Kask has redesigned its Protone aero-vented helmet, with its successor launched as the Protone Icon. Kask claims the new design increases comfort and performance, as well as updating the looks of the original.
All that said, the new Protone Icon looks very similar to the original Protone, which we rate as one of the best road bike helmets.
There are similar-looking venting and exhaust ports, with eight at the front and six at the back. However, while Kask says the outer structure is broadly similar to the original, it’s reworked the new Protone Icon’s internal frame structure to improve the helmet's ventilation and aerodynamic performance.
The new helmet has a claimed weight of 230g for a size medium – the same as the outgoing Protone – and will be available immediately in most territories for £245 / $299.95 / €275 / AU$409.
A lot to live up to
The original Kask Protone has an impressive history, with Kask saying it’s been worn to five Tour de France victories, three Giro d’Italia wins and two Vuelta a España successes, as well as a total of four Olympic gold medals from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
That’s largely thanks to Kask’s long-standing relationship with the Ineos Grenadiers pro team and its predecessors, going back to Team Sky’s establishment in 2010. The Protone has been a fixture on the heads of Ineos Grenadiers riders since 2014.
Kask says the comfort and stability of the Protone Icon have been improved over the original Protone, thanks in part to the new Octafit+ retention system, which the Italian brand says includes a new cradle, rubber inserts and a stabiliser that connects across a wider area of the nape of the neck.
There’s a new cradle adjuster, too, with a larger dial and added grippy rubber. Octafit+ is also said to be ponytail-friendly. Inside the helmet, you'll find removable, washable Coolmax pads that are absorbent and quick-drying, according to Kask.
With rotational impact protection being an important design feature of modern bike helmets, Kask has apparently used its own testing protocol to ensure the Protone Icon is reliable in such crashes, although there isn't much detail on that in Kask's press material.
Unlike many of the latest road helmets, the Protone Icon doesn’t incorporate MIPS. Kask says that standard tests use a headform that has much higher friction against the inside of the helmet than a human skull, and so they do not accurately reflect what would happen in a crash. Instead, Kask says its tests are designed to better mimic reality.
Kask Protone Icon specifications
The Protone Icon is available in three sizes to fit heads from 50cm to 62cm in circumference.
There are 10 different colours to choose from, in gloss and matt finishes.
Kask claims a size-medium helmet weighs 230 grams, the same as the original model.
- Weight: 230g (size M)
- Sizes: S, M, L to fit heads from 50cm to 62cm
- Colours: 10
- Price: £245 / $299.95 / €275 / AU$409
- Availability: Immediate (except in Australia, where it's from October)
