Kask has lastly launched its new flagship helmet, the Kask Nivarna.
The helmet has already been displayed on the heads of the Ineos Grenadiers for round six months, but it surely’s now out there to the general public, permitting us to shed some gentle on precisely what number of watts masking up your ears can save.
Kask is claiming as much as a ten watt enchancment to aerodynamic efficiency, in addition to higher cooling because of an improved air flow system, all in a 270 gram package deal.
The brand new Nivarna is geared toward highway racers and triathletes
(Picture credit score: Kask)
10 watt financial savings
In 2024 there have been a complete host of attention-grabbing – to say the least – aerodynamic optimisations, to headwear. Whether or not it’s Poc’s new time trial-esque highway race helmet, or Dylan Groenewegen’s aero ‘beak sun shades’.
The pattern although, was actually kicked off by Kask again in January, when Ineos riders have been noticed using what we now know to be the Nivarna.
Carlos Rodriguez seen sporting the brand new Nivarna within the Tour de France
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Kask’s headline determine is that the brand new Nivarna offers a 35% enhance in aerodynamic efficiency over the ‘greatest aero helmets in its class’, however maybe a extra helpful metric is to have a look at evaluating the brand new Nivarna to the outdated Kask Utopia Y helmet.
Making this comparability, the brand new ear tucking helmet saves a claimed 4.4 watts at 45kph, 6.0 watts at 10.4 watts at 60kph – undoubtedly a formidable enchancment, albeit after all, at race speeds.
The helmet simply covers the ideas of your ears.
(Picture credit score: Kask)
The helmet, Kask says has been completely designed to be the very best helmet purely for racers, therefore the upper speeds for the model’s testing protocol. The aerodynamic good points are the fruits of numerous computational fluid dynamic runs, which finally led to the ear masking form we see immediately.
Because of the nature of our ears protruding considerably, they have a tendency to trigger airflow to ‘detach’ from the helmet, which Kask says is detrimental to aerodynamic efficiency. By masking the ear suggestions, Kask has been in a position to preserve airflow extra uniform over the top, which is after all a necessary a part of the overall system.
Whether or not it will result in your ears being uncomfortably heat or not, stays to be seen, but it surely’s definitely one thing we will probably be placing to the check.
Elevated ventialtion
Whereas aerodynamics could have been the thrill phrase in biking for an excellent decade and a half now, one thing else which is turning into more and more talked about is physique temperature administration. Aero helmets, resulting from fewer vents, can usually wrestle on this division, making Kasks claimed 19% enchancment in airflow slightly necessary.
As talked about above, the brand new Nivarna options simply 4 vents on the entrance, two vertical vents, and two horizontal vents. Intuitively then, you’d assume that the brand new helmet may not cool in addition to the Utopia, however what Kask discovered is that totally different areas of the top are hotter and cooler, so air flow placement might help to enhance cooling.
A large rear vent helps to speed up air excessive of your head
(Picture credit score: Kask)
Aligning the primary vents with the elements of the top which are usually hottest, Kask has managed to enhance thermal effectivity of the helmet. This has additionally been helped by the manufacturers 3D printed Multipod padding, which permits air to movement extra freely contained in the helmet.
Improved security
Alongside different enhancements, Kask has additionally up to date the Nivarna’s internals, bringing it inline with its vary topping Elemento helmet. As talked about earlier, the brand new helmet now options the model’s 3D printed Multipod padding system.
(Picture credit score: Kask)
The 3D printed pads kind a honeycomb construction which Kask says improves the helmets efficiency in rotational impacts, that are the primary reason for diffuse mind accidents.
Alongside that, the non-solid nature of the pads additionally permits for the pads to be extra breathable.
Kask’s 3D printed Multipod pads up shut
(Picture credit score: Kask)
The brand new helmet additionally follows Kask’s WG11 protocol. Kask’s WG11 protocol is to not be confused with Working Group 11, which is the crew of scientists designated to enhancing European helmet security requirements, although does observe the newest science.
Pricing and availability
Being Kask’s flagship aero helmet, the brand new Nivarna does include a weighty price ticket to match. The helmet will value £320/€360, and will probably be out there in 5 totally different color methods, offered in medium and enormous.
First impressions
Although I have never taken the brand new Nivarna for a experience simply but, I’ve had the helmet out of the field, and naturally tried it on, and first impressions are good.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Maybe most attention-grabbing is that the ‘ear covers’ aren’t something like as invasive as I believed they is likely to be. I do have comparatively small ears, nevertheless they do not really feel near coming into contact with the helmet. Although that is one thing we’ll check in the end.
So far as air flow is worried, there’s loads of room between the place your sits within the helmet, and the ‘ceiling’ of the helmet – I hope it will translate into stable thermal efficiency.
Maintain your eyes peeled for our full assessment!
