Giro Sport Design®: California innovation for the mountains

Discover the Giro Sport Design® brand

Giro: The Brand’s Origins and History

Giro Sport Design® was founded in 1985 in Santa Cruz, California, by Jim Gentes, a trained designer with a passion for sports equipment. His goal was to address needs that existing products failed to meet. His first helmet, the Advantage™, was designed for triathletes and cyclists facing strong winds—an aerodynamic model that would revolutionize the market.

As early as 1986, Jim Gentes presented a prototype of a lightweight helmet at the Long Beach Bike Show and walked away with $100,000 in orders. In 1989, a young American cyclist won the Tour de France wearing his Aerohead™ helmet, propelling the brand into the global spotlight. In 1999, Giro ventured into the snowy mountain passes and launched its first ski helmet, the Nine—a lightweight, ventilated helmet that was widely adopted and helped make helmet use on the slopes mainstream.

Did you know?

The name “Giro” is directly linked to the world of cycling: in Italian, “giro” means “tour” or “circuit.”

Product Development and Innovations at Giro

Giro’s history is marked by technical innovations, each of which has redefined the standards in its category.

In 1994, the Roc Loc® system significantly improved the stability of bike helmets on technical terrain. In 1998, Giro launched the first modular full-face MTB helmet, the Switchblade, featuring a removable chin guard. This innovation quickly became a benchmark for freeriding. In 2004, the brand introduced the Manifest™, the first consumer-grade ski goggle with an interchangeable lens system.

In 2016, Giro developed VIVID lenses in collaboration with ZEISS Optics: designed to enhance contrast and reduce eye strain, these lenses offer precise vision without color oversaturation. That same year, Giro introduced the Avance MIPS helmet, featuring MIPS Spherical technology (Multi-directional Impact Protection System), which redistributes rotational forces during oblique impacts.

In 2018, Giro released the Aether MIPS helmet, which combines a ventilated design with MIPS Spherical technology for high-performance cycling.

Giro’s philosophy remains consistent: to offer increasingly innovative gear that benefits athletes, their sports, and their safety.

Products offered by the Giro brand

Giro’s snow range is built around two complementary product families: ski helmets and ski goggles.

The helmets cover all skill levels and disciplines (all-mountain, freeride, freestyle, backcountry, and competition) with models for men, women, and children. Most Giro helmets feature MIPS technology (reducing rotational forces during oblique impacts) or MIPS Spherical ( a dual-shell construction offering further optimized energy absorption). The In Form 2 fit system, adjustable with one hand even while wearing gloves, and Thermostat Control ventilation (adjustable via an external dial) are featured across the entire adult range.

Giro ski goggles naturally complement the helmets, with models featuring VIVID by ZEISS lenses and quick-change lens systems to adapt to changing light conditions. Systematic compatibility with the brand’s goggles minimizes drafts between the helmet and goggles.

Giro’s Key Technologies

• MIPS® (Multi-directional Impact Protection System): a system integrated into the helmet that shifts slightly during an oblique impact to reduce rotational forces transmitted to the brain.
• MIPS Spherical: an evolution of MIPS, featuring a dual-shell construction (two nested EPS shells) for even more precise management of impact energy. Available on high-end models such as the Tor Spherical and the Grid Spherical.
• VIVID Lenses by ZEISS: optical technology co-developed with ZEISS to enhance contrast, reduce eye strain, and provide clear vision in all weather conditions.
• Thermostat Control: an active ventilation system, adjustable in real time via an external button, allowing you to adjust airflow without removing your gloves.