Mystic Impact Cap | Lightweight Head Protection
Mystic have released a new product to the market this winter, the latest Impact Cap - and it was too exciting not to go and test out!
I have been on the lookout for something that offers lightweight head protection for wind sports for a while.
I rarely hit my head while wing foiling or windsurfing but, as with many people, I have worn a helmet for the past few years just in case.
The main problem I have had has actually been the weight of a helmet which I feel has often made my wipeouts worse through the forces of the extra weight pulling on my neck during a crash. Enter Mystic's new Impact Cap…
Made from light, thin and flexible foam the Impact Cap is a joy to wear compared to a conventional helmet.
Sure, it doesn't offer the same level of protection as a full hard shell lid, but it still carries a proper safety certificate and offers genuine protection against everyday scrapes and bumps.
The technology is pretty cool too. Poke the cap and it feels squidgy, but flick it and find out the hard way that the foam goes rigid under impact!
And then proceed to put it on and headbutt things around the office to prove your point.
The other thing we like about the Impact Cap is the fit.
Using a simple but clever system at the back of the cap with cut-outs and a strap, the guys at Mystic tell us it fits the two main head shapes (broadly round or more oval) better than a conventional helmet can.
On testing, this rang true with a couple of us trying the same helmet and all agreeing it was very comfortable.
Out on the water the foam does not absorb water so remains lightweight and the chin strap keeps it just where you want it.
The ears are covered by flaps for protection yet cut-out holes allow plenty of sound through to keep you aware of your surroundings. Under impact you can certainly feel when something bumps your head but you still feel protected.
If anything, that slight vulnerability is no bad thing, keeping "helmet over-confidence" at bay.
The Impact Cap is perfectly suited to a variety of wind sports such as wing foiling, windsurfing, kitesurfing but would also be a good option for surfing and sailing in the right circumstances, where severe impacts are not likely but bumps do happen.
Overall we can't speak highly enough of the Mystic Impact Cap and can recommend it for anyone looking for well-fitting, lightweight and minimalist head protection for water sport activities.