Kali Protectives has always been big on safety, and we like that they’re always working with new materials and processes to better protect our brains (and the heads that contain them). The latest new material comes to fruition in the Kali Pace, a $65 helmet that looks like something costing twice as much. It also has some very smart design touches to help keep the helmet looking good on and off your noggin. Here’s the details…
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Kali’s founder, Brad, thinks helmets are too hard. The whole point of the EPS foam inside helmets is to slow the impact speed as much as possible before it reaches your head. But if you feel how hard the EPS foam is inside your helmet, you’ll get an idea of how hard of an impact it would take to deform it. If that takes too long to crush and absorb the blow, then those forces are going through your head and into your brain. So, anything you can do to slow that down is good, right?
So, he’s incorporated various soft layers into the foam, including several multi-density EPS foams over the years. Now, he’s looking at a new LDL (Low Density Layer) material that will not only soften the blow, but also provide some rotational impact protection. The yellow LDL layer can flex, which lets the helmet twist slightly upon impact While MIPS has brought rotational impact awareness to the forefront, Kali has been seeking other, lighter ways to offer similar protection.
The other nice thing about the Pace is its looks. A fully enclosed outer protects it from being tossed around, and the seam between the upper and lower in-molded shells is tighter than anything they’ve ever done before…to the point where it looks like a single piece.
Last year, they upgraded their colors and accessories matching, too. So you’ll find color-matched straps and details throughout the line. All this on a $65 helmet makes the new Kali Pace a very compelling option when it comes out later this summer.
