The new Trek Charge WaveCel combines Trek’s proprietary WaveCel safety technology with a E-Bike specific helmet design. To help the helmet stand out from other E-Bike helmets, Trek has also incorporated a magnetic rear light as well as Blendr compatibility for even more visibility during the day or night. Retail price for the helmet is $174.99 which includes the Trek Flare Helmet light and a Blendr headlight mount. The helmet also features a NTA 8776 rating, a higher speed crash test than standard certifications, as well as a four star rating from Virginia Tech thanks to the WaveCel safety system.
The Trek Charge WaveCel helmet combines Trek’s proprietary WaveCel protective system along with commuter specific features like a taillight and NTA-8776 certification.
| Rating | 9.0 / 10 |
| Retail Price | $174.99 |
| Measured weight (in g) | 373 (size M), 23 (taillight), 43 (top mount) |
| Likes | + Higher speed NTA-8776 crash test certified + Blendr top mount and taillight included with helmet + Bright magnetic taillight with long runtimes as well as a multi-LED battery indicator |
| Dislikes | – Limited color selection currently with only two options – Rear cradle can fold over when putting the helmet on |
| Where to Buy (US) | Trek |
UNBOXING
The Trek Charge WaveCel helmet comes in cardboard box with Trek branding and a label printed on it with specific specs for the helmet color and size variation. In the box you’ll find:
- Charge WaveCel helmet
- Magnetic rear taillight
- Magnetic top mount w/ Blendr attachment
- Safety pamphlet and instruction manual
We are happy to see that Trek not only includes the taillight but also the top mount included with the helmet instead of being sold as an optional extra.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Trek Charge WaveCel has the classic e-bike style with a smooth exterior shell and extended rear coverage. The helmet has a three piece shell with a round upper section, a center portion and a rim section. To give the helmet a retro appearance, the center section angles slightly outward like an integrated hat brim out of the rounded upper portion. For cooling, there are three front vents, two horizontal vents above the front edge and a large vertical vent, a top vent, two side vents and three vents on the rear. Trek only offers the helmet in two matte color options currently: black and the tan / grey we have in this review. With this dual color option, the bottom rim of the helmet is finished in a matte metallic like gray finish which adds some contrast against the otherwise tan helmet.
One of the most striking features of the helmet is the WaveCel protection system which consists of thin plastic stripes arranged in a wavelike pattern throughout the interior of the helmet. This replaces the more common MIPS or other protective systems with a more integrated design that still allows airflow through the helmet. The interior pads of the helmet just lie on top of the WaveCel section and have Velcro attachments along the outer edge to secure it in place. You can see the transparent WaveCel material through the larger vents if you look closely.
Inside the helmet you will find a standard wrap around fit system with a flexible rear cradle and nylon straps. It’s a very flexible cradle that tends to fold in on itself with a thin plastic strap that wraps around the front of the helmet. To adjust the fit there is a BOA branded dial that rotates in both directions to tighten or loosen the fit. The entire cradle can also be moved upward or downward by applying pressure at the attachment point. The straps on the helmet are a flexible nylon material with gray texture that pairs well with the gray rim. Trek also claims the right side vent, note the vent is slightly larger than the left side one, is designed to run a lock through without the need for a removable cover like those found on the Thousand Heritage helmets.
The Trek Charge WaveCel also features a removable rear taillight and top mount for action cameras or headlights. Trek calls the rear light the Flare Helmet Light which has a rectangular design with magnets that lock the light securely in place in the rear horizontal vent. The light sits nearly flush when installed and has a four LED design with a raised rubber button in the center. It’s easy to miss, but there is also a four LED battery indicator on the top edge of the taillight similar to the updated Trek Flare R taillight and provides more detailed battery information instead of the typical low battery indicator found on other helmet lights. If that wasn’t enough Trek even includes a magnetic top mount that slots into the top vent which has a Trek Blendr mount attached to a GoPro mount for angle adjustment. As with the rear magnet, the top mount feels very secure and can handle the weight of headlights or cameras.
RIDING IMPRESSIONS
We went with the medium sized helmet and the brighter tan color for our review and found the fit to be comparable to other size medium helmets from Lazer, Smith and other brands for our 58 cm test rider’s head. The Charge WaveCel has a more modern exterior design with subtle details like the extended front brim that help it stand out in an otherwise crowded market. With just the taillight attached, the helmet feels comfortable and has good ventilation with the larger front vents which should work for most cyclists unless you ride in a very hot climate. Adding a top headlight like the Trek Commuter Pro to the included mount adds more weight and can feel a bit awkward so we’d recommend sticking to lightweight attachments.
The taillight has four preprogrammed modes to choose from, two constant modes and two flash modes. For the constant modes there is a low mode (6 lumen / 7 hr runtime) and a high (25 lumen / 2.5 hr) which illuminate all four of the LEDs. For daytime riding there is a day flash with 35 lumens and 7 hour runtime which only activates the larger two inner LEDs in an erratic pattern. An additional night flash is only 8 lumens and has the longest 10 hour runtime and does a subtle low / high flash pattern. Although 35 lumen doesn’t sound particularly bright, the helmet is daytime visible and works as a nice supplement to a bike taillight for more visibility. The multi-led indicator also means you are less likely to run out of battery on a bike ride as it has more granularity on the status instead of a hidden “low battery” indicator as most helmet lights have.
We were also impressed with all the premium features and finish on the helmet with the magnetic attachments, magnetic buckle and the BOA branded rear dial. It’s clear that Trek did their homework as even the side straps have a expensive feel with easy to use snap-style adjusters integrated into them. The only downside we found was that the rear cradle is very flexible and tends to fold into itself when you are not wearing the helmet. That means when you put the helmet on, you may need to pull the cradle back. Otherwise there were no pressure points or any issues with the helmet during out testing.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Trek Charge WaveCel to be a comfortable and well designed cycling helmet. Trek has taken their proprietary WaveCel safety system and integrated into a class e-bike style helmet with more coverage as well as magnetic mounts for lights. Trek even includes a four LED Flare rear taillight with a magnetic mount that provides daytime and night time visibility. We were impressed with the multi-led battery status indicator as well as the magnetic top mount for headlights or cameras which are included at no cost. The helmet has an easy to adjust fit system as well as ventilation thanks to the WaveCel inner liner allowing airflow through it. As far as negatives, the helmet has limited color options currently and has a rear cradle that can tend to fold over when putting the helmet on. That said, the Trek Charge WaveCel is a competitive and feature filled ebike or commuter helmet.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Trek. 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.