Lazer Genesis Winter Cap

Lazer's Genesis Winter Cap keeps your ears warm without restricting your hearing, but fitting it under your helmet could be an issue if you're at the upper end of your size.

With the cap, Lazer has essentially integrated some lovely soft ear muffs into the design of its excellent Genesis helmet. These are connected to a band that runs inside the helmet, sitting comfortably against the forehead. There is also a mesh section that covers the top of the head, giving good breathability.

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There are certainly days I can think of where the cap would have been rather useful. Frozen ears are not fun, and the thought of them can keep even the strongest tucked up in bed on a Sunday morning. The fit left me a little annoyed, though. Being at the upper end of the medium size Genesis helmet, it was a very tight squeeze to get the cap to sit inside it. When I tried it with a large lid, the cap fitted well, but it would be annoying to have to buy another helmet just to use a cap.

One area where the cap excels is hearing. I simply found that I could hear normally, with no wind rush like I would expect with a skull cap or headband. This is because of the holes at the ear, which allowed me to hear traffic as I would normally.

The ventilated mesh on the top of the head was a little cool at higher speeds. I combined this with the Aeroshell on the coldest days and it was absolutely brilliant. The ventilation was just enough to prevent overheating, while the Aeroshell kept the worst of the wind off. It's a slightly odd look, but one of the best combinations I've used for the coldest training rides.

Another nice little touch is the band that holds your helmet straps in place. It's not the biggest feature, but it kept the straps central over my ears and also kept the cap in place.

> The best cycling clothing to keep you warm in winter

In terms of value, it's on par with other winter skull caps – more than some, less than others. For me, it would have to be thinner at the forehead to allow for a closer fit under my helmet to rival a simple skull cap. However, being able to hear properly was a bonus.

For those who really value having warm ears at subzero temperatures, the Winter Cap is a nifty piece of kit. It kept my ears and head really warm with just enough ventilation. I was also impressed to be able to hear normally. It's definitely one to try before you buy, though, as it added enough bulk to put me up a helmet size.

Verdict

Soft and warm, a great concept for the coldest of days, but be careful with helmet size