POC's road-focused Octal has become a favorite among the XC crowd for its blend of light weight, unique styling, and protection. Road helmets are never quite a perfect match for off road applications though, so POC tweaked the design a bit to create the Octal X Helmet and give XC racers the lightweight, trail-worthy helmet they've been looking for. As with the road version, the Octal X boasts extended coverage over the back of the head and at the temples for added protection no matter what surface you're riding on. True to its dirt-focused intention, the Octal X's shell extends to cover more of the liner foam than the Octal, which improves overall durability against errant trail debris without sacrificing lightweight functionality.