MIPS Explained

More and more bicycle helmets are equipped with MIPS. But what exactly is MIPS?
Why should your next helmet be a MIPS helmet?
We list the facts for you so you can make the right choice when shopping for your next bike helmet.

MIPS
MIPS is an acronym for "Multi-directional Impact Protection System." Basically, it means that helmets provide better protection when hitting the head from different angles, thus better preventing brain damage from falls. MIPS is added to bicycle helmets in the form of a low-friction layer between the shell and the helmet liner. This allows the helmet to shift relative to the head upon impact from different angles.

Invention
In 1995, Swedish brain surgeon Hans von Holst of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm began researching how the bicycle helmet could be improved based on the idea that too many cyclists still suffered brain damage as a result of a fall despite wearing a bicycle helmet. Together with the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, he sought a technical solution to a medical problem. The first prototype of MIPS was tested in 2000 at the University of Birmingham and, after years of scientific research, was eventually marketed to numerous bicycle helmet brands.

Operation
In helmets equipped with MIPS, a so-called "low-friction layer" is placed between the hard outer shell and the soft padding, which can move independently. When the helmet is hit at an angle (in real life, of course, you would also fall with a bicycle trap), the low-friction layer will allow the helmet to slide in relation to the head.This absorbs much of the rotational force According to Scientific research, this reduces the risk of serious and less serious brain damage.

To simulate brain damage in a crash, a computer model was used based on data obtained from nine accelerometers in the Hybrid III crash test, as well as a dummy head. The dummy is worn on a bicycle helmet and struck from an angle in the MIPS test machine. This graph shows the difference in brain injury when using a MIPS bicycle helmet and a helmet without MIPS.

Ordinary bicycle helmets safe?
Of course, regular bicycle helmets are also extensively tested, which is why all the bicycle helmets we sell at BMX World carry the CE mark. But the test that a bicycle helmet must pass does not always correspond to situations in which you would normally be involved in an accident as a cyclist. For example, the standard helmet test assumes a vertical fall on a flat surface. This test is important for measuring whether a helmet can withstand a vertical impact, but says nothing about a much more realistic scenario where you hit the ground at a certain angle during an accident. Therefore, MIPS is designed not only to resist vertical impacts, but also to provide additional protection in the event of a fall from a certain angle

.

Comfort and appearance of the helmet?
The MIPS low-friction layer is designed to add minimal weight and volume - each MIPS layer is tailored to fit the shape and ventilation channels of your favorite helmet. The weight gain is therefore limited to 25-45 g, depending on the model.The MIPS layer is firmly integrated into the helmet, so that the appearance of the helmet is perfectly preserved.Most MIPS helmets can be recognized from the outside only by the small MIPS logo on the helmet. on the helmet.


For even more information about MIPS, please visit official MIPS website.