On the Topic Of Smart Helmets

In the wild world of helmets out there, there are some interesting options that integrate smart headlight / tail light functions into the aesthetic and build of the helmet. I see these as being a pretty great option to increase your visibility at night, however, they must of course stay up-to-date in the actual protection category as well. Here’s a couple options that I’ve seen recently.

One is Xnito. They are preparing to launch their Indiegogo campaign for their new smart helmet that claims to have some of the highest safety ratings in its class (better than MIPS?). It is a half-shell helmet with an old-school style. You can find their website here:

Another option is Unit1. These helmets are already released and are quite pricey:
I think this one is the coolest out of the bunch.

Here’s another I found, the Lumos helmets. They are also quite expensive and look kind of tacky imo, but they’re on Amazon and seem to have good reviews:

Anyways, this is the place to discuss “Smart Helmets” and I’d like you guys to answer this poll. I was contacted by Xnito after I posted a picture of it on my Instagram story, and they are wondering what the market price should be for the helmet (I don’t really know what their intention is but I figured I’d come here to get an answer)

How much would you pay for the Xnito helmet? For me, I would love to see it around $80-100. Skate helmets can be had for much less than that (my TSG Meta was $35) and although it has some cool stuff I can’t imagine paying much more than that for a half shell. What do you guys think? Poll below \/\/

How Much Would You Pay for the Xnito Smart Helmet?
  • $20-30
  • $30-40
  • $40-50
  • $50-75
  • $75-100
  • $100-150
  • $150-200
  • $200-$250
  • $250+

0 voters

2 Likes

i dont think you can call a helmet a smart helmet with nothing but integrated lights. when i think of a smart helmet, i want a heads up display, gps in the corner, and bluetooth speakers, bare minimum.

14 Likes

Lol that is a good point, it would be cool if that existed

What should these be called then?

just helmets with integrated lights, idk. its a cool feature, but i want a lot more before id really call it smart. there are some badass motorcycle smart helmets. the crosshelmet and the argon system in particular come to mind, AR helmet tech has massive potential.

2 Likes

Okay well in that case, vote on the poll for how much you’d pay for a “light up helmet” then

2 Likes

Don’t want piss in anyone’s cereal, but I’m not too keen on smart helmets. Truly smart usually means pricy (a board telemetry HUD in the helmet is what I’d call smart, for example). Now if you do take a nice spill and hit your head, the helmet should ideally eat up the brunt of the force and get damaged. Therefore, the last thing I want to worry about is destroying my helmet. Maybe if the smart portion is a module you can easily swap out and just keep buying fresh shells?

3 Likes

Lol I know right

Although I already worry about this with my $300 full face - at least I’m keeping my head safe though.

Not a bad idea

5 Likes

the problem for me, and likely all of us, is the price. there ARE modular systems that you can install in the helmet of your choice, like argon and eyelights, but they are EXPENSIVE. like, cost more than the helmet youre putting them in. id be in, if and when the price point is cut down to lets say $250 or so.

1 Like

Yeah especially when we can buy things to strap on our boards that perform some of the same functions

Nothing less then a full face is in my consideration.

Let me know when a full face becomes smart :joy:

7 Likes

an ideal solution imo would be simple in helmet speakers, and an OLED projector for the hud, seems to be the best display option. the problems arise when you add in processor and reverse cam and whatnot. if it could somehow run all of the processing through your phone, that would be ideal as you wouldnt be risking the most expensive part by keeping it on helmet.

It would be interesting if you could project onto the inside of your visor on a full face

thats exactly how they work, actually.

1 Like

I mean a normal visor, not a special expensive one - I haven’t done any research on this though

yeah, thats another huge price jump. OLED prism tech already runs a few hundred… and then you reach a whole new level of “i cant afford this.”

2 Likes

HAH JEEZ LMAO

1 Like

i know right? x.x

Ngl I wanted to bring this up too but thought I’d be laughed at for mentioning something that looks like AliExpress search engine optimization nonsense targeted at the Xiaomi scooter crowd

Well here we are, I don’t care if you laugh at it, it’s not my product :rofl:

I actually think some of them look decent, if you don’t have board lights, at least you’re more visible with something like this

Not seen the xnito before but anything that meets the NTA standard are usually good helmets.

The Lumos lights are great but personally I think it’s one of the most uncomfortable helmets I’ve ever had the misfortune of wearing. All the Lumos models are the same fit wise

The Giro Bexley and camden are a great option if you only want rear light. It’s large lit surface makes it very easy to see without being obnoxiously bright. And it’s rated for ebike use which means higher rate impact speeds than most helmets.

Plus a side out eye visor is super handy. It’s comfy. And optional padded Ear warmers for winter. Full retro reflective surface. It’s really a helmet designed for PEV use.

giro-bexley-mips-helmet-matte-titanium-1

FWIW MIPS is mostly marketing bs and is based on questionable science that many dispute.

1 Like