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The 3D-printed Hexr cycling helmet, built around a honeycomb core, is now shipping to customers, following six months of ‘rigorous’ safety testing and design.
The current safety standards are designed to mimic actual head impacts by dropping a head-form with a helmet with a certain velocity onto an anvil. The maximum deceleration is measured and must be below the standard’s limit, which is typically between 250 and 300 grams (one gram is equal to the force of Earth’s gravity). The Hexr comes in at 144 grams.
Jamie Cook, co-founder of Hexr said: “Innovation in helmet design has progressed little beyond advances in aerodynamics. Astonishingly, the fundamental materials used to build helmets have remained mostly unchanged from when foam helmets were first developed in the late 1960s.
“Using innovative 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies, we are reinventing the helmet design and shopping experience, bringing a level of customisation and personalisation never seen before to deliver breakthrough safety, fit and performance.”
Hexr’s 3D scanning software delivers an ‘exact fit’ for each customer. Having identified a typical fit tolerance of around two centimetres in several traditional foam-lined helmets, Cook teamed up with co-founder Henry Neilson to develop the 3D scanning platform from which each Hexr helmet is built. Since its foundation in 2018, Hexr has studied over 3,200 cyclists to ensure that its process offers the perfect helmet fit for all riders.
Its outer shell is sculpted with insight from TotalSim, British Cycling’s aerodynamics partner for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
To ensure the delivery of a tailored and premium offer throughout the fitting and buying experience, the company will send out an iPad loaded with its bespoke, 3D scanning software to a customer anywhere in Europe. Once the data is received, the helmet is 3D printed from the digital mould.
The helmet features removable, washable padding and an optional ratchet system. The ratchet can be dialled up to tighten the helmet against the head, or simply removed.
Hexr also offers optional custom engraving, an inbuilt sunglasses holder and a removable lid that can be swapped out for alternative designs, in partnership with custom cycling company WyndyMilla and its studio WM Paintworks.
Hexr is available now, with a recommended retail price of £349, including a complimentary 3D head scan. For more information on where to receive a 3D scan, or how to purchase, visit www.HEXR.com.
