Developed in collaboration with the ASTANA cycling team, the Limar Air Atlas is one of the brands fastest and most ventilated helmets to date. This is an evolution of Limar’s Air Speed helmet and offers improved aerodynamic performance and features. With a retail price of $319.95 the Air Atlas is offered in a wide range of unique color schemes along with MIPS Air integration. One of the big features of the helmet is the U.F.O. system which is a removable rear extender that is designed to improve aerodynamics or removed if there are high crosswinds. The helmet also has optional team stickers which can be added to the helmet to give it a pro-racer look.
The Limar Air Atlas MIPS is a sleek aerodynamic helmet with a clever removable rear U.F.O. extender that clips on the rear of the helmet.
| Retail Price | $319.95 |
| Rating | 8.8 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 283 (size medium) |
| Likes | + Removable aerodynamic U.F.O. extender + Sleek aerodynamic profile and well placed vents + Creative and unique color and graphic schemes |
| Dislikes | – Premium retail price |
| Where to Buy (US) | Limar |
UNBOXING
The Limar Air Atlas MIPS comes in a black cardboard helmet box with their Air Revolution quote printed on top. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Air Atlas MIPS helmet
- Basic safety pamphlet
- Breaking the usual pamphlet
Note, our helmet arrived with the team stickers pre-applied but we were assured others would receive the team stickers on a separate card to allow buyers to optionally apply them.
FIT & FINISH
The Limar Air Atlas has a sleek aerodynamic design with an extended rear section. As with other aero helmets, the helmet has strategically placed vents to optimize airflow through the helmet without creating drag. This results in a mostly covered mid-section with four NACA duct vents that utilize the Venturi effect to pull air through the helmet. The helmet has a shallow road cycling style fit with a smooth two-piece external shell. Limar offers the Air Atlas in eight different color schemes from iridescent and matte options to the bright breaking-the-usual collection. We have the Above the Clouds color scheme which combines digital geometric shapes with bright purple, blue and pink colors. It’s an eye catching design that stands out compared to solid colored helmets on the road. The bottom edge of the helmet has a flipped pattern design that we’ve seen with other Limar helmets which adds some contrast.
One of the interesting features of this helmet is the removable U.F.O. extension. This is a simple plastic attachment that clips on to the rear vents to optimize the aerodynamics of the helmets. Limar recommends removing the extension if you’re riding somewhere with high speed cross winds. The plastic extension is color matched to the helmet and is so well integrated that it’s easy to forget the piece is removable. In terms of profile, the helmet is somewhere between extended profile aero helmets like the Smith Ignite and streamlined helmets like the Lazer Vento KinetiCore. With the U.F.O. extender removed, the helmet is closer to a standard road cycling helmet while the extender gives the helmet a sleeker and longer look.
The Air Atlas features Limar’s AirFit Evo system which uses a lightweight wrap-around cradle and magnetic Fidlock buckle. You can adjust the rear cradle between five different heights and it features a self adjusting wing system and webbing connection. The rear straps run through the wings through side splitters and into the helmet itself. You also have a premium magnetic Fidlock buckle with a Limar branded padded chin pad. Inside the helmet are large open channels and silver removable padding. The padding is attached to MIPS Air nodes which allows them to independently rotate without the need for a large yellow liner.
ON THE ROAD
We paired the Limar Air Atlas helmet with our Pearl iZUMi Pro cycling kit which was a perfect match for the bright purple and blue colors of the helmet. We wore the size medium which fit similarly to other helmets from Smith and Lazer with plenty of room for adjustments. Despite being aerodynamically optimized, the helmet had excellent air flow and kept our head cool even on slow climbs. The padding is soft and well positioned to eliminate any potential pressure points keeping the helmet comfortable on long rides. While we can’t make any claims about the aerodynamic performance of the helmet, the sleek design certainly makes you look and feel faster. The shallow fit of the helmet also allowed for plenty of room to wear oversized sunglasses like the Julbo Edge without any interface.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Limar Air Atlas MIPS is a sleek and attractive aerodynamic helmet. The shallow fit and extended rear profile of the helmet make it look fast at any angle. We were happy to see Limar offer more adventurous color and graphic schemes with the helmet which helped our Above the Clouds version stand out on the road. The helmet also has several premium feature such as the Fidlock magnetic buckle and the integrated MIPS Air protection system. Limar’s removable U.F.O. rear extender is also a clever touch that lets you optimize the helmet’s performance depending on the weather conditions. The big negative of the helmet is the $320 retail price which isn’t competitive with other brands. However, the helmet has been on sale for $224 and we suspect Limar may maintain that price or adjust the retail price moving forward. That said, if you’re looking for an aerodynamic helmet with a few tricks and available bold color schemes we’d recommend the Limar Air Atlas.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Limar. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.