Protone Helmet
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Quantity
Only 4 In stock
Warning: California Proposition 65
Protect your tactical engine.
While the cyclists at Team Sky are more renowned for their legs than their brains, the latter do occasionally play a significant role in cycling. Case in point is Stannard's surgical dismantling of an apparently invincible Ettix-Quickstep at Omloop. Given that cycling is often equal parts cunning and strength, the pros at Sky rely on Kask's Protone Helmet to keep their strategic organ in top shape so it can effectively direct their energies when frantic finales send all the blood rushing to the legs.
Tactical engines like Stannard's are protected by an in-mold construction of a polycarbonate shell bonded with an EPS foam body, all of which is built on a frame designed to let the helmet absorb impact while still maintaining enough structural integrity to see you safely through the duration of a crash.
While safety is a helmet's first (and usually last) job, there are certain benchmarks that today's industry expects top-end protectives to meet. The current frontrunner in this category is aerodynamics, and the Kask ran the Protone through the expected wind-tunnel paces in order to design a model that dodges the wind whether you're head-on in the drops or in virtually any other cycling posture imaginable.
The second consideration is cooling, and unlike many of its competitors, the Protone doesn't sacrifice ventilation for aerodynamics. In addition to the immediately obvious vents and rear exhaust port, the Protone incorporates Coolmax padding. Coolmax padding equates to more efficient moisture transfer and evaporation to complement your body's natural cooling process. They're also odor-resistant, removable, and contribute to the comfortable, personalized fit of the floating Octo Fit cradle and corresponding ECO Chinstrap.
Details
- Top your head with the helmet that tops Tour podiums
- In-Mold shell increases structural integrity
- Aerodynamically verified in ye olde wind tunnel
- Adjustable cradle keeps your tactical muscle secure
- Ventilation channels to encourage air flow and keep you dry
- Anti-odor padding will fend off stink for way longer than 21 days
- Item #KSK000I
- Visor
- no
- Certifications
- CE EN 1078, Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets for Persons Age 5 and Older, AS/NZS 2063
- Fit Adjustment
- Octo Fit
- Ventilation
- 18 vents
- Manufacturer Warranty
- limited lifetime
- Claimed Weight
- [medium] 8.1oz (230g), [large] 8.8oz (250g)
- Shell Material
- polycarbonate
Reviews
Q&A
What do you think about this product?
Overall Rating
4 based on 6 ratings
Review Summary
Fits True To Size
Screen reader users: the following list provides a visual scale to illustrate the product fit. Please refer to the heading above for the fit type in text.View
Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the pageMarch 8, 2022
Nice helmet - cushioning pads fell out
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
I really like this helmet but the cushioning pads at the back of the helmet fell out on one side after about ten rides and the hard plastic is very uncomfortable against my bald head without them. I hope I can get some more pads to replace the ones that fell out.
November 4, 2021
Head Mounted Dribble Cup
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
- Height:
- 5' 10"
- Weight:
- 157
The Protone caught more than a few sets of eyes when it was first unveiled. And it has lived a fairly long life for a single iteration of helmet, helped in part by the fact that Team INEOS (ne, Team Sky) continues to sport the lid year after year. Well, it caught my eye not long ago, too, when I found myself in the market for a helmet again. So I got it. I like the compact shape (it doesn't make me look like a mushroom). I like the balance between aero and vented design (tasteful). And there's one simple ingenuity that really gets me feeling warm and cozy about Kask: it's that pleather or naugahyde chin strap the company adds to avoid salt encrusted nylon webbing from rubbing the neck raw. What a simple but beautiful design detail. Somebody was thinking & logically, helpfully, and with the rider's best interests in mind. I think of photosynthesis, the invention of the ball bearing, or Benjamin Franklin hanging a key from a kite in a thunderstorm. Good, wholesome stuff to have with us. And so I really have only one bone of contention about the helmet. There are engineers out there fueling the industry with bold plans on how to implement the next cog, for stepping up the performance of battery powered shifters, and creating apps for your smart phone that allow you to arrange the buttons on your levers just to your liking. Beautiful actors will demonstrate how badly you need these in your cycling routine. And yet, the bicycle persists as chiefly a mechanical device, and enjoyed by us all tremendously for the fact. Aside from that, it's the naugahyde chin strap that really makes you happy on your twenty-five mile burner after work. First and foremost, there's the riding of the bike, and then the little improvements along the way. Now what Kask needs to do is invent a soft gutter system that can be embedded in the foam pad that hugs your forehead when the helmet is on and cinched down. Really, why hasn't someone figured out a way to channel sweat away from your brow and down your temples? I saw a shot of Sagan in the Tour de Suisse this year sitting up in his saddle and spraying down the lenses of his sunglasses with his water bottle, and I felt a kindred spirit. The Protone just dumps it right beside the bridge of your nose, and soon enough you've got a river of brine flowing across your field of vision. Kask, please make this new sweat diverting invention for the padded inserts backward compatible so that I can get it for my Protone. There are some elite cycling apparel companies that just now are touting proprietary designs in men's bibs that introduce a pocket-like feature in the chamois that gives your bits resting room up front without compressing them with an unforgiving lycra panel. Duh! It could have been done decades ago. But those companies feel it necessary to introduce the design as though they were leading some kind of brilliant revolution in fit and comfort. Meanwhile, Kask quietly introduces a simple chin strap that makes it more comfortable to wear your helmet. I hope they do the same, in the same fashion, sometime soon for a dribble proof foam head band in their helmets. That will be a revolution. As for the flimsy plastic cradle pieces in the back that some reviewers have experienced breaking after time, mine are still intact after several months. Touch wood. They are flimsy. But still doing their job. Long term update: Still a dribble cup. Can't find pad replacements. One of the little plastic cradle pieces broke.
