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Your helmet pricing better match your safety rating. Or else.
Consumers are watching you. And so is your competition.
Exorbitant pricing for cool-looking helmets that don't protect will decrease demand. What goes around comes around.
Ski, Snowboarding, and Bike helmet safety ratings
Virginia Tech's Institute of Critical Technology and Applied Science is the premier research expert in helmet research.
Their conclusion this year is that there is NO correlation between retail price and performance.
Many of the safest top-rated helmets are inexpensive—many of the most expensive need to feel the shame of their low rating. As more consumers catch wind of this inconsistency, manufacturers are reacting. But not all manufacturers are proactive.
All helmets meet industry standards, right?
While it is true that there are industry standards to protect helmet consumers, the standards are limited in scope.
All helmets on the market are safe. But, the Virginia Tech testing goes the extra mile to include testing parameters missing from basic standards.
There is no US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) parameter to limit concussions - only skull fractures or severe brain damage.
Virginia Tech Helmet Lab's scrutiny under critical conditions gives consumers a better picture of what is essential in a helmet.
Virginia Tech's star rating helps consumers with easy comparison to base a helmet purchasing decision.
Independent assessment of a helmet's safety
As helmet companies merge, the big players (you might assume) could have an advantage with R&D and testing influence.
Virginia Tech's results are free from helmet manufacturers 100%.
Snow sport helmets undergo many different impact types. The tests of the 178 bike helmets measure head rotation and linear acceleration to mimic a variety of cyclist crash experiences.
Observing athletes help with crash testing helmets
Unfortunately, real people need to crash for Virginia Tech's team to design the impact tests.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety provided help for bike helmets as their mandate is to avoid death and injury.
US Ski & Snow worked with Virginia Tech by taking videos of aerial events. The videos help determine the different ways athletes hit their heads. Also, the variation in snow surface (compact or soft) was an important consideration.
A variety of methods help with the design of the lab tests.
High-risk athletes fitted with instruments collect good biomechanical data on concussions.
The testing machines' design, configuration, and calibration are based on the crash observation data - and help from the institutions mentioned before.
A snow sport helmet undergoes 12 impact tests. For example, a drop tower simulates a helmet hitting the ground. The risk of concussion varies depending on the linear acceleration and the head rotation speed.
One bicycle helmet safety test involves impacting against a steel anvil covered in sandpaper (to simulate asphalt). The different impacts speeds and positions - including the rim.
Twenty-four tests make these tests much more comprehensive than standard safety tests.
Drum roll. Which are the best helmets for biking and snow sport?
To summarize the 2022 test results:
The safest helmets limit how much your head can rotate.
The poorest performing helmets increase head rotation. Consumers should avoid choosing a helmet with sharp edges and high-friction surfaces.
Virginia Tech has tested 178 bikes and 35 snow sport helmets in total. For bike helmets, there are categories for mountain, road, urban and multisport.
These were the highest-rated helmets in 2022. (The lower the score, the better).
Virginia Tech’s Top 5 Safest Bike Helmets Ratings
#1 SPECIALIZED TACTIC 4
Cost: $110
Score: 8.55
#2 SPECIALIZED PREVAIL 3
Cost: $300
Score: 8.64
#3 SWEET PROTECTION TRAILBLAZER MIPS
Cost: $180
Score: 8.69
#4 SPECIALIZED MODE
Cost: $120
Score: 8.80
#5 FOX DROPFRAME PRO MIPS
Cost: $200
Score: 8.85
It’s worth mentioning…
#6 GIANT REV COMP MIPS
Cost: $65
Score: 9.13
Top 5 Safest Snow Sport Helmets
#1 POC ARTIC SL 360 SPIN
Cost: $200
Score: 0.36
#2 POC SKULL DURA X SPIN
Cost: $180
Score: 0.48
#3 SWEET PROTECTION VOLATA WC CARBON MIPS
Cost: $700
Score: 0.51
#4 GIRO JACKSON MIPS
Cost: $273
Score: 0.56
#5 SWEET PROTECTION TROOPER 2VI MIPS
Cost: $300
Score: 0.58
We will see what the Helmet Lab 2023 results bring. As more store retailer salespeople and consumers become aware of Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab ratings each year, helmet manufacturers will need to keep their specifications high.
You can read more about helmet quality parameters in my Blog.
Contact me for more information about helmet manufacturing and your consultancy needs.
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