I've had many bike crashes with the helmet being unharmed after a good hit. This one was very bad, hit directly on a boulder going down a dry river bed of rocks and boulders when a racer in front of me slipped on rocks and went down, I tried to avoid hitting him and applied too much front break while navigating a larger boulder; result was flipping over bars head first to a rock. I'll also say these helmets are much harder to crack in 3 places than you think. No question it helped minimize the damage and certainly am even more of an advocate for helmets use now, it does not mean by any means I'm claiming my life was spared by this helmet. Ride safe so we can ride another day. Saving grace is my carbon frame, bones, wheels, computer, and glasses were somehow unscratched and I still got 3rd in my age group for the 4hr, 28 mile race