As a new parent of a very fast-growing little girl, I’ve come to realize that children have a remarkable ability to make expensive purchases obsolete. One day they are completely happy in a comfortable environment; Next, they’re too tall for their bicycle, and before you know it you’re shopping for another set of riding gear.
Motorcycle helmets are no exception. The difference is that while oversized jackets and small pants can be uncomfortable, a helmet that’s oversized is not something you should just have to make do with. Proper fit is what allows it to do its job in the first place.
This creates a dilemma for parents like me who are perhaps a little too excited to introduce their kids to dirt bikes, minibikes or even riding as passengers. Children’s heads don’t stop growing just because helmets were expensive, and changing safety gear at every growth spurt isn’t exactly easy on the wallet. It’s also easy to understand why some families might be tempted to squeeze another riding season out of a helmet that’s getting a little comfortable. But this is a shortcut that is not worth adopting.
Photo by: Tucano Urbano
Luckily, Italian gear maker Tucano Urbano thinks there’s a better approach. Its new EL’KID jet helmet is built around the idea that although the shell doesn’t need to be replaced every year, the fit inside probably will. Instead of purchasing an entirely new helmet as your child grows, EL’KID includes three interchangeable internal sizes that let the helmet be customized within his or her desired size range. It’s still up to the parent to make sure the helmet fits correctly, but swapping out the liner is definitely better than crossing your fingers and hoping that your kid’s head stops growing for a while.
What’s interesting is not just the helmet. That’s the idea behind it, and it’s probably where it’s needed most. In Europe and the US, children’s motorcycle helmets are usually associated with trail riding, minibikes or occasional weekend rides. But in countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, motorcycles and scooters are part of everyday family life. It is completely normal to see parents dropping their kids to school, going to the market, or wading through traffic during rush hours with a young passenger on the back. In those parts of the world, a children’s helmet is not a weekend vehicle. This is daily gear.
This makes such designs more attractive. Families who rely on two wheels every day naturally ride faster, and changing a child’s helmet every time they go up an inch gets expensive in a hurry. EL’KID won’t magically fit forever, nor should it. But if it helps parents keep their kids wearing a right-fitting, ECE 22.06-certified helmet for a longer period of time before they eventually outgrow the size, then it’s a smart idea indeed.
You see, the helmet itself checks the boxes you’d expect from modern road gear. It has the latest ECE 22.06 certification, uses a thermoplastic polycarbonate shell with dual-density EPS, and includes a scratch-resistant Class A polycarbonate visor, adjustable ventilation, a removable and washable hypoallergenic liner, and a micrometric quick-release buckle. Weighing in at around 1.98 pounds, it keeps the weight manageable for younger riders without putting unnecessary strain on the growing neck.
At 69.99 euros, the EL’KID sits at about $82 USD before shipping and taxes, which isn’t bad when you consider that it can replace the need to buy multiple helmets in a single development period. As of now, it doesn’t appear to be officially available outside Europe. That’s a shame, because this is exactly the kind of practical, parent-friendly gear idea that deserves a place on the shelves of gear and apparel showrooms all over the world.
