Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips Helmet

Review by Kate Agathon

The Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips Helmet is my new favorite road bike helmet for its features, style, and fit.

My search for a new road bike helmet was prompted by my need to have a helmet where I can easily stash my eyewear.

I just didn’t want the inconvenience of accidentally leaving my eyewear some place where they would get either lost or damaged.

Not only did I find the stylish look of eyewear stowed on bike helmets appealing, but I liked the convenience of being able to place them securely on my helmet and while keeping my hands free.

During my search, I was actually quite surprised how many bike helmets do not have a dedicated slot to stow eyewear. And some of the helmets that I did find with an eyewear storage feature could barely accommodate my eyewear’s temples, let alone keep them in place.

Therefore, I was delighted when I heard about the Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips Helmet. One of the key features it listed was a slot to seamlessly integrate eyewear- I was anxious to try it!

*If you think this helmet looks familiar (and trust me, cyclists notice everything), it’s because you have; the Norwegian-based Sweet Protection is a main partner for Uno-X Mobility. Uno-X Mobility is the first pro cycling team from Scandinavia and includes Danish rider Magnus Cort. The team wore the stylish and aero Sweet Protection helmets most recently in the 2025 edition of the Tour de France.

LOOK

My initial impression was that the helmet appeared smaller on my head than expected (but perhaps that is because the previous helmet I was using appeared more bulbous).

I liked the overall sleek design (no more resembling Toad from Super Mario Brothers) with the subtle aero slits. It looked more like something from Tron, or what Iron Man Tony Stark would have designed, and I was totally there for it!

Best of all, my eyewear looked great resting in the specially designed slot. I was stoked!

Thanks to the Occigrip 360 Fit System that completely surrounded my head, the helmet provided as secure a fit as possible. Best of all, no hot spots!

FEATURES

This was the only bike helmet that I’ve tried whose eyewear integration system was actually super easy to use and could accommodate my small frame eyewear.

I could just feel for the strategically placed lower slot and place my eyewear in it without having to remove my helmet to see what I was doing. Effortless! There’s even a rubberized coating that grips the sunglasses to keep them secure.

As mentioned above, I’ve tried other helmets that purportedly offer a place to store eyewear, but it just wasn’t optimal and turned into a more of a hassle than a convenience.

I also appreciated that the Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips included a wider opening in the rear to accommodate ponytails.

Other key features:

• Improved aerodynamics and fit.
• Featuring 2Vi® technology platform for increased performance and comfort including Mips Air for protection against rotational forces.
• New integrated 360 fit system with on the fly height adjustment.
• STACC ventilation which effectively cools down the superficial temporal arteries.
• Replaceable moisture absorbing front pad.

PERFORMANCE

What I loved the most was the slot to stash my eyewear. It was perfectly situated low on the helmet and required zero thinking. In that detail, it performed well.

I live in a mountain community and regularly ride at elevations of over 9,000 and 10,000 feet. Riding at such high elevations gives me that much more proximity to the sun and heat.

Having a bike helmet that provides adequate ventilation is extremely important to keep the airflow moving and to wick moisture away. Thankfully, the Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips performed admirably.The first time I wore the helmet was riding the Mineral Belt Trail in Leadville (elevation 10,200 feet) on a sunny, late summer day. While trees provided adequate coverage on certain sections of the trail, there was plenty of exposed trail directly under the sun.

Thanks to superior ventilation, my head remained cool and I was surprised that my helmet wasn’t sweaty at the end of the day.

SAFETY

Sweet Protection’s Falconer 2Vi Mips has received a 5-star rating by Virginia Tech, the highest rating possible.

Why is that important? Since 2011, Virginia Tech researchers have been providing unbiased helmet ratings that allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing helmets.

The helmet ratings are the culmination of over 15 years of research on head impacts in sports and identify which helmets best reduce concussion risk.

In fact, the Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips exceeds EU, US, and UK bike standards.

Can comfort, user-friendliness, and performance coexist? Yes.

In technical terms, the 2Vi®, is a new multifaceted high-performance helmet technology platform that combines the Mips Air system, a complex multi-density EPS shock absorbing structure with four impact shields, increased coverage, and a variable elasticity shell for increased protection at both low-and high impact speeds.

Should you experience a crash while wearing the helmet, Sweet Protection offers a 40 percent discount on current retail price for a replacement.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I like the lightweight Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips so much that I am going to order another one in a different color.

The eyewear dock is exactly the feature I was looking for and its seamless integration system accommodates any size of eyewear.

Additionally, I love the overall sleek design and the discreet air vents.

The Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips is available in 7 colors and two sizes.

Kate Agathon

Dr. Of Stoke

Freelance writer, bicyclist, outdoor recreation enthusiast, and mom to her furbabies, Sansa and Benjen.

 

A Colorado native, Kate considers the outdoors her mother ship. She brings her passion for bicycling, the environment to her writing.

Her primary outdoor recreation activities are mountain biking, road biking, nordic skiing, alpine skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and peak bagging Colorado’s 14ers. She and her husband, Paul, live in Summit County with their dogs, Benjen and Sansa.

Kate earned a BA in History from Colorado State University and later an MSEd and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University. In addition to her education, Kate’s background serving two terms on the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and experience working for non-profits and bicycle sales well position her to bring depth and understanding to the complex changes currently taking place in the outdoor recreation industry.

The Dr. of Stoke has been part of the Engearment team since 2016.