If you're shopping for a bicycle, motorcycle or action sports helmet, you've probably seen some with this little yellow sticker (below) that says "MIPS" or "Mips." Ever wonder what it means? It stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System, and it's a key safety technology in many modern motorcycle, bicycle, and other recreational helmets.
Several years ago, I talked with the team behind the technology for what was then called MIPS. Since that time, the company has rebranded as "Mips" and research and development has continued apace. Mips helmet safety technology has since been adopted by dozens on helmet makers across hundreds of helmets for a wide variety of sports and recreational pastimes.
Lately, I've recently been wearing the Fox V3 RS 50th Limited Edition motocross motorcycle helmet, which features the latest Mips technology, called Mips Integra Split. It's a $649 top-shelf model, and while expensive, the safety tech inside the helmet makes it a solid value - perhaps far beyond the monetary peg.
First, a little history and science recap. MIPS/Mips was founded in 1996 by Hans von Holst, a Swedish neurosurgeon who partnered with fellow Swedish researcher Peter Halldin. In their research, Hans von Holst and Halldin discovered that in a crash, a helmet does a good job of protecting the wearer's head from direct impacts, but they also found that many helmet users' heads and necks twist violently in most crashes due to off-angle, or obtuse, impact forces. That sudden rotational movement can cause neck injuries as well as subjecting the wearer's brain to sudden movement inside their skull, which can cause debilitating or even fatal brain injuries.
To recap, Halldin designed a thin, slippery layer (often yellow in color, above) that fits between the helmet's hard protective outer layer (often polycarbonate or carbon fiber) and the impact-absorbing interior material, which is usually polystyrene (very similar to styrofoam). Here's my original story from 2020:
When a rider crashes and their head hits a surface at an angle, the Mips slip layer allows the exterior of the helmet to rotate around the wearer's head for a short distance over a few milliseconds, while the interior of the helmet largely stays in place. The movement enabled by the Mips layer, while small, reduces the most severe rotational force of the crash and lessens the brain movement inside the skull, according to Mips research. Mips even tested the technology on cadavers to measure internal brain movement.
To be effective, the Mips technology does not require a lot of movement, so a Mips-equipped helmet looks, works and feels like a "normal" helmet. To be clear, Mips does not eliminate the injury-causing rotational forces, it reduces them, which reduces the likelihood of brain and neck injuries, so riders should always ride safely even while wearing a Mips-equipped helmet.
Mips does not make helmets, they partner with helmet makers to integrate the Mips slip layer into helmet designs. There are now about a half-dozen kinds of Mips systems that have evolved since the original Mips-equipped helmet, which was created for equestrian (horse) riders.
The Mips Integra Split system is a new twist (sorry) on Mips' original idea. The Mips layer is located within the impact absorption section of the helmet, and the slip layer is composed of several sections joined by small floating attachment points that allow the sections to pivot as needed.
Pressing on the interior half of the impact layer (above) reveals how the Fox helmet's new Mips system variant allows it to move independently in a crash. The Mips Integra Split system allows for more sophisticated movement and better obtuse force absorption while keeping the helmet as "normal" as possible to the wearer.
Indeed, the Fox V3 RS looks and feels like a normal helmet. The helmet is rated for street use in the U.S. and EU, but does not include a typical drop-down face shield because it is a dedicated motocross helmet. There's a fair bit of crossover in equipment between the off-road only motocross gear and adventure riding kit, and I used it on two different rides by simply adding in a pair of Fox motocross goggles that fit over my eyeglasses (below).
The V3 RS features an MX-style angular design with a gray and black carbon fiber shell and a green chin screen. A black chin screen is also included. A larger motocross peak/visor is mounted as stock, with swappable tinted and shorter options also included. The interior Ionic Plus padding includes hydration hose routing loops and the quick-release cheek pads have red pull loops to allow EMTs to carefully remove the helmet in an emergency. The red loops are there to help EMTs safely remove the pads after a crash. The blue loop is for a hydration hose.
On the head, the V3 RS is very light, thanks to the carbon fiber construction. It fit my somewhat oval head very well and I did not need to modify the cheek padding with the included optional pads. The sweat-absorbing interior padding snaps in and out for washing.
I first wore the V3 RS on a day-long street ride through the Ortega Highway in Southern California aboard a 2024 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE. I also installed a Cardo Packtalk Edge into the helmet. The V3 RS is comfortable, but with no face shield, it is also noisy at highway speeds. Insects can sneak past the goggle/chin section gap, but it is only an occasional annoyance. I left the larger peak attached for better sun shading, since I wasn't going to be doing much high-speed riding. I alternated between wearing earplugs on the highway and drowning out city noises with music from the Cardo's JBL speakers, mounted in cutouts that are integrated into the helmet's interior design.
Days later, I wore the V3 RS during two days of riding my Suzuki DR650SE dual sport in southeast Oregon's high desert (above). The ride featured wide temperature swings, long hours in the saddle, and a lot of dust. The V3 RS was comfortable to wear all day and despite the long hours, I never developed any soreness or hot spots. Thankfully, I did not test the Mips system's impact absorption capabilities.
Honestly, the best thing I can say about any helmet is that it is comfortable to wear on long rides while also providing top-notch protection. The Fox V3 RS 50th Limited Edition scored very well on both counts. I had no discomfort after riding for hours, and the included top sun visor options make it a great choice for riders who intend to spend time both on and off the pavement. It is also designed for easy installation of comm systems. The high desert of Oregon put the V3 RS' ventilation and sweat wicking materials to the test, but the helmet remained comfortable throughout the ride.
The design doesn't stray far from traditional MX helmets, but the carbon shell is both lightweight and good-looking in the "naked" unpainted 50th anniversary livery (above). Numerous paint and color options are available. Yet, this is a motocross helmet and requires goggles for safe riding. If your current helmet's face shield is often an insect mass grave after a ride, you might want to consider your options. As for the Mips system, it's much like airbags, ABS brakes or the oxygen masks on airplanes. It's good to know they are there in case the worst happens, but you hope you never have to use them.