Is your kid’s bike helmet designed for your city bike riding? I’ve been thinking about that for the last two years as bike helmets designed for higher speed impacts, eye protection, and better head coverage enter the adult market.
I’m talking about NTA-8776 helmets, which are designed for higher speeds—14mph vs. 28mph. They have a heavier shell, typically lower coverage around the head, and some even come with built-in eye protection visors. It wasn’t lost on me that I’ve been talking about these better-designed bike helmets for myself, but there wasn’t a good option to put on my kids – that I am carrying around on the same cargo bikes.
Enter the Ozmo Sidekick, the first helmet designed for toddlers and up with an NTA 8776 rating, which is launching today on Kickstarter.
I started talking to the duo behind these helmets last year, and my kids have been testing them for the past few weeks. I want to discuss why the Sidekick helmet is so important to me, its key features, and the people behind the brand to help you decide if these are the right helmets for your child.
Disclaimer: It’s worth noting that I have backed these helmets and was an early backer when they were trying to get consumer commitment. I haven’t been paid for this but have been loaned helmets to test.
Sidekick Kid’s Helmet Key Details
Retail: $99.99 – if you are watching this at launch and are interested, go to their Kickstarter and get great early bird pricing.
Sizing at launch: XXS 45-49cm & XS 49-53cm
NTA-8776 rating: The helmet is tested for higher speeds—28 mph vs. the standard 14mph for general Bike helmets. I don’t know about you, but I’m typically cruising on my cargo bike around 15-18mph.
More Protection Coverage: This helmet has 10% more “impact-tested coverage” on the back of the head and temples. This is pretty important, and I love how deep of a fit this helmet is on my kids’ heads to help with odd-angled falls.
Damage Defense: A helmet is only as good as the foam wrapped around your head. The Sidekick has this shock-absorbing layer between shell and foam, preventing cracks from kids dropping them on the ground or toddler tossing 🫣
Will My Kid Wear It?
When talking to fellow parents, this is probably the number one question. Will my kid willingly wear it, and can they put it on correctly by themselves? Even the safest helmet won’t matter if the kid doesn’t have it on right.
The Sidekick has a few features going for it to help:
- Magnetic buckle for kids to snap closed and keep the strap comfortably snug.
- Large turn dial in the back for their fingers to turn
- Locking strap divider that they call a StayPut Divider so the straps sit below their ears perfectly
- Ponytail Port to help the helmet fit well without the ponytail or bun getting in the way
As for looks, the helmet is launching in 9 fun colors, and an add on accessory called Charm Slides for the back so kids can customize their helmet.
For comfort, there is a built-in bug net, and great accessories like the Cold Weather Kit that my kids love, and a FlipShield for eye protection that is often overlooked for kids riding in the front of a cargo bike.
With all those features, the helmet still has excellent ventilation, which really surprised me!
Who is Ozmo?
I do my best to vet companies before talking about their products, and some of the industry’s best are building Ozmo.
Kenneth Perkins worked for Bern, designing sweet-looking city bike helmets and some of the first eBike-specific helmets, like the Bern Hudson.
Casey Charron worked as an engineer in the Virginia Tech helmet testing labs, creating many different types of impact protection products (not just bike helmets).
What is also really exciting about their Kickstarter is that the design phase is done, and Ozmo hopes to have helmets in folks’ hands by the summer. They’ve done the work and are now looking for Kickstarter to help place those first important orders.
Who should buy it?
The ideal buyer is in two camps:
1. If your kids ride on your bike (cargo or not), I really suggest looking at this helmet.
2. If you want the best helmet features possible for your kid – this is it. Increased coverage, the Damage Defense, NTA 8776 testing, and the options to add in cold weather or eye protection without interfering with the helmet design and fit.
For $100, I eagerly backed these helmets to give my kids the best for something I hope they never need.
Go visit the Ozmo Sidekick Kickstarter now for the best deals
