Bern Morrison
Bern has been a mainstay in the urban cycling scene for some time now, and they’ve been successful in the skate, snow and watersports markets, as well. So it only makes sense that they would eventually branch out within the bike world with the $99 Morrison, their first mountain bike specific model. Essentially the same as the new Allston (with a visor), the Morrison is designed to be lighter and more ventilated than previous models.
Bern’s signature Zip Mold Plus construction pairs a PVC shell with liquid injected polyurethane foam, as well as six nylon ribs molded into the foam. Their latest design allowed them to shave some weight off without sacrificing strength (it meets ASTM F 2040, CPSC and EN 1078 standards).
The Morrison features a removable rubberized visor and comes in a variety of color schemes. Touches like contrasting or color-coordinated chin straps show Bern’s commitment to aesthetics as well as safety. After all, a good looking helmet encourages people want to wear one.
I’ve always had good luck with the fit of Bern helmets, but they’ve switched up their sizing for this model. I started with a L/XL Morrison, which felt great on the showroom floor but proved to be a bit too tight in the fore/aft dimensions (side to side it was OK). I wound up needing the largest of the three sizes, XXL-XXXL. The dial at the back of the helmet doesn’t seem to offer as much adjustment as I might like, but since I have a pretty big head, I don’t need to snug the helmet down very much. It’s kind of interesting that the chin strap does not adjust at the ear junction, yet it doesn’t seem to negatively effect the fit.
At 451 g the Morrison is a bit heavy compared to comparable mountain helmets. On the bike, the helmet feels well balanced, and the weight and coverage actually lends to a feeling of security.
The construction quality is top notch, and I especially like how the main part of the helmet liner connects via snaps, not just little tabs of Velcro.
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