Unbreakable – A Giant Leap in Helmet Technology

Piece written by George Fox, Managing Director at Hedkayse.

We believe that our heads are worth protecting and have made it our mission to provide the safest head protection possible for cyclists. Since 2013 we have been developing a high performance impact material called ‘Enkayse™️’ that we use in our helmet liners.  Enkayse™️ is unlike any other protection material as it does not permanently deform or break upon impact….it recovers.  This means that the Hedkayse|ONE is the world’s first truly multi-impact cycle helmet, providing unparalleled protection.

It all started when founders Tony Walker and Andy Creak were working in London and found it incredibly annoying when rocking up to client meetings, with a bulky cycle helmet left in the corner of the room…Not Cool.

They dreamt of a helmet that can fold up into your bag. These exist already, however the protective liner that keeps you safe is still extremely fragile (Expanded Polystyrene). This is why helmet manufacturers recommend you replace your helmet after 12 months. Especially when you are commuting, your helmet has to withstand the everyday rough and tumble while still protecting you. Surely there is a better way?

This meant that we had to completely rethink head protection, reinventing the material they are made from. After thousands of tests and hundreds of different formulations we discovered the an unbreakable answer which recovers after impacts, whether hot or cold, wet or dry. We called this material Enkayse™️.

The Multi-impact performance of Enkayse™️ is being recognised across a huge range of sports sectors. We are driving head protection innovation and believe that introducing our liner material into different sports is going to change the face of helmet technology forever. Enkayse™️ is the first material of its kind to be stable at temperature extremes, making it suitable for legal certification.

We showcase Enkayse™️ in the Hedkayse|ONE cycle helmet. The key features of the helmet are: Multi-impact, Foldable to 50% width, One size fits all, memory foam-like comfort. The Hedkayse|ONE is the ‘steel toe cap boot’ of the cycling helmet industry.

Hedkayse has always been about change. Our drive is to reduce the amount of single use helmets ending up in landfill, there is no need to throw away the Hedkayse|ONE after an impact. In addition to this, we also ensure the carbon released during the manufacture of each Hedkayse Helmet is offset, as seen on our zellar profile: https://zellar.com/profile/105.  Looking after the environment is at the heart of what we do. We have also invested in 100 years of peatland restoration with Caledonian Climate on our journey to become carbon neutral. Investing in schemes close to home is important to us as we ensure everything from source to manufacture is in the UK.