Spotlight: Bern Watts Helmet
Bern Watts helmet
Just about every skate or dirt jumper helmet out there typically looks the same. The Bern Watts lid tries to blaze its own trail by creating a vented visor lid that is a little bit different than the rest. See the details inside.
The Bern helmet is pretty basic. Our Hard Hat version utilizes their patented multi-impact Brock foam to help protect your head in an impact but doesn’t specify any specific ratings or tests that it passes. The Hard Hat model is only intended to provide minimal protection where as the EPS foam helmet model provides more protection.
Brock multi-impact foam detail (click to enlarge)
The top of the helmet is vented quite nicely and the front has a small built in visor for a look unseen in typical dirt jumper helmets.
(click to enlarge)
The back of the helmet does come down over the head a bit more compared to other dirt jumper helmets and gives some additional coverage to this region.
(click to enlarge)
Bern helmets are designed to be all season helmets. The rear of the helmet features a clip for goggles but can be removed if desired. Inside you’ll find 4 snaps which are included on most Bern models to accomodate the addition of their warm or cold weather snap-in liner. Most of the Bern models come in different packaging forms with ability to tailor your helmet for cold weather, wet weather, or warm weather.
snap detail (click to enlarge)
The helmet is easy to fit and feels quite comfortable once it’s strapped on with the adjustable straps. The helmet is quite a bit more comfortable than a typical dirt jump helmet due to the way the helmet can flex a little bit and their foam placement. The Bern hard hat is comprised of three layers. A soft inner foam layer that has a nice soft feel, a denser secondary Brock multi-impact foam layer and the hard ABS plastic outer shell.
(click to enlarge)
Issues:
If you’re sending it large and need a helmet that can take hard blows, this helmet might not be for you since it doesn’t list any specific certifications or tests it has passed.
One thing we’d like to see in addition to having some helmet tests done (ASTM, CSPC, etc) is replaceable inner padding. The Brock foam liner is glued to the hard shell and the black padding material is glued to it. Without the option to remove the padding it can’t be cleaned as easily and it can quickly become unusable. It would be a welcome edition to have the ability to replace the black inner padding in the event of wear or other damage without trashing the whole helmet.
Sizing:
- S: 53.5cm - 55.5cm
- M: 55.5cm - 57cm
- L: 57cm - 59cm
- XL: 59cm - 60.5cm
Colors:
- Black, White (see more color options on the Bern website)
MSRP:
- $64.95
For more information and a place where you can purchase the Bern helmets and other fine products check out Ridesfo.com
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kinda resembles a batting helmet. i used to sell their snow helmets, they make a good product!!
The point of the soft foam is also that it can take multiple impacts in a row, and the eps can be hard to get a good fit, for some folks. the brock foam feels like the old skate foam, like the classic protecs have… i actually prefer it, because its lighter, more comfy, and i can get concussions from the weight/whiplash….
I wonder, why someone would want to wear a helmet that’s is not certified by any standard testing procedure. Even though it looks like a good and reasonable product, I would like to have the certainty that it protects my head when it has to. And exactly that certainty is missing….
This is not a helmet, it’s a hard hat. It even says that on the warning tag that comes on the helmet. Blows my mind that this company is selling people a false sense of security! I’m a little disappointed in Sicklines for posting this since this helmet is in no way a bicycle helmet, it’s labeled a “multi-sport” helmet because in order to specifically be sold as a bike helmet it would need to pass testing. That amount of Brock foam would never be capable of meeting ASTM standards. Besides all that, IMO this “helmet” is very ugly. I think the Faction is the best looking certified helmet that doesn’t make your head look like a mushroom….and best of all it will actually protect you to a level it’s supposed to!
also, doesn’t Greg Watts ride for Giro? Kinda strange that these guys name their helmet after him…it’s like they’re trying to benefit from him even though they don’t sponsor him haha.
Didn’t anybody else notice that this same model is offered with EPS foam? If you feel better riding a helmet that the government thinks is good, get the other foam, though it may crush all at once, you’ll have the CPSC compliance sticker to protect you too. I like that they have the option, the Brock foam sounds like it would hurt and get hurt less on small bumps.
Then perhaps Sicklnes should have reviewed the EPS foam/bike certified version instead of the non-bicycle (less safe) version. This is a bike-only site afterall…
[...] out Sick Lines review of the Bern Watts Helmet HERE. Click on pic to check out all our Bern Helmets at [...]