In a never ending quest for better fit and better safety, MIPS has recently partnered with Boa. As masters of the dial fit system, Boa seems like a natural choice for MIPS to create a fit system – MIPS hybrid. The new design is said to simplify and improve the fit of existing MIPS helmets by removing some of the complexity.
Starting with the Low Friction Layer (LFL), MIPS has adapted it to directly include the Boa Fit System. Instead of the Boa laces being anchored into the helmet on top of the LFL, the laces now anchor into the front of the LFL through low friction guides at each temple. This allows the entire LFL to cinch down on the head as you tighten the Boa dial at the back of the helmet. The resulting fit is surprisingly snug for better comfort and it retains the MIPS safety.
You may also note that the LFL lacks the visible anchor points of past MIPS designs. That’s thanks to the new method of providing the 10-15mm of LFL movement that’s hidden underneath.
Instead of the previous method (shown above) which attached the LFL to the elastomers with a button anchor, the new system uses small elastomer dots with velcro on both sides. That way you still get the same movement even under high point loading, but without the potential to snag and pull longer hairs.
However, that technology is not exclusive to the MIPS B-Series Boa system. Instead, you’ll find the MIPS A-Series system on a number of helmets in the future with standard retention systems. You’ll also start to see more custom implementations of the MIPS and systems it seems with helmets like the new Oakley DRT5 which uses something called the Boa FS1-1 system with a MIPS liner for a very unique fit.
