Catlike’s new Yelmo trail helmet is claiming to be the first to offer an integrated action cam mount, actually tested & approved for use with your GoPro camera. As more cyclists ride with action cams, most of us are strapping the devices to our heads without fully appreciating how they actually affect the safety of the helmet, and in many cases that can expose riders to additional risk in the even of a crash. We’ve seen a few reasonable solutions, like mounts on the break-away visors of full face helmets, but the Yelmo takes a new approach with a break-away attachment system set into the helmet’s outer shell…
The Yelmo’s accessory mount is a small piece of engineered plastic whose design earned it the European and American homologation. The material is designed to be strong enough to stably support the weight of a GoPro without affecting video capture, yet still retains enough flexibility to break away from the helmet if impacted at an angle where the camera would affect the helmet’s performance in a crash. That way the helmet-mounted accessory will never degrade the performance of the EPS’s impact absorption or in theory never to cause the helmet to overly rotate.
Besides the obvious benefit of increased safety for riders, Catlike says that their homologated (that means tested & approved) solution protects cyclists riding with helmet mounted cameras or lights in the eyes of insurance companies who can in some cases scoff at the idea a rider was not using their helmet properly. While that is not something we like to have to think about, tested & approved certainly sounds like a good idea.
The Catlike Yelmo has been under development for just under a year to put the final design with its new integrated attachment system through dozens of successfully passed safety tests. Passing impact tests without being compromised by the GoPro is one element, but the Yelmo extends protection beyond that. The new Yelmo also includes a new wrap-around Boa retention system to make sure the helmet stays securely attached to your head.
Built for aggressive trail use and capturing that ride by GoPro, the Yelmo is a very goggle-friendly lid and gets extended rear coverage over the base of the skull. It incorporates an adjustable and detachable visor that lets you set it where you want, or move it out of the way to make space for a pair of goggles. It also gets textured side panels and an integrated clip at the back to keep your goggle strap from moving around.
The helmet has 22 oval vents to move air through, with a goal of maintaining Catlike’s focus on excellent ventilation.
The made-in-Murcia, Spain Yelmo comes in three sizes to fit heads from 54-62cm and sells for $180/140€. It is available in eight color schemes, but us slated to join Catlike’s customization program where you can pick a wide range of colors for each individual component, plus customize it with your own name or logo, all with less than a month’s lead time.
Catlike.es now Catlike.com
