With the cross-scientific approach to how we process challenges at POC, we need to be curious, listen carefully, both to promote and to reject. We need to establish a strong foundation to guide us in the quest to make a point, to state our own identity and typology, to explore, invent or to innovate. All to the benefit of the users. We never compromise in choosing materials or construction, and we never compromise safety, quality or performance.
Our mission
The POC Lab is our scientific forum. It brings together experts who provide us with invaluable assistance in ensuring that we develop the most relevant, reliable and advanced protective products on the market today. The POC Lab enables a close and rewarding collaboration with some of the world’s foremost sports medicine experts, back specialists and brain scientists. As a complement to the POC Lab, we also seek help from materials technologists – and from people such as you who make avid use of our protective gear in practice, ranging from proficient X-game riders to the elite at the World Cup level.
One of the major issues that concern the