In ski helmets and cycling helmets and even motorcycle helmets, the new standard for safety technology is MIPS. What’s MIPS? For one, it’s an acronym that stands for Multi-Directional Impact Protection System. But in physical makeup it’s a plastic liner inside a helmet’s shell that protects against oblique — neither parallel or at a right angle — impacts. Essentially, it mimics the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid by adding a second layer inside the helmet that rotates independently of the outer shell. Today, Mammut became the first company to include the technology in a climbing helmet with the release of the Wall Rider MIPS.
Mammut’s role in the development of mountain safety equipment can’t be understated — the company is credited with the invention of the climbing rope as we know it today and also played a vital role in the development of avalanche transceivers with the Barryvox, which it created on behalf of the Swiss Army. Integrating MIPS into the Wall Rider continues this tradition. “We did in-depth research and found data showcasing that a significant part of head injuries in climbing also result from a rotational impact,” said Andres Lietha, Head of Business Unit Hardware at Mammut, in a press release today. The new helmet will increase the level of protection and guard against falling rocks as well as falls.
The best way to catch up on the day’s most important product releases and stories. Read the Story