The Hedkayse ONE is a folding cycle helmet that remains reusable even after a crash. It is made from a patented helmet design that is unique in the world of cycling helmets.
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How is the Hedkayse different to typical helmets?
Conventional helmets are, typically, made from polystyrene, which is designed to crumple or compress in the event of a crash. This is what provides the shock absorbing quality of a helmet.
The Hedkayse ONE differs by instead being made from ‘Enkayse’, the brand’s own patented material.
In the hand, this feels like very firm memory foam and returns to its original shape when compressed.
Exactly what is Enkayse?
I asked Hedkayse if it could disclose exactly what Enkayse is but, understandably, it was not forthcoming in wanting to spill its trade secrets.
Hedkayse could tell us that it is a "proprietary polymer material", and that it's the closest relative is, indeed, memory foam.
Why is this a good thing?
Using this material means the helmet is said to be good for multiple impacts, big or small, and if you take a spill you should be okay to keep using it. This is a unique trait in the world of helmets.
This also means that the helmet will, in theory, last the test of time, shrugging off the inevitable small knocks and bumps that a helmet faces in day-to-day life.
This squidgy construction also means that the helmet can be folded and compressed into a smaller package — up to 50 percent smaller than its full size according to Hedkayse.
The flexible helmet is said to fit heads from 49cm all the way through to 58.5cm. This is a remarkably wide range but we are yet to find a dome on the BikeRadar team that it won’t fit. Impressive stuff.
The Enkayse material itself is encased (get it?) within a super-strong nylon fabric that Hedkayse calls TAF (Tough and Flexible). This can be washed with light soap.
The low friction surface of the material is also said “to reduce tugging forces from the road surface in the event of a crash”.
The helmet is secured using a quick-release ratchet strap that Hedkayse calls the QARC (jings, these guys do love an acronym).
This is not dissimilar to ratchet straps often seen on cycling shoes but can be released by pulling on a small fabric tab. In practice, this works remarkably well and is very easy to do one-handed.
Our sample weighs 502g on the BikeRadar scales of truth, which is a fair chunk over the 420g claimed on the Hedkayse site.
The helmet is available in seven different colours and costs £150. So far, the helmet has only been accredited for use in the EU, so it is not yet available in the US or Australia.
What do you think of the Hedkayse ONE? Is it trying to fill a niche that doesn’t exist or is it just the tool you need in your life? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