July 3, 2021
Saved my head yesterday
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
- Size Bought:
- M
- Height:
- 6' 3"
- Weight:
- 195
Out for a 26-mile tune-up ride yesterday, my front tire blew during a fast descent. When I went down, I felt my head bounce on the road. The Protone had a scuff on it and a few hours later there were two bruise lines on my forehead matching the ribs of the helmet, like the seat belt bruising you get when they do their job in an accident. It definitely kept me from having a much more serious injury. I've used this helmet for about 3 years. It sits lower on my head, a little above my eyebrows, which helps protect my head and face. Yes, at least on the older styles, the rear retention system did bump the arms of my sunglasses. I've been wearing a thin beanie under my helmet for sun protection and that gives enough gap in the retention system that sunglasses comfortably slip underneath. Overall, it's one of the best fitting, most comfortable helmets I've worn. The chin strap and buckle is really a luxury. My complaint is with the rubber "pad" strips on the rear retention frame. Over time, they've come off in bits until I just peeled that last inch off. It doesn't affect comfort or fit without them; they just weren't very durable.
May 15, 2021
Great Helmet but Missing Some Things
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
- Size Bought:
- L
- Height:
- 5' 10"
- Weight:
- 128
I love the helmet. Although it is expensive, it has great ventilation and looks great. I have used it in Tennessee summers, and my head has been as cool as ever. But the helmet is very expensive for not having any MIPS or other safety features. Also the component/frame which adjusts around your head is a little flimsy and cheap for a $300+ helmet. At times it has fallen off and I have had to reattach it. Overall it is a great helmet and very cool, but if I was to buy another one, I would buy a Specialized or Giro helmet that includes MIPS and ANGIE (on specialized).
April 9, 2021
Great helmet but not without faults.
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
This is my everyday helmet that I bought as an all rounder, and I have a few hundred miles in it now. It wasn?t as comfortable as I was let to believe it would be, but it?s not bad. I think it?s a shape problem and the back of the retention system digging into the back of my head. Also, the removable cushions tore out the Velcro holding them in place when I removed them to wash. Definitely not something that should happen with a helmet this expensive. Thankfully I managed to stick the Velcro back down, but I?m not sure if this is a real solution yet. At this moment, I feel like the helmet is pretty cool (temp), decently comfortable, semi-aero, but you?re paying mostly for aesthetic with the price as compared to other brands? helmets with equal features.
Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com
October 23, 2020
H Liverpool
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
- Size Bought:
- M
Super light, comfortable fit. Highly adjustable as I have a lot of hair. Never gets too hot, fits most sunglasses. Almost feels like you're not wearing anything while riding. Research shows that it's extremely safe which is why I purchased initially. Spend the money and get what you deserve to keep you comfortable and safe!
Do you have a question about this product?
May 22, 2021
Is this version WG11-compliant? The Kask website notes that the Protone is, but since I didn't see anything about WG-11 here, I wondered if this was an older version.
November 11, 2020
I had a Kask helmet and loved it. Unfortunately, I had a crash this summer. The helmet saved my head and did it's job. Wife now can better appreciate expensive helmets. I reached out to Kask about replacement program. They offered discount letter but needs to go through one of their distributors/retailers. Does Competitive Cyclist qualify as such and/or would you honor the discount through replacement program? Can send letter if needed. Thanks. Looking forward to response & replacement.
This product can expose you to chemicals including Bisphenol A (BPA) {{which}} known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.