Kask Rex helmet

The close-fitting Rex has a compact design with an almost spherical appearance. On the trail, it feels light and well ventilated, and the thick, wide padding is supercomfy. The wide cradle at the rear adjusts easily but there’s a lot of side-to-side movement and the leather chin strap makes on-the-fly adjustment near impossible. There’s a ratcheted track at the back of the helmet for vertical adjustment of the retention system, but instead of keeping the lid securely in position, we found this allowed it to rotate forward and backward. This meant the Rex would drop down over our brow if we looked up while wearing a pack or a jacket with a hood. Also, the dual-position peak is too low for our liking in its lowest setting and feels like a windshield when set to its highest, goggle-stowing position.

Weight 310g
Sizing M, L

Price $120

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

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KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

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SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge

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