The Scott 550 Hatch ECE helmet came our way just before the Sherco launch in Italy and its always a bit nerve wracking to take either a brand new helmet or boots away because if you end up hating them there’s zero you can do about it. In this case I’d never worn a Scott helmet before so I had no idea what to expect.
The 550 Hatch ECE features MIPS technology which is a term we see used a fair bit of late. It sounds like a skin irritation that only children get but it’s actually a pretty important detail. MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System and in short it’s a design that aims to allowing a degree of head movement inside the shell of the helmet. That movement absorbs an amount of the inertia but crucially also decreases the amount of head rotation from an angled impact, whereas a standard helmet will twist your head roughly to the same degree it is twisting itself. The MIPS E2 system which is what dirtbike helmets use sits between the helmet’s shell and liner and can’t be felt in any way that I’ve even noticed.
The Scott 550 Hatch ECE doesn’t stop there in terms of unique design though. Also present is Conehead technology, which for anyone who saw that movie from the early ‘90s with Dan Aykroyd in it as an alien trying to make a living on earth, it’s hard to take that name seriously. It does however do serious job in effectively distributing impacts over a larger surface area within the helmet via the cone shaped foam design, thus lessoning the force of an impact on a singular, smaller area.
So straight off the shelf the 550 Hatch has a couple of decent selling points for anyone in love with having a functioning skull.
The sizing is pretty much spot-on with an initial tight pull-on but your head settles nicely once it’s completely in. Immediately the cheek pads feel generous but not chaffing and the same goes for the forehead foam. Once on I got zero sideways movement and while at first it seemed the chin piece would be too close for my liking there’s actually a decent amount of room. Just a personal not, I don’t like the super close chin pieces on some helmets – totally subjective but I can’t be alone and either way it’s not an issue here.
The initial ride was a hot one and the ventilation handled it very well. I’m often one to rip a helmet off as soon as I come to a standstill on a hot day, but I didn’t get that urge with the Scott. The first day I rode with it was a good six hours of riding and the next launch was perhaps a little more but in cooler conditions but a more physically demanding track and I felt totally comfortable in the helmet. The ventilation is handled primarily by the large inlet under the centre of the peak but also under the top rim of the helmet port which feeds directly into the liner as well as five separate inlets at the back. The peak itself requires a screwdriver to remove via two screws at the front.
The 550 Hatch is not amongst the lightest of helmets and in fact is thoroughly outdone on that stat by a few others but didn’t feel the weight in any great manner and I was so contented with the fit that it just didn’t cross my mind.
I like the Scott. I like the look of the black – not so much the white variation which somehow looks bulkier to me – but the finish on the 550 Hatch ECE is impressive nonetheless. I like the tech that’s inbuilt and I like the feel of it. Most of all I trust it and that’s where the money really goes.
KEY FEATURES
- MIPS technology
- Conehead Technology
- Perfect ventilation system
- Adjustable ventilation
- In-mould technology
- Optimized and customisable ventilation
- 3D shaped foam
- Removable and washable liner and cheek pads
- RRP $299.95