What Goes Into A Handcrafted Helmet Shell

To see the current range built this way, visit Hedonist.

The liner deserves the same care. A removable, washable liner keeps the inside fresh, and following the maker's washing instructions protects both the padding and the stitching around it.

A handcrafted helmet shell starts with a base material, commonly fibreglass or a composite blend, layered and shaped by hand rather than produced purely by mould and machine. Each layer adds strength, and the shaping stage is where a lot of the time in production actually goes.

Daily wear also plays a part. Sweat, sunscreen and regular use all shorten a helmet's working life, so riders who use a helmet every day should expect to replace it sooner than someone who rides occasionally.

Anti fog inserts and coatings help in cold or wet conditions, but they are not a substitute for a visor in good condition. Once scratches build up to the point where they catch the light on every ride, it is time to replace rather than keep cleaning around the problem.

Trying a helmet on in person, and wearing it for a few minutes rather than a few seconds, catches problems a size chart alone cannot. Padding also settles slightly with use, so a helmet that feels snug when new is usually the right call.