included in the scope of delivery.
My result: stylish design, large lenses, great vision paired with very high comfort. With the Alpina Rocket Bold Q-Lite, Alpina has done everything right and offers the ideal eyewear for fast trail rides.
The full-face helmet: Alpina Roca
I had been looking for an Enduro full-face helmet when I was given the opportunity to test the Alpina Roca. While unboxing it, I was immediately struck by the comparably low weight of the helmet and the great workmanship. With its lightweight inmold construction, the fixed peak with extra space for an action cam and the robust chin bar, the helmet offers a lot of comfort and safety on rough enduro trails. The helmet I tested weighs in at only 820 g in size 56-58, and thanks to the large vents you’ll always keep a cool head even on longer tours. Should you ever start to sweat, however, the dermatologically certified pads can easily be washed with a maximum temperature of 40 °C. In the event of a fall, the rounded edges keep the risk of injuries to the neck and shoulder area minimised if you should come into contact with the lower edge of the helmet.
One of the helmet’s best features is the magnetic Fidlock chin strap. It can be opened and closed in no time, even when wearing gloves. With the large field of vision, you can keep a close eye on the next berm, and goggles will fit safely as well as comfortably. The helmet is available in four different sizes and two different colours, making sure that everyone can find their perfect match. The Roca fits my rather long head very well. It is super comfortable and provides a high degree of safety. However, some of my colleagues with rounder heads do not find the helmet to fit quite as well.
My verdict: The ROCA from Alpina can easily compete with other lightweight full-face helmets, not least because of its excellent price-performance ratio. At any rate, I found it very convincing thanks to its perfect fit, good ventilation and the Fidlock fastener.
The goggles: Alpina Scarabeo
As an ideal addition to the Roca, Alpina offers the Scarabeo MTB goggles in plain black and white at an equally attractive price. The helmet and goggles are perfectly matched in terms of fit, which means that neither of the two products slips or creates pressure points. The goggles also have a wide field of vision and protect the eyes not only from wind, dust, insects, rain and mud, but also by 100{09776a9e527fe6e7777aceefa8f4e2f820982470cae700a67e7c7fb2d68155cf} from UV-A, B, and C radiation. The Scarabeo has a comfortable fit thanks to the soft nose flaps, and the soft padding absorbs perspiration quickly. The rubberised strap keeps the goggles in place even on the most adventurous of descents.
Thanks to the shatterproof Doubleflex lens with Fogstop coating, the goggles does not easily get fogged up. Unfortunately, the lens cannot be swapped for a replacement or a darker lens, which is quite uncommon in this price range.
According to Alpina, thanks to the oversized frame, the Scarabeo is also particularly suitable for people who wear spectacles and it can be worn over ordinary glasses. However, I could not put this claim to the test.
My result: The Scarabeo goggles fit perfectly and offer a flawless view – the eyes are completely protected. The Doubleflex and Fogstop lens technologies are just as convincing as the understated design. In the fast-growing but fiercely competitive enduro segment, Alpina is currently getting rather little attention, but neither Roca nor Scarabeo have any competition to be afraid of. In any case, the combo convinced me – so with that in mind: #bisbaldimwald.