Giro
Finally a cap that comes in sizes! This one has a L/XL size that makes it very comfy on my large noggin. Often, the one size fits all caps give me headache, but not the Giro. For me, the Giro wool cap is good down to upper 30's F. I guess it's the wool, but it seems comfortable with a wide range of temps (say 38 to 60 F), and you can roll up the ear flaps too. If it had a bit more wind protection, it would probably be better for lower temps. My only nitpick is with the way the bill attaches to the head band, it seems a little flimsy, which makes the bill often sit crooked and I look like a fred.
Needed a road helmet update, and wanted a little more head coverage, which the Manifest provides ... closer to the ears and more around back. Easily removed the visor, and had to sand, very slightly, several of the many foam nubs inside that were a little too aggressive against my head. Angle of the chin straps allows wearing glasses without strap interference. Have used Bell helmets previously, and this Giro fits fine too. The chin strap magnetic catch is different and takes a little getting used to.
First of all, a huuuuuuuuuuge thanks to the wonderful folks at BikeTiresDirect!!! They were extremely helpful and understanding during the purchasing process, as it took two exchanges before receiving the correct size/brand helmet. Thanks BTD, you guys and gals absolutely rock!!!
As for the Aether, I ultimately ended up with a size small and it fits my bald head perfectly. I always wear a skull cap under my helmet (for warmth in the winter and for sweat management in the summer), and the size small Aether still provides plenty of room for that layer in between my head and the helmet. So far I've only worn it for one 30-mile ride, but I can already tell that I'm going to love this helmet. It's super comfortable and feels very light atop my head. Other than the straps under my chin I was pretty unaware of the Aether during my ride.
Aesthetically the Aether is a 10 out of 10. It looks great IMO, not too bulky, fairly low-profile even with the MIPS layer, and it does not look like a big mushroom on my head.
I really hope I never have to personally test the crash protection of this helmet, but if I do I can be confident that I'm wearing one of the safest helmets on the market. The Aether is not inexpensive, but I think it's well worth the cost.
Giro makes pretty dang nice stuff, some of my favorite socks and gloves are Giro. That said, I'm not a huge fan of the ribbed 80s "athletic" sock look. But these are hidden under boots so it doesn't much matter, bottom and toe padding is good, though never enough, still have to wear wind block toe covers over my winter boots (Fizik X5) in order to keep warm. If you're feet generally stay pretty warm in your winter boots, even in the 30-40s, then these will likely work for you.
