*This is an article I wrote for the Summer 24 issue of Morzine Source Magazine, but it seems much more relevant over here!
Usually while I’m waxing lyrical, describing how our Piste X Code campaign aims to reduce the number of avoidable collisions and improve bad behaviour on our ski slopes.
And accidents do happen, we’d be fools to believe that we can ever prevent all injuries in the mountains. Imagine! So while my friend and local physiotherapist Louise Paley and I continue to chip away at this (often overwhelming) problem, we also have the support of POC Sports, where the mission is simply this; to do everything they can to develop protective equipment that can save lives and reduce the severity of accidents for gravity sports athletes and those aspiring to be them. Accidents happen, but if POC have their way, we’ll all be better protected to withstand the repercussions.
It’s been fascinating – and inspiring – to partner with POC on our Piste X Code campaign for several reasons. Their commitment to setting new standards in the equipment designed to protect our bodies from injury is astounding. With technical solutions, construction innovation, new material combinations and cutting-edge engineering, the team incrementally implement superior impact absorption. This continuous research and development comes first at POC and is best demonstrated at the POC Lab at the company headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.
The POC Lab’s purpose is to question conventions and to raise the bar across the protective equipment industry. Within the scientific forum, global experts from a range of disciplines, including X Games athletes, Olympic cyclists and World Cup Skiers come together with renowned medical experts. Feedback from everyday users is also considered in the pursuit of technological innovation. POC want to be the first company to first introduce new materials, ideas and technologies for their athletes, and the rest of us; this is an unwavering mission and their efforts are relentless.
Trends come and go but I think it’s fair to say that most of us wear a ski helmet these days; even greater numbers wear a helmet to cycle. But is it the right helmet? Does it even fit you properly? “Any certified helmet that is worn correctly protects better than no helmet at all,” Dani Odesser, POC communications representative tells me. “When it comes to equipment that can potentially make the difference between life and death, don’t save money; make a conscious, well-informed purchasing decision,” Dani continues. POC develop helmets that are as lightweight as possible, but at the same time material is never sacrificed in favour of weight, which is crucial for safety. They also know that the safest helmet is the one that you actually like to wear, so aspects such as fit and ventilation become equally important. “The situation is different for children’s helmets,” Dani explains. “POC have identified that certain weight recommendations apply for certain age groups, due to their musculature. Children also have different fall and injury patters to adults,” Dani concludes.
We’ve all been there though; trying to determine the correct size of your head – or, even more difficult, your child’s head – before ordering a new helmet. The objective is always to find a helmet that fits snugly, in a comfortable way. POC have some very specific, well-rehearsed instructions for this. Firstly, run a tape measure around your head, just above your ears to determine the correct size. POC helmets also include 360-degree adjustment technology, meaning you can make fine adjustments for the perfect fit. Chin straps should fit close to the chin, but not cut in. They also recommend the ‘head banging test’ to determine whether a helmet fits tightly enough.
Embarrassingly, (especially in light of our partnership with POC), I’ve been wearing the same ski helmet for eight years. I always intend to replace it, but never do. I will this winter, I promise. “Today’s helmets are made of different synthetic materials,” Dani explains. “These have a limited lifespan.” POC recommends that we replace our helmets after three years and if your helmet experiences an impact during an accident, you should replace it immediately. “Invisible damage to the helmet can affect its protective performance,” Dani tells me. Extreme temperature fluctuations and the frequency of use can also affect the protective performance of your helmet.
You may or may not have heard of MIPS (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System) technology, which is designed to reduce rotational motion to the head on impact, in much the same way as the brain’s own protective system. POC helmets feature MIPS technology, but Dani cautions against purchasing a helmet based on just one safety feature. “The interaction of all aspects and technologies of a helmer is decisive in terms of safety, not just individual components,” she states. A helmet should protect your head before, during and after an impact, so POC work according to a “Whole Helmet ConceptTM”. The design of a helmet, and it’s highly visible colours, are just as important as the choice of materials for the shell and the lining. “Comfort and ventilation are just as important, because only a comfortable helmet is worn with pleasure,” Dani tells me.
Whilst my own helmet may be ancient, it goes without saying that my little boys have had more ski and bike helmets than hot dinners over the years. POCito is the POC Sports range dedicated to children aged between four and ten years, “but these aren’t shrink-fit helmets for adults,” Dani explains. “These are helmets specifically designed for children’s heads and they include the same safety features, the same ethos, the same technology, as adult helmets,” Dani continues. Whether on the slopes or on the trails, children fall from a different height, at different speeds, they have a different weight and a different bone structure to adults; POC takes all of these things into account when designing both summer and winter specific helmets for the POCito range. We’re also huge fans of the POCito back protectors Chez Source, the joint protectors are best in class for little knees and elbows during the warmer months and our recently-discovered liner vest in fluorescent orange makes for a versatile layer when the mountain weather changes.
“Accidents happen,” I know, but Louise and I won’t accept the inevitability of this statement. We all need to have more respect for each other in the mountains, protect ourselves and do everything possible to avoid collisions with others. In the meantime, make sure your protective equipment is as good as it can possibly be.
For more information on the Piste X Code campaign head to pistexcode.org. You’ll find the full POC Sports range at pocsports.com.
