MTB Helmets Ride the Best & Replace Them Yearly: POC Kortal Race Crash Review

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Never a review we want to do - but, here's a life example of why with MTB Helmets you ride the best quality and replace them yearly...
Since last Friday I have an even greater appreciation of the POC helmet performance.
While not the fastest or most ridiculous of crashes over the years I've been riding, headfirst into the side of the trail in a chute, along with the intense pain after was clearly the scariest.
Had the Kortal Race not been up to the task I'm 100% sure my injuries would be been much, much worse.
This crash wasn't at the edge of control, it wasn't having a fit of Canon Courage or anything along those lines - it was just an unfortunate series of events overall.
The raised edges of the chute, particularly with the outcropping, meant there wasn't any sliding or tumbling to absorb the energy. Nearly all of my forward momentum is stopped in about a tenth of a second. The whole thing took less than a second from impact to being laid up on the trail.
At the time I had tremendous neck and shoulder pain. While I surmised I had hit my head based on seeing the visor down trail I had no idea how bad it was until I was released from the hospital that afternoon and took as selfie to send to my sister.
Once I saw my forehead and then the helmet I really had an appreciation for POC's craft and commitment.
In my case the helmet took a huge amount of load by breaking the foam internals throughout the chassis. I have no idea how bad this could have been with an inferior design or an older helmet with aged foam.
It always perturbs me when we deliver absolute banger bikes and ask half jokingly whether I'm going to see you out there on a five year old helmet - to be told: Yes. I'll replace it one of these days.
One of these days should be yearly to ensure the best performance when you need it. And as Friday re-illustrated you never know when you're going to need it...
Overall it was a really scary day. I was laid out with neck and shoulder pain that really didn't allow me to move (in fact finding out I hadn't broken anything seemed to surprise not only me but most of the team involved!) With the level and location of the pain as well as the location on the trails it took a compliment of people to safely get me out. There was a battery of tests, IVs and such. I was essentially immobile for a couple days (although I've made awesome strides this week and am getting back to normal much quicker than I ever thought).
But you know what there wasn't? I didn't have a brain bleed in the CT. I didn't have headaches. No nausea. Lights and sounds don't bother me anymore than they did before (hey, I have a two year old and some of those toys are torture...)
None of this sport is designed to be scare-marketing to readers - but I had an experience that I know could have been much worse without knowing what I know. I wanted to share that with readers.
MANY many thanks are going out on this one BTW:
BikeCo Owner Joe Binatena for turning me onto the 1 helmet a year plan when I started riding about 17 years ago...
Everyone at POC - what a product keep doing what you do.
Leif, Mondo and Emilio - man it would have sucked riding alone that morning!
Thanks to all the first responders who hiked up or down to me from OCFA, Camp Pendleton Fire, State Parks, the OCFA Helicopter Team.
Thanks to the entire Trauma Team at Mission Hospital.
Everyone treated me with care and gave me confidence that my care was in the best hands possible. And actually it shocked me how many of them ride MTB!