Visibility on the road starts with being seen, and POC's AVIP concept addresses this through deliberate color choices rather than relying solely on reflective materials that only work after dark. The Fluorescent Orange AVIP colorway on the Omne Air MIPS demands attention in daylight conditions when most cycling happens, making you harder to overlook in traffic, on open roads, or in the periphery of distracted drivers. AVIP stands for Attention, Visibility, Interaction, and Protection, a philosophy POC applies across their high-visibility product line.
The Omne Air MIPS sits in POC's lineup as an all-rounder that borrows design elements from their flagship Octal and Ventral helmets while hitting a more accessible price point. POC developed the helmet using what they call their whole-helmet approach, considering how shell design, liner density, ventilation, and fit systems work together rather than optimizing each element in isolation. The result handles commuting, club rides, weekend centuries, and mixed-terrain adventures without requiring a specialized helmet for each purpose.
Protection comes from a polycarbonate shell bonded to an EPS foam liner with optimized density zones. The liner is thicker in areas where impacts most commonly occur, concentrating protective material where it matters rather than distributing it uniformly. MIPS Integra technology adds rotational impact protection through a system that's nearly invisible from the outside, using gel-filled pads and a low-friction coating under the interior padding rather than an obvious yellow plastic liner. This allows the helmet to rotate slightly relative to your head during an angled impact, reducing the rotational forces that can cause brain injury.... Read More
The slim profile keeps the helmet from looking oversized while contributing to reduced weight compared to bulkier designs. 10 ventilation ports feed air through 5 internal channels that run front to back, exhausting heat through rear vents. The airflow isn't as aggressive as race-focused helmets, but it handles warm weather riding without overheating. POC positioned the vents to maintain structural integrity while still moving enough air for comfort on longer summer efforts.
The 360-degree retention system wraps around your entire skull, controlled by a rear dial that provides infinite adjustment rather than clicking through preset positions. Straps are molded directly into the EPS liner for strength at the attachment points, eliminating the separate strap anchors that can be weak points in other designs. An eye garage built into the front vents holds sunglasses securely when you need them out of the way, with the port shape designed to work particularly well with POC's own eyewear.
