I’ve been on a mad hunt for the last few months scouring the internet and stores to find a bike helmet that doesn’t make me look like some kind of dinosaur/human hybrid or worse. I just want to find a helmet that I absolutely love and I’m convinced that one exists somewhere. Wondering if there were “designer” helmets, I found that Balenciaga dabbled in the “helmet” look, but these hats are by no means helmets. Also found was an odd, old-mannish “hair helmet” that was sold in Prada stores last year, apparently. I’ve always been a big fan of the equestrian look, and an equestrian helmet typically covered in a velvety material could possibly do.

Eventually, I found THE helmet that I am in love with. It was the winner of the Swedish Road Administration’s Bicycle Helmet Design Contest in 2005, created by a Swedish engineering firm. The helmet called “Hat-Trick” is ultra thin thanks to the use of a high-tech shock absorbing material, and it also has interchangeable “hat” covers. Pure genius! Unfortunatley, this helmet is available virtually nowhere. I’ve emailed the Swedish company that designs it, but so far it looks as though it never went into production.

In the last couple of days I’ve been seeing these very cute striped and polka-dotted skater-styled helmets around town. After a couple of calls, I found out that local company Nutcase Helmets creates them and they are available at Clever Cycles among other bike shops in Portland.