7 Things You Didn’t Know About woom KIDS’ Helmets
What would an astronaut look like without their helmet? The same can be said for a race car driver, a firefighter, or even a pro football player. They’d look out of place or even off-duty, as if they’re missing the key piece of protective gear that makes them most heroic. The same, we’d argue, can be said for cyclists.
We’ve come a long way in the last 50 years with helmets. From what was essentially four strips of leather with some basic foam stitched inside – a bit like having bananas on your head – helmet design has finally caught up with the technology of bikes! Here are seven things you probably didn’t know about woom KIDS’ Helmets.
1. They offer 360º protection (or pretty close!)
Now we’re bike designers and not mathematicians, so please forgive us for what looks like a miscalculation. 360º protection would – of course – look more like a space helmet than a bike helmet and admittedly not be that practical for riding. So, what we’re actually referring to is the extent to which we’ve extended the coverage (and thereby the protection!) around the sides and rear of the head. We’ve also used some NASA-grade engineering to fuse the outer shell directly into the inner layer. It’s a technology called in-mold design, and it’s officially the most advanced way to create lightweight, high-performing helmets.
2. They’re dialed in for the ultimate defense.
Cycling is a cardio activity with sometimes unpredictable movement over speed bumps and rough terrain, which means we’ve got a design conundrum on our hands. Sure, it’s a long way from the intensity of a football blitz, but your kid’s helmet still has to keep them safe, covered, sweat-proof, and comfy – and that's why we're obsessed with finding the perfect fit.
Designing a kids’ helmet really made us scratch our heads because it’s not quite as simple as shrinking an adult-sized helmet. Instead, we had to scrap everything the industry holds dear about conventional adult helmets and factor in kids’ pressure points, helmet depth, straps, adjustment dials AND interchangeable padding – just in case the standard pads don’t quite fit your little Rider right. Oh, and did we mention our KIDS’ Helmet comes in three sizes? Don’t forget to refer to our size guide if you’re wondering which size is best for your child.
3. The cooler the kid, the longer they ride.
If you’re new to helmets, you might think that protection comes at the risk of getting a hot head on warm days. See those white bits on the helmet? They are just one part of the high-tech construction, allowing just the right amount of air to flow through. Not too much, not too little. Think gentle, welcome breeze rather than gale force. And don’t worry, we’ve got all the certificates to prove that safety is definitely not sacrificed with these extensive vents – but extra airflow sure is added!
4. They’re easy to buckle, even with gloves.
Getting out the door with helmets on can be a moment of potential stress and aggravation—especially when you’ve got young kids. What you definitely don’t want to do is inadvertently pinch their skin and prompt an outburst. That’s where our zero-pinch magnetic closure lock comes in to ensure no fingers or chins are pinched when kids suit up like their favorite hero. Our design team fiddled with this one for a loooong time to make it a) kid-friendly and b) glove-friendly. Ouch, said no one!
5. Behold: the hidden protective power of honeycombs.
Visors don’t only make you look like more of a hero when wearing your helmet; they also have functional benefits. Our innovative visor was specially developed not only to protect young woom Riders from rain and sun, but also to prevent facial injuries. Composed of non-toxic elastomer, the honeycomb structure maximizes cushioning in the event of a fall. A bit like the inside of a beehive, it’s a sort of springy material designed to absorb the impact and bounce back into shape, leaving your kid’s face untouched.
6. Did someone say visibility?
While it’s easy to presume your helmet only has your kid’s back (or rather their head!) in the event of a crash, we worked out a top-secret way to ramp up its protective powers. We won’t give too much away, but shine a flashlight on your kid’s helmet next time dusk falls and see what reflects back at you.
Psst, you might want to wear sunglasses.
7. Don’t get it twisted.
We have it on good authority from a range of heroes that the key to a good helmet is having it go unnoticed when you’re wearing it. That’s why we’ve designed the straps in a round, loop-de-whoop shape that will always lie in the right position and can’t get twisted. But how can we be so confident, you ask? Easy. It’s science. In the same way we love geeking out over our data-driven size guides for our bikes, we applied the same thought to our helmet strap lengths so that your kid can focus on being the hero rather than trying to get comfortable.
Bonus:
You’re probably ready for us to put a lid on it (ha-ha), but we wanted to slip in some good news on our hero-worthy KIDS’ Helmet! It’s already won several awards, including the Design & Innovation Award (basically the Oscars of the bike industry!), and we’ve even won an animation award for our depiction of astronauts, firefighters, soccer players, and horse riders. Remember, not all heroes wear capes, but most do wear helmets.