FEATURE
other, reinforcing its legacy position as a reference point, but making comparison across the board difficult. The more useful approach may therefore be to get a good understanding of how different protective methods function.
Summary of technologies: three broad approaches Despite the proliferation of brands and technologies, most systems fall into three categories: slip liners (internal movement), crushable structures (energy absorption), and external movement systems. Here is an overview of the key players within each category.
1. Slip liner system Slip liners are directly in contact with the rider’s head and allow the shell of the helmet to move a few millimetres independently from the liner upon impact, taking some rotational impact away from the head.
Mips
The Mips (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) slip liner design pioneered the rotational impact mitigation market, and while retaining its core principles, it has made its system increasingly integrated, lighter, and tailored to specific helmet categories and designs within the last ten years. Mips remains the most widely adopted solution, licensed across multiple brands and price tiers, present in over 1,000 helmet models.
2. Crushable or deformable structure These systems aim to reduce both linear and rotational forces by absorbing energy at impact.
WaveCel Used exclusively in Bontrager helmets, WaveCel is a cellular structure designed to flex and compress upon impact and describes itself as a ‘collapsible cellular lining that also allows for gliding, but additionally can flex at any angle and then collapse to help reduce impact forces even further’.
Koroyd Koroyd is a structure of welded tubes within the shell of the helmet that crumple upon impact, absorbing shock.
KinetiCore Lazer’s approach to rotational impact mitigation, similar in philosophy to Koroyd, operates thanks to ‘controlled crumple zones that crumple under impact and absorb the energy that otherwise would have reached the cyclist’s brain’.
3. External movement system These shift the point of movement away from the head-helmet interface by offering two separate shell layers.
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RLS (Release Layer System) RLS is a patented technology that helmet brands can partner with. RLS-equipped helmets feature ball bearings between two outer surfaces of the shell, allowing the helmet outer itself to rotate on impact instead of the rider’s head. KASK does not market a named rotational-impact
technology in the same way, but emphasises its WG11 internal testing protocol, carried out by an audited independent lab. While the brand insists on its helmets’ performance in rotational impact mitigation, it divulges little about the technologies that it uses to achieve those results, relying instead on its established consumer trust, reputation for good fit and comfort, and adoption by top-level cycling teams.
Pros, limitations, and price positioning From a retail perspective, these systems differ less in headline claims than they do in execution, cost, and customer perception.
Mips is widely understood and recognised by consumers and has a proven track record and extensive third-party testing. It is also showing potential as a way to offer helmets a dual-system protection as it is easily compatible with shell-based rotational impact mitigation technologies. Once a premium feature, Mips is now commonly found in helmets below £100 and increasingly standard in low-to-mid-range helmets.
Crushable structures such as WaveCel, Koroyd, and KinetiCore offer strong differentiation and branding, but will be less familiar to customers and will require explaining. These technologies typically feature at higher price points, although KinetiCore has begun to appear at more accessible price points, such as on the Lazer Tempo KinetiCore, retailing for under £40. The RLS system is distinctive and visually demonstrable, but
as a new technology with limited market penetration so far, it requires trust building. Only present on one Canyon helmet so
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