Folksam Releases Results from Latest Helmet Tests

The Swedish insurance agency awarded top-performing helmets the ‘Good Choice’ label, moving beyond the “pass/fail” helmet safety tests of the past.

The Swedish insurance group, Folksam, has released the results from its latest testing of both adult and child bicycle helmets. Since 2012, Folksam has carried out consumer tests of bicycle, ski, and equestrian helmets to help consumers choose safe helmets and encourage manufacturers to make safer products.

The top performing helmets in this latest bicycling helmet test were awarded the ‘Good Choice’ label. Three adult helmets were awarded the ‘Good Choice’ label and two children helmets were awarded, all five of which are outfitted with MIPS (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System), the world’s leading brain protection solution.

Over the last seven years, Folksam has conducted eleven consumer helmet tests: seven bicycle helmet tests, two equestrian helmet tests, and two ski helmet tests.

Like the ongoing Virginia Tech helmet safety ratings , the Folksam tests provide authoritative third-party information on head protection so that consumers can balance safety against

purchasing factors like fit, design, and price. Historically, helmets have been granted a “pass/fail” designation from consumer testing groups whose criteria have remained unchanged for decades.

In total three adult helmets obtained the Folksam good choice label: Giro Aether MIPS, Specialized Propero 3 Angi MIPS and Tec Nice MIPS. These helmets performed up to 36% better than the average helmet, and all are fitted with MIPS to reduce damaging rotational motion upon impact. In total, two child helmets obtained the Folksam Good Choice label: Tec Boo MIPS and Tec Lelle MIPS. These helmets performed up to 44% better than the average helmet, and both are also fitted with MIPS. In an effort to prove the relevance of including rotational motion in consumer tests and legal requirements, Folksam has conducted these tests to show that there is a link between rotational motion and strain in the grey matter of the brain. Folksam states that in the future, legal helmet requirements should therefore ensure a good performance for rotational loading as well. However, the insurance agency acknowledges that before this happens, consumer tests play an important role in informing and guiding consumers in their choice of helmets.