When it comes to safety during the Mongol Derby, there are a few elements to take into account - protecting my head is one of the first that comes to mind (see what I did there?!).
My coach in Malaysia strongly recommended LAS as the best brand for endurance helmets. With everything that I have to figure out, investigate, compare, and buy, I was quite happy to follow his advice and tick that off my checklist.
So the last time I was in Terengganu, I bought my first ever endurance helmet from LAS.
The model is LAS Anvil and it lets your head breathe so you don’t end up all sweaty. Well, you still do, but your head is not trapped or completely wrapped up, so it feels like you’re not completely drenched in your own sweat and heat.
So far I haven’t had the opportunity to use it for more than 45 minutes, but I can’t feel any chaffed or friction points and it does feel comfortable.
I believe this is the helmet I will be wearing for the longest and toughest horse race in the world, the Mongol Derby. Because it’s lightweight (400gr), it should not create any neck pain or issues despite 10 days of riding, which is a big added value. Now, unfortunately, the store in Malaysia only had an orange version, so I definitely won’t go unnoticed. Orange is not the best colour for my skin tone, but who cares about fashion when you have to ride about 10 hours a day, right?
I still need to find a visor to add to it that will have a double purpose: creating shade and protecting my face from the rain.
This year at the Mongol Derby, it rained for 4 consecutive days and many of the riders had some kind of add-ons to their helmet for that purpose.
This is only one part of the safety kit for the derby, but it might be the most important one. I am very happy I found a LAS helmet that fits me well and I am so looking forward to those long hours in the saddle!
