YES WE HAVE A RULE THAT SAYS ‘NO UNSHELLED HELMETS’, BUT THE GRIVEL DUETTO IS THE EXCEPTION – WITH A CAVEAT.
WE LIKE THE GROVEL DUETTO BECAUSE IT HAS A LOT OF COVERAGE THAT INCLUDES THE TEMPLES, BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE IT IS EN1077 RATED. EN1077 IS THE SKI HELMET RATING THAT MEANS IT’S CERTIFIED TO ABSORB IMPACTS FROM THE SIDES AS WELL AS ABOVE (COVERED BY THE USUAL HELMET STANDARD EN12492). THIS MATTERS BECAUSE OVER THE YEARS WE’VE SEEN A FEW HEAD INJURIES AND ON ASCENTS LIKE K2 THEY ARE AS OFTEN FROM THE SIDE AS THEY ARE FROM ABOVE DUE TO FALLS ON SLOPES. THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS BETWEEN BEING CONSCIOUS AFTER A TUMBLE AND NOT, WHICH COMPOUNDED BY ALTITUDE AND THE COLD IS A BIG DEAL, PERHAPS ALLOWING A CLIMBER TO SAVE THEMSELVES.
WE THINK THIS OVERRIDES THE DURABILITY ISSUES THAT COME WITH UNSHELLED HELMETS, WHEREBY WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL SUCH HELMETS DAMAGED ON THE APPROACH – THEY NEVER GOT TO THE CLIMBING, AND IN TIBET & XINJIANG THERE WON’T BE A GOING DOWN THE WAY HEADED HOME TO SELL YOU THEIR OLD ONE.
FOR TIBET THE GRIVEL DUETTO IS OFF OUR LIST, AS THE TYPE OF POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS AND THE APPROACHES THAT MIGHT DAMAGE IT MAKE IT TO RISKY TO INCLUDE, BUT FOR K2 – WHERE WE USE CHEM BARRELS FOR GEAR, THE RISKS ARE INTEGRAL AND THE WEIGHT SAVING IS RELEVANT – THE DUETTO TICKS THE BOXES. THE REST OF IT’S FEATURES ARE GOOD AND EXPECTED, THE ONLY REAL MENTION NEEDED BEING THE HARNESS WHICH FOLDS AWAY NICELY UNLIKE THE OLD SEMI-RIGID STYLES. THE FOAM IS VERY RUBUST FEELING AND THE FACETED DESIGN APPARENTLY HELPS WITH DEFLECTING SMALL STUFF. WE’VE USED SHELLED VERSION, THE STEALTH, FOR A FEW YEARS (NOT EN1077 RATED) AND CAN ATTEST TO IT’S GOOD DESIGN WITH FEW MOVING PARTS TO BE COMPROMISED (WHICH WON’T BE SAID FOR THE OLD PLASTIC TYPE HARNESSES).
NOTE THIS CHOICE INCLUDES THE USER NEEDING TO TAKE CARE OF IT DURING TRAVEL, BEFORE IT GOES INTO A CHEM BARREL, WHICH MEANS CAREFUL PACKING ALL THE WAY OUT.
