Hövding is the safest head protection ever

No cycle helmet has ever demonstrated such good results in the tests conducted by the independent French test institute Certimoov at the University of Strasbourg. Hövding was shown to provide superior protection and a dramatically reduced risk of brain injuries in all types of fall from a bike.

Certimoov has developed a test protocol for objective testing of the protection level of various helmets under conditions that are as similar to reality as possible. The 2020 test included 47 helmets for adults, and Hövding received the highest marks. In addition, in all the years in which Certimoov has been conducting tests, no cycle helmet has ever been shown to provide as good protection as Hövding.

Certimoov tests more than the test standard
For a cycle helmet to gain marketing authorisation in the EU, it must be certified in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/425 of 9 March 2016 on personal protective equipment (the PPE Regulation). However, the test standard only measures the shock absorption of the helmet in a straight impact. Certimoov has gone further by developing a test to also see how helmets cope with rotational force, which is a big risk for the brain in cycling accidents. Certimoov’s test recreates oblique impacts and, using a model of a brain, they are able to measure the effect on the brain in a collision. The helmets are then graded with stars from 0 to 5, according to their level of safety.

Hövding astounded everyone
In the extensive cycle helmet tests for which Certimoov has become known, no cycle helmet has ever come close to the results achieved by Hövding. The researchers at the University of Strasbourg write the following in the test report:

’The protection provided by Hövding reduces the risk of brain injuries considerably in all impact conditions.’

The results show that Hövding’s protection system provides a high level of protection, with a grade of 4.5 stars. The best other helmets tested achieved 4 stars. It is interesting that Hövding also provides good protection against lateral impact and oblique impact leading to rotation. It is quite clear that the protection provided by Hövding reduces the risk of brain injuries considerably in all impact conditions. With oblique impacts, the risk reduction is dramatic.

The researchers highlight two important features of Hövding in the test report:

• The airbag provides optimum protection for the neck and the back of the head.
• The airbag’s protection against brain injuries is better than that of any other helmet that the test institute has ever tested.

A test method developed by the University of Strasbourg
Bioengineers at the University of Strasbourg have been studying the biomechanics associated with head trauma in cyclists and motorcyclists in accidents since 1990. In 2014, they began working with the MAIF foundation, which was the starting point for the design of a test bank and an impact assessment method. The work also involved a large French motorcyclists’ association, Mutuelle des Motards, which led to Certimoov as it is today. In the 2020 tests, Certimoov also worked with three other national and international research and test organisations: ICRT (International Consumer Research and Testing), DSR (Délégation à la Sécurité Routière) and ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club).

READ MORE: See Hövding’s test results and read more about Certimoov