I think over 95% of my muni riding is with a normal half MTB helmet. I don’t ever use a full face for XC Muni as even with a light weight one it is still too sweaty. I wear a full face if I’m riding uphill with a lift and/or a pure DH trail in a park.
This is also the norm for most European riders. Also for the last 2 Unicons almost all XC racers had half helmets. There are some XC riders who wear very lightweight full face helmets.
1-2 years ago I again tried a helmet with a removable face guard but it just wasn’t comfortable. And my one-piece DH helmet provides more protection for park DH.
I’m so glad I got a full face helmet. It really helped me feel comfortable learning how to navigate to Schlumpf hub on my G36. I’ve had a number of high speed crashes while getting comfortable with that thing, and while I never hit my head, luck probably played a bigger role than skill there.
With over 2000 miles of G36 riding under my belt, I’ve gone back to wearing regular helmet for most rides. I still wear the full face when I know I’ll be riding on busy roads, do something new, or whenever it’s really cold out.
I ended up getting the Specialized Gambit, since it was the lightest DH rated full face at the time. I kinda wish I’d picked something with cooler color options, though. The Troy Lee Designs Stage MIPS helmet is only a little heavier and it looks so badass