Twist and clout

MIPS, KinetiCore, WaveCel, WG11... Which helmet impact technology is the best?

- Simon Smythe

Look inside your helmet and you’ll probably see a ‘CE’ sticker. This means it has passed the European EN 1078 standard and complies with a series of test conditions. However, the European standard doesn’t include a specific rotational impact test. To address or exploit this depending on your point of view, over the last decade we’ve seen the emergence of add-on protection technologies designed to reduce the risk of brain injury caused by sudden rotation in a collision. The one that dominates is the slip liner-based anti-rotation system from Swedish company MIPS (Multidirectional Impact Protection System) which has been increasingly adopted by many of the biggest helmet brands. MIPS estimates that its total market is 550 million helmets annually (across all sports and safety).

Some brands have developed proprietary rival technologies, such as Bontrager’s WaveCel and Lazer’s KinetiCore – both of which are designed to absorb direct and rotational impacts via in-built crumple zones, but which of course are limited to those brands only.

Earlier this year Kask launched the new Elemento, used by Ineos Grenadiers, which doesn’t use MIPS or any ‘ingredient’ enhancement technology but instead has been developed using the Italian brand’s own anti-rotation testing via a protocol called WG11.

All of the above helmets have passed the basic international safety standards and have the ‘CE’ sticker inside, but does one offer more protection than the others? MIPS is the biggest player, but is it the best?