MET Manta 3 review: The all-conquering helmet of the UAE team has finally launched, but just how good is it really?

The MET Manta 3 helmet is not strictly a new helmet. It first broke cover in early 2026 when it was worn on debut by Tadej Pogačar to win yet another monument at Milan-San Remo.

Since then, it has been used nearly exclusively by Team UAE-Emirates-XRG, taking the Tour de France yet again, more Monuments, and another men’s World Title this time for Brandon McNulty.

Today, however, the helmet officially launches, which means we get to learn a little more about it. We have been testing it on the road in the run-up to launch to see how it performs.

Designed using MET’s own wind tunnel, The Tube, with a tagline of ‘Aero is Proven', takes the approach of tangible performance gains, from decreased drag to increased ventilation and reduced weight, all while maintaining safety thanks to in-depth analysis of over 140 crashed helmets.

However, the price has also increased, and we have yet to test it ourselves in the wind tunnel to see how it stacks up against the best aero helmets, but initial real-world testing of the helmet so far has been mostly very promising.

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Design and specifications

The main design point of the new MET Menta 3 places a heavy focus on aerodynamics. To do this, MET uses its own proprietary wind tunnel, The Tube.

This is also the wind tunnel that sponsored teams use for testing new road and time trial helmets with riders to ensure there is good correlation between CFD modelling and then actual on-person testing, something we’ve seen the importance of with our own wind tunnel helmet testing.

MET has shared one test figure: 6 watts faster than the old Manta 2, but does not state at what speed this is. Likely 45-50kph given the speeds of WorldTour road races, and these speeds tend to give larger watt differences.

MET states that the Manta 3 topped the testing against benchmark competitors. This figure is a reasonable one for those speeds, based on our CN Labs helmet testing as well, and certainly it features a host of design features that lend themselves to strong aero performance. The helmet is narrower and longer than the previous version, and more contoured to divert airflow down the back of the rider rather than create low-pressure turbulence at the rear of the helmet.

The helmet looks similar to the likes of the Trek Ballista and Oakley Velo Mach, both helmets that did well in our testing especially when fitted to a rider model in a more aggressive breakaway position.

However, this helmet features noticeably more vents than these options. Ventilation was another key target for MET; it states the new Manta has 10% better ventilation than the predecessor.

Apparantly this was tested using a thermal viewer and capture system with a copper-coated head model. No further details were provided, as that likely covers some trade secrets.

This increased ventilation comes from more frontal vents, the new brow vent borrowed from the Trenta Gen 2, and greater channelling internally into exhausts. This is a similar system to the POC Procen Air, which I find very well-vented at speed thanks to inlets and large channels inside.

MET uses a double deck at the rear of the helmet, both to increase the airflow and heat exhaustion, and to help channel that air over the back of the rider.

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Safety is also key here, with the helmet getting a 5-star Virginia Tech Helmet Lab rating. MIPS Air Node Pro is used inside for rotational impact protection, and it also helps keep the weight low at 250g claimed for a medium, 249g on our scales.

All the EPS foam is also wrapped and protected by the polycarbonate shell, while the Safe-T fit system ensures a secure fit around the head and across the cradle and straps. To test the safety of the helmet, 142 crashed helmets from sponsored teams were analysed, along with 745 test impacts across different angles and velocities, and counting.

At present, colour options include matte back, absolute white, gloss red, and team colourways. Sizes are S, M and L. DualGel front pad and USB LED light are additional accessories that can be purchased separately.

Performance

Something I really wasn’t a fan of with the previous generation Manta was that the helmet felt to be rather tight on the sides of my head. I also found this on the first-generation Trenta.

With the latest Manta, I am glad to say that the fit has been greatly improved, and it is a lot less narrow on the sides relative to the length. It does this while still incorporating MIPS technology in the form of Air Node. This is widely used across a lot of road helmets now and has a good reputation for getting a good score in the Virginia Tech Helmet Safety Rating. Indeed, the new Trenta helmet is one of the highest-scoring road helmets that has been tested there and features similar technology.

Testing the helmet, the hot weather of the summer has gone, but there have still been a few days with low 20°C temperatures to test out the ventilation. Having had a helmet sent to test in the matte Black colour, there is a degree of heat radiation absorption, and the helmet does get warm to the touch in indirect sunlight.

I much prefer helmets in light colour options for this reason. However, the ventilation is greatly improved compared to the previous helmet. The front vents are larger, while the internal channelling is deeper to allow for a greater degree of movement of air within the helmet.

This also means that at speed there is a good amount of hot air that exits the rear in the exhaust vents. This effect is most felt at speeds above 35 km an hour, though, with professional road racing speeds of 45 km an hour making this helmet incredibly airy.

However, at lower speeds with reduced airflow, the lack of vents on the top of the helmet does mean that it can get quite stuffy, especially when climbing at low speeds and high outputs. This is a helmet designed to go fast.

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Another new feature is the brow venting, as seen on the new Trenta helmet. It does a good job at reducing the amount of heat buildup around your forehead, but being someone who runs quite warm, I still found the over longer rides I had sweat dripping into my eyes.

At present, the only helmets that have eliminated this are the Giro Eclipse Pro and Aries, as the brow pad padding features a silicone bead which diverts the sweat to the side of your face.

However, MET does state that a MET DualGel front pad is available; I have not tested this yet, but a gel design may help disperse sweat to the side of the brow and away from the eyes.

In terms of the aerodynamic performance, it is difficult to say, as we have yet to test this helmet in the wind tunnel. Going off the features that have been implemented, these are designed methodologies that have been used across a broad array of different aero helmets that have tested well.

Featuring large vents at the front combined with deep channels internally towards the exhausts has tended to reduce the pressure drag off the back of the rider’s helmet. Another feature that tends to work well is a fairly narrow profile, especially for riders who ride with their head in a more upright position, as it reduces the frontal area. The shape of the helmet and the venting is also similar to the Trek Ballista, with the rear vents positioned in a way that should help direct airflow over the back when in a more aggressive position.

Certainly, the performance of the helmet has not slowed down the professional riders who have been using it, but that is not a very good judge of performance given that Pogačar could probably be in a commuter helmet and still win.

The helmet has been designed using MET’s in-house wind tunnel, The Tube. Personally, I have no reason to doubt that the helmet is a strong performer. But as we have seen in our own testing, the performance of the helmet will likely vary compared to others based on the position of the rider using it.

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For a more subjective measurement, the helmet is impressively light. It’s not as light as the POC Cytal Lite, but it does compare very favourably to many other aero helmets. For those wanting to reduce total system weight by as much as possible while maintaining aerodynamic performance, this helmet is a very strong contender.

I have also been using it for very long days in the saddle, and it’s been exceptionally comfortable. The padding is well distributed throughout, and the straps have a good range of adjustment.

The rear cradle adjustment is also very welcome, and the dial is easy to use. There are vents at the side that are designed to be able to house glasses when not wearing them; however, I found that not many glasses worked with these helmets.

Quite often the arm was a bit too thick and wouldn’t lodge into them. Scicon glasses, coincidentally used alongside MET by sponsored WorldTour teams, do fit well because they have very slim arms. POC, Oakley, and AlbaOptics fitted less well.

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Value

Unfortunately, with all these new aero features, reduced weight, and increased ventilation, the price of the helmet has now jumped up.

The previous helmet was £229.99 at RRP, often dipping into the £150 region online; the new helmet starts at £299.99 / $375 and places it in the same ballpark as the Giro Eclipse Pro, Specialized Evade 4, Fizik Kudo, Oakley Velo Mach, Sweet Protection Tucker III 2Vi and Ekoi R-Aero.

There are of course cheaper offerings, with the Trek Ballista and HJC Furion 3 being closer to the £200 /$250 bracket, while the Van Rysel RCR-F helmet remains a relative outlier at £129.99. But that shouldn’t be an outlier, and hopefully pressure brands to stop pushing prices higher and higher. Yes, wind tunnel testing and development is not cheap, but the RCR-F is a strong aero performer, so we know good aero helmets can be made and sold for less.

Compared to the competition, until we test the Manta 3 in the tunnel, we can’t categorically say how it compares. I can say from my own testing that ventilation is better than the Sweet Protection, and at speed, better than the Giro.

However, the Giro brow padding prevents sweat from getting into my eyes. The MET, though, is lighter. It really balances out somewhat evenly between the MET and the Giro for me, but I lean towards the Giro in warmer weather for the brow padding and white colour, while I lean towards the MET in cooler conditions and when speed is the focus.

If I were buying on a budget, I would still go for the Van Rysel and recommend that helmet to anyone who wants the best value-for-money aero helmet.

Verdict

The MET Menta 3 is a full revolution of the previous Manta, while adding some fantastic features from the featherweight, airy Trenta Gen 2.

The new helmet is lighter, far better ventilated, and promises to be more aerodynamic as well. I can’t categorically comment on that last one, but many of the designed features implemented suggest it is a faster helmet for racing speeds.

It still relies on high speeds and more airflow for peak ventilation, so low-speed climbing can get more stuffy. While the glasses docking is not the best, it is also not necessary.

It does, however, cost a lot; I would have liked to see the inclusion of the gel padding, as well as a rear light as standard, to help justify a price hike of nearly 30% over the previous version.