Petzl introduces the lightweight Sirocco climbing helmet
The original 2013 Sirocco used expanded polypropylene and weighed 145 g in its smaller size.
Petzl introduced the Sirocco in 2013 as a very light climbing helmet, weighing 145 g in the smaller size, roughly half the weight of a traditional helmet according to the launch announcement. Its bright orange design emphasized comfort, ventilation and durability.
The original Sirocco used a one-piece expanded-polypropylene construction. Petzl described the material as impact-resistant and adaptable to the head, and promoted the helmet as the lightest climbing model on the market at the time. The announcement listed CE EN 12492 and UIAA approval.
Two generously sized options offered room for a hat during early-spring, autumn or ice-climbing outings. The high impact zone gave the helmet a slightly conical shape. Petzl described this construction as intended to help protect against impacts and falling rock or ice, with a deformable material that could recover its shape after compression. That description should not be read as confirmation that a helmet remains serviceable after an impact.
Ventilation contributed to comfort. A magnetic buckle could be closed with one hand, leaving the other free. Attachments accommodated a headlamp and Vizion visor, with space for a battery.
Original Sirocco specifications
- Head circumference: Size 1, 48–56 cm; size 2, 53–61 cm.
- Weight: 145 g in size 1; 165 g in size 2.
- Color: Orange.
- Material: Expanded polypropylene.
- Listed standards: CE EN 12492 and UIAA.
- Warranty: Three years.
- Recommended price at launch: Approximately SEK 995.
- Announced store availability: Early May 2013.
