POC Kortal Helmet Review

The POC Kortal helmet is designed for aggressive trail and enduro riders who prefer not to wear a full-face helmet. Its coverage around your head gives you confidence without feeling claustrophobic. It is a well-ventilated mountain bike helmet, so you don’t overheat on big uphill struggles on hot days.

Styling is typically POC, with smooth curves and a premium sculpted shell. However, it doesn’t have rotational protection; for this, you’ll have to pay more for the MIPS Race version.

On the trail, it feels stable, airy, and pleasant. You have to be careful about which size you go for if your head sits between sizes. However, the POC Kortal is a well-sorted helmet built for hard-charging mountain bikers who value style and protection.

What Is The POC Kortal Helmet?

The Kortal is POC’s open-face trail helmet with extended protection zones. It’s designed for aggressive trail riding and enduro terrain. I use it when riding my e-bike here in the Alps, when I don’t want to wear my full-face helmet.

POC has given the Kortal extra coverage around the temples and over the occipital area. It gives you plenty of side protection with its silhouette running low below your ears. The helmet has a very clean, fully wrapped outer shell. Inside, the padding sits in slim channels that allow air to flow across your head. The visor is unobtrusive and breaks off when you crash to reduce neck-wrenching turning forces.

To add to mountain safety, the Kortal has a RECCO reflector, which helps rescue crews to find you if you’ve crashed in the wilderness.

Features

You’ll first notice that the shell construction feels robust and carefully finished. This comes from POC’s unibody concept that ties everything together securely. The helmet also has an internal aramid grid that reinforces the EPS for more impact strength. This system sits inside a fully wrapped polycarbonate shell.

I’ve already mentioned the breakaway visor and RECCO reflector, but these are excellent safety features worth emphasising. As is the coverage, as it is notably deep, running toward the nape and around your ears. The shell has thicker sections to protect behind each ear and around your temples.

Ventilation is taken care of with forehead vents that channel air across your brow, which is welcome on hot days. There are also some ventilation channels under the thin but supportive pads. This setup promotes airflow across your scalp.

POC is well-known for making its helmets super safe. They also claim that the Kortal meets the latest ebike safety standards, which is ideal for me.

To ensure a good fit, POC has given the Kortal a retention system with a dial and multiple cradle height positions. Some people have reported that accessing the dial can be tricky if you have to have the cradle fully raised, but this isn’t something I’ve experienced.

At 368 grams, the medium-sized POC Kortal has a reasonable weight. You can buy it in S, M, and L in several colours. The price is quite high for a non-MIPS helmet, but there are deals to be had if you’re lucky.

Performance

When I first hit the trails in my POC Kortal, it soon disappeared from my thoughts. It sits low and stable without moving on rough sections. Even though the Kortal provides lots of coverage, the airflow feels good.

We’re currently experiencing a heatwave here in the French Alps, and the forehead channels do a great job of directing a welcome breeze. The layout of the pads prevents heat buildup and pressure points, adding to the comfort.

When descending tricky natural sections, the POC Kortal delivers confidence, so you can just enjoy the ride. However, some people find that getting the right fit is challenging if their heads are between sizes. Luckily, my head is bang on for the medium size, so I’ve had no issues. Likewise, the potential problem of accessing the dial hasn’t bothered me.

Having worn the POC Kortal on a big day out, I found it to be super comfortable and stable. Its ventilation and pad placement add to the comfort even when you’re working hard. The weight never feels tiresome on big rides either.

Even without MIPS, the coverage is confidence-inspiring. But, if you want extra safety and even more confidence, opt for the Race MIPS version.

Living With The POC Kortal

I often ride an electric mountain bike, and not all my rides require a full-face helmet. My old open-face helmet was aging and quite cheap, so I was getting concerned about sufficient protection during a significant fall. After some research, I learned that POC mountain bike helmets are rated among the safest. I liked the look and fit of the POC Kortal, so I decided to bite the bullet and order one.

Riding regularly with the POC Kortal has highlighted its refined build quality and usability. The pads dry quickly, and the adjustment range is wide. It was refreshing to discover that I could fit a head torch under the visor for a recent night ride. It also fits nicely in the helmet carrier on my Evoc backpack.

I can wear goggles or glasses with this helmet, and it’s comfortable in any weather. I like the addition of the RECCO reflector as I tend to ride my ebike in more remote areas to get away from the crowded bike parks.

I like how it looks, even though it sits pretty high on my head, but that seems to be a characteristic of POC helmets in general. The POC Kortal is undoubtedly a premium product, and its fit and finish reflect that. It meets my expectations both on and off the bike.

Final Verdict

The POC Kortal provides deep coverage, great cooling, and excellent style. As long as you get the correct size, you’ll enjoy significant comfort during every ride.

Although it’s a premium product, it doesn’t have rotational protection. For this, you’ll need to pay more for the POC Kortal Race MIPS. But if you can look past this but still want a nicely finished product with great coverage and ventilation, you can’t do much better than the POC Kortal.

Tom Fortune

Tom Fortune has been reviewing cycling products for several years from his home in the French Alps. As the owner of mtb-threads.com, he mainly reviews mountain bike products but also reviews road cycling products independently.