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Most helmets are meant to absorb one good
impact, one crass and then they need to be replaced. When a helmet
deflects a gate, the problem is that the energy does not
disappear. The energy is partly absorbed by the helemt's EPS liner
(a single-impact material). After a few good deflections,
(especially if it is repeated in the same general area) you have
to expect that the liner starts to be "used up or deteriorates" then it may not be ready for a major crash.
POC develops performance race products, in accordance with the
mission: to possibly save lives and reduce consequences of
accidents. Since the first generation of Skull Comp helmets that
were launched in 05/06, the helmets have been in constant
development, for general improvements and to avoid unintentional
breakage.
The POC Lab
The concept behind POC racing helmets is to provide improved shock
absorption on impact in a crash, by using a thin outer shell that
will deform from the outside to absorb energy and eventually
deconstruct, for even great energy absorption. As the shell
deconstructs, we get up to 20% lower G forces. This is energy that
would otherwise propagate toward the brain.
It's a balance to engineer the shell to withstand daily wear and
tear and to deflect gates, especially at high speeds and to
perform intentionally when needed to minimize the stress on the
brain in a crash.
Experimenting On the Race Course
What we have experienced during the short history of the helmet is
that the style of racing has changed very fast, with athletes
attacking and deflecting gates with their head/helmets, to a much
large degree, from year to year. That led us to a question: What
is the actual G force propagated to one's head when deflection a
gate in a fast GS or SG? Starting to measure the forces on skiers,
using accelerometers inside the helmet, the results were both
surprising and shocking. The forces deflecting a gate with the
head, even in a slow GS can exceed 75 G, which is similar to the
force of a head to head crash at full speed in football. Realizing
that, together with the fact that some ski racers may experience
those forces 2-4 times per run, was a bit upsetting so POC has
made significant design upgrades to our 2010 race helmet line.
How Has POC Reacted to Protect You?
First, we have replaced the liner material, from a single-impact
EPS to multi-impact EPP. The new Super EPP has the same energy
absorption properties as the EPS. As it is multi-impact, different
from EPS which deconstructs permanently on impact, it will
withstand repetitive hitting on the same spot, with very limited
regression, performance wise, over time. As some ski racers
probably have between 200-1000 hits to their helmets every season,
it's an issue.
Secondly, POC has reengineered the Skull Comp and Skull X shells
this season, to manage unintentional and tough hits. It is a
delicate balancing act to have a shell that is strong enough to
withstand the force of hitting/deflection gates at 40-65 mph and
still is able to absorb energy during a serious crash.
A general conclusion, even with POC's new technology, a racing
helmet is still a precious safety device that wears out over time.
No matter which helmet or brand you prefer, a racing helmet needs
to be replaced on an annual basis, to do its job properly, just as
with skis, buckles, gloves or the boot liner.
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