Looking for a MIPS hat

[Birker2020]

I'm researching MIPS riding hats and wondered if anyone who rode in one had suffered concussion whilst wearing one? Did it minimise your concussion?

The prices seem to vary hugely, are some more superior than others (in term of MIPS capabilities) or are they more expensive due to exterior finish?

I have a history of concussions, and although I know they won't prevent head injuries, they do/can lessen the severity by reducing the rotational force.

I was looking around the £120 - £160 price range. Need navy. I particuarly like the Charles Owen Kylo. Will get it fitted.

 

[ester]

The mips components themselves are pretty simple (and cheap in cycling helmets so I think the price differences are likely due to everything else- though TBH the pricing of hats confuses me generally.

They do tend to fit differently to their non mips comparisons, so a CO JS1 doesn't really fit me very well, the MS1 is the best fitting hat I've ever had .

 

[Britestar]

I really liked the look of the Kylo, but when fitted it was totally the wrong shape for my head, and I found the tightening process most unpleasant.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I really liked the look of the Kylo, but when fitted it was totally the wrong shape for my head, and I found the tightening process most unpleasant.

Would you say the Kylo is for more of a round or oval shape head?

 

[Britestar]

Would you say the Kylo is for more of a round or oval shape head?

Very much a round head. I've an oval head and have happily worn an Ayr8 for years.

Ended up buying a junior ayr8.

 

[dixie]

I got concussion in my mips hat
It was the cheaper end of the market.
I’d probably get another but would choose a Charles Owen rather than the flimsy Uvex one I bought.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

MIPS doesn't necessarily prevent every concussion, but some helmets could be better than others. Champion has some MIPS skullcaps (and maybe helmets) that receive very high ratings.

I've had the hardest time finding a MIPS helmet. My head is apparently too oval and tall I've tried on quite a few!

 

[Fastasflames]

the Charles Owen 'MyPS' is a good , deep fit. I dont fancy the Kylo for the reasons above.

 

[ester]

realistically the mips mechanism can only move so far so if your rotation goes past that its still a concussion risk.

 

[Birker2020]

Very much a round head. I've an oval head and have happily worn an Ayr8 for years.

Ended up buying a junior ayr8.

It might suit me then as I get on with champion hats and they are for round heads aren't they?

 

[Birker2020]

I got concussion in my mips hat
It was the cheaper end of the market.
I’d probably get another but would choose a Charles Owen rather than the flimsy Uvex one I bought.

Thank you. Interesting.

 

[Birker2020]

realistically the mips mechanism can only move so far so if your rotation goes past that its still a concussion risk.

Yep appreciate that but I need to negate as much as possible as I have previous concussion history and increased chance of dementia due to this.

You can only do what you can do.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I fell on the road in mine and was absolutely fine. Surprisingly so!

I was less fine the last time I fell on a road without a MIPS hat in a similiar fall.

I have a Uvex Exxential (Essential?) with MIPS and really rate it.

 

[SpotsandBays]

I tried a Champion and it was extremely gappy at the sides for me. (I could slide my fingers up each side as there was so much room despite fitting the front and back ok).
Charles Owen (skull) was the one I went for in the end

 

[Tiddlypom]

Go somewhere with a choice of Mips hats that you can try on. The big Hope Valley store at Somerford for eg.

The big Naylors at Cannock disappointingly just has just one MIPs hat, the Eqx Kylo, and it was hopeless on me. I love my lightweight Uvex Exxential 11 with MIPs, it’s the most comfortable hat that I've ever had.

I can’t remember what shape my head is, but formerly I was in a Gatehouse HS1 - a huge mushroom shaped monstrosity in my size 3, then a Charles Owen JS1.

 

[Fastasflames]

I got concussion in my mips hat
It was the cheaper end of the market.
I’d probably get another but would choose a Charles Owen rather than the flimsy Uvex one I bought.

I agree that mips or not, you get what you pay for. Interestingly the only time (**touches wood**) I got concussion was wearing one of those slimline fancy gatehouse helmet which was cheaper in comparison to anything else I have ever had. I have hit my head more times than I can remember in fairly nasty falls and have never experienced anything like that, it was like falling off with no hat on. I went back to Charles Owen / Champion at the higher end of the range for everything (i still wouldnt touch the CO kylo or luna personally or anything else lightweight, low profile and with a dial), I have the MyPS for hacking and a Pro2 skullhat, and an AYR8 for shows. I did ask charles owen if they were bringing out the Ayr8 with Mips and they said there are no plans at the moment but that the Ayr8 is one of the highest scoring hats across all tests anyway. Of all the things I wont scrimp on, it's a hat and that includes being vigilant about replacing a hat after a fall or after 3 -5 years.

 

[Abacus]

I'm researching MIPS riding hats and wondered if anyone who rode in one had suffered concussion whilst wearing one? Did it minimise your concussion?

The prices seem to vary hugely, are some more superior than others (in term of MIPS capabilities) or are they more expensive due to exterior finish?

I have a history of concussions, and although I know they won't prevent head injuries, they do/can lessen the severity by reducing the rotational force.

I was looking around the £120 - £160 price range. Need navy. I particuarly like the Charles Owen Kylo. Will get it fitted.

A bit obvious, but there is no way of knowing after a bang to the head if the hat worn at that time was better or worse than others would have been. Every bang is different. You can't compare how you were injured in a MIPs hat compared with a non-MIPs hat even if you have an impressive history of falling off and banging your head with a variety of headgear.

I'm sure you've found this in your research but MIPs approved hats have to be 10% better at handling rotational impact than a non-MIPs version but some may be much better than this.There is some doubt though about MIPS technology in that it is meant to allow a tiny amount of movement between the head and helmet after an accident which is better at coping with rotational impacts - but the caveat is that this is in an 'unconstrained' head. If head movement is hampered (i.e. by being attached to a neck and a body) this 'good' movement may be lessened, or in fact the technology might make little difference to the harm done.

MIPs do not publish information about how well hats passed their tests so, disappointingly, it's hard to know which are the better ones out there. I'm sure it's true that branding and exterior finish play a large part in the price tag. The concept sounds good but that said, not every fall results in a rotational impact and other standards need to apply to protect against linear impact - so in some falls, some MIPs hats may be worse than something else. Minefield!

It would definitely be for the public good for safety information to be published in a way that allowed for comparison across all hats and helmets but apparently MIPs and manufacturers won't do it because they may be sued if they claim something is the 'safest' but someone gets hurt more badly (hard to prove) because they based their purchase on that information.

 

[Birker2020]

Go somewhere with a choice of Mips hats that you can try on. The big Hope Valley store at Somerford for eg.

The big Naylors at Cannock disappointingly just has just one MIPs hat, the Eqx Kylo, and it was hopeless on me. I love my lightweight Uvex Exxential 11 with MIPs, it’s the most comfortable hat that I've ever had.

I can’t remember what shape my head is, but formerly I was in a Gatehouse HS1 - a huge mushroom shaped monstrosity in my size 3, then a Charles Owen JS1.

Yes I will go to Townsfield as they seem to have a variety, I bought my lovely Shires Karben Sienna hat from them.