MIPS Helmets
 

Just getting into this again as I recover from knee surgery. My helmet is in need of replacement. It is old and it is time.

I haven’t seen any recent posts on the MIPS helmets. Anything develop there in the last year? Recommendations?

They're still mostly vapor-ware in the US.

I think POC is still the only vendor who actually sells one in stores. I don't know if its because they haven't taken off, or what. It seems like there's no manufacturer interest in safer helmets period. I'm surprised a how little innovation is occurring with helmet safety.

There are legitimate questions about the effectiveness of MIPS in real-world scenarios. At the same time, I'm not seeing any manufacturers with any new designs to limit concussions, so its basically the only option if you want a better helmet.

I believe Smith and/Or Scott made them as well.

Update: Bicycling article misses the mark

The basic theory of MIPS is that thin plastic liner in the helmet provides shear damping that reduces impact by creating an extra layer of frictional material between the skull and the helmet. Shock absorbing devices act by creating friction during movement.

This links to a page expressing some doubt about the effectiveness of MIPS helmets. I haven’t done the research of reading articles they refer to. The basic argument is that the testing validating MIPS is based on testing that is rigidly controlled and doesn’t represent real world usage. I.E., a helmet typically fits too loosely to benefit from the sliding liner.

I own a Scott MIPS helmet. The vender was doing a brisk business after the Bicycling article. I would hate to say I go the last one, but the supply is/was very limited. I don’t know if it works better than my other helmets (modestly priced Giro). I use it because I am a bit superstitious that it might actually help, but plan on doing no real world testing.

A severe concussion/contusion can be a life- and personality-changing event. Anything that helps mitigate or prevent that is a good thing. That said, the physics of having a watermelon on your shoulders in a high speed impact are pretty grim.... MIPS tech might help; and I hope it does. I'm still holding out on buying one though, and I've BTDT with the severe concussion thing, so if was feeling convinced I'd be all over a MIPS helmet.

The root of my skepticism is at the head/helmet interface. To truly help with the twisting shear forces that they are finding to be a major part of the concussion event, the helmet would need to be attached to the head in ways that I'm just not seeing. Yes I've tried a few MIPS helmets on.