Replying to Thoughts on soft-shell helmets like Giro Combyn?

I need a new lid and was checking out the Giro Combyn. I like the look of it, but wonder if these soft-shell designs are really as safe as the hard-shell models that most companies produce.

Is it weird that the Giro only conforms to Euro safety standards while most other helmets conform to both US and Euro requirements? Even if two helmets receive a certain certification, how do we know whether one performed much better than the other?

Thoughts/experience appreciated.