ITALIAN company Climbing Technology (CT) has recently released the new Aries range of helmets.
Complying with the requirements of the EN 397 standard, the Aries and Aries Air are targeted at those involved in rope-access work, work at height and in building sites for the protection against falling objects and electrical hazards. The Aries tree helmet is compliant with the EN 12492 standard and has been developed for mountaineering, tree climbing and mountain rescue services. The CE mark sticker on the inside of the helmet boldly declares it to be a ‘helmet for mountaineers’, and in its basic form that’s just what this helmet is. There are headlamp attachment clips on the sides and a replaceable chin/head strap.
The helmet fits snugly onto the head by means of the adjustable headband. This can be done one-handed by simply rotating the adjustment knob which sits on the nape of the neck. Replaceable padding helps with the overall fit and comfort of the helmet. The robust chinstrap clicks into the quick-release buckle and has been designed to help prevent the loss of the helmet in case of a fall. The height of the headband can be adjusted in two different positions to help achieve maximum comfort.
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As you’d expect, the helmet also has slots into which ear defenders can be fitted together with a mesh face visor. This is what essentially turns the mountaineering helmet into a tree helmet.
The helmet we tested came fitted with Sordin EXC-2 ‘chipper spec’ hearing protection. These fit tightly around the ears and provide the protection needed. While a mesh visor can be added to the ear defender bracket, the helmet under review did not come equipped with one. Instead, inserted into a separate slot on the side of the helmet, this Aries tree helmet came equipped with an anti-fog, anti-scratch smoked visor/eye shield. This was okay for tree climbing and pruning using hand tools, but is not much good when using a chainsaw or chipper because it only protects the eyes. We did try to fit a mesh visor on the helmet as well as the eye shield, but the two don’t go together so we had to scrap the eye shield in favour of a mesh visor.
Along each side of the helmet are five open vents to maximise internal ventilation. The helmet is available in five colours (orange, red, yellow, black and white) and retails at around £72 for just the helmet or £125 for the helmet with ear defenders and mesh visor combination. While this is not the cheapest combination on the market, it is by no means the most expensive. So, for someone looking for a mid-range arborist helmet, the CT Aries Tree would be a good, practical and comfortable one to buy.
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