Smarter Helmets On The Way

The ski and board helmets many of us now wear today are based on 70s design technology, apparently, but that's all about to change thanks to a deal signed today between industry leader Burton's subsidiary R.E.D, and Swedish technology company, MIPS.
MIPS or 'Multi-directional Impact Protection System' uses technology which mimics and reinforces the brain's own protection. This further reduces the risk of brain damage, the company says, and thus aims to set new standards in helmet safety.
MIPS is designed to provide protection from an "angled impact to the head" in the way that helmets currently on the market do not, the company says.
They do this by integrating a, "unique sliding low-friction layer," between the head and the helmet liner, designed to absorb energy from an angled impact to the head (the commonest form of head injury in snow sports).
"This is a major breakthrough and we are delighted that R.E.D. has selected the MIPS protection system", says Niklas Steenberg, CEO of MIPS AB.
Reducing the effect of rotational force is a key objective for leading helmet brands, including R.E.D, which will be integrating MIPS in the 2012 "HI FI" helmet model as well as other as yet undecided helmet models.
R.E.D. will initially implement the MIPS protection system in the RED HI-FI, a helmet that was used by six out of seven snowboard medal winners at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and will be available in shops worldwide from August this year.
"Test results have shown us that the MIPS protection system can reduce the likelihood of serious head injury and that was why we chose to partner with MIPS" says Jeff Gilberti, Vice President for R.E.D. Protection and ANON Optics. "At Burton we are all about helping riders progress and the addition of MIPS to our team driven HiFi helmets gives them added confidence to do just that."

Interesting !

Our kids will all need new helmets this year, can't wait for August I'm afraid!

.... if only this could be combined with smarter skiers on the piste!!!!

Wanderer wrote: .... if only this could be combined with smarter skiers on the piste!!!!

Wanderer - is your intention to question the smartness of apearance or intelligence?
Both could do with an uplift in standards IMHO
:thumbup:

I was referring to intelligence. Helmets are usually brought into use through stupidity on somebody's part!!! I am less concerned about sartorial elegance on the slopes. In fact, I find it rather amusing to see German skiers in 20 year day glo outfits. Much more interesting that today's, mainly, drab black, red and grey pallete of colours for ski outfits!!!

Wanderer wrote:I was referring to intelligence. Helmets are usually brought into use through stupidity on somebody's part!!! I am less concerned about sartorial elegance on the slopes. In fact, I find it rather amusing to see German skiers in 20 year day glo outfits. Much more interesting that today's, mainly, drab black, red and grey pallete of colours for ski outfits!!!

OOOOOOOOH Wanderer is a closet rompersuiter. Show us a pic Wanderer go on :lol: 8)

EmmaEvs wrote:

Wanderer wrote:I was referring to intelligence. Helmets are usually brought into use through stupidity on somebody's part!!! I am less concerned about sartorial elegance on the slopes. In fact, I find it rather amusing to see German skiers in 20 year day glo outfits. Much more interesting that today's, mainly, drab black, red and grey pallete of colours for ski outfits!!!

OOOOOOOOH Wanderer is a closet rompersuiter. Show us a pic Wanderer go on :lol: 8)

'Fraid not Emma. I did have a romper suit for my first two ski trips nearly 20 years ago (in a rather awful olive green!). It was the cheapest thing I could find at the time. It had to go after letting me down on the slopes following a fall when the rear split. My fellow skischool classmates reckoned I was leaving a trail of polyester stuffing in my tracks that day! Not a pretty sight!!! Never wore one since and I don't think I have any pictorial evidence of that one - possibly destroyed to help me get over the trauma of that experience!!!

It still does not stop me "admiring" the cheesy seventies look of some skiers who still strut their stuff in such outfits!!!!