For riders, the rule is simple: as soon as a helmet takes a shock, it is necessary to change it because it loses some of its properties by absorbing the blow. But a new generation of helmets is emerging, with more powerful padding. They will be more resistant but above all, reusable.
The traditional foam, a kind of polystyrene, gets stuck when the helmet is shocked. It does not return to its original form and the helmet loses effectiveness. On the new helmets, the padding has been replaced by a scaffolding structure, comparable to that of the Eiffel Tower, in microlattice. This allows him to regain his shape after an impact. Changing the helmet is only obligatory if it is really broken.
More efficient and more comfortable
This new technology, developed by the HRL laboratories in the United States, also allows better shock absorption, with 27% of additional energy absorbed. Its structure is hollow, which circulates the air and does not retain moisture, making the helmet more comfortable.
The sporting equipment supplier VICIS is the first to have taken a license from the laboratory to use the new material for his football helmets. The arrival of these new helmets on the motorcycle market, however, could take time because it may upset the current economic model in the sector, which is based on a regular purchase of equipment.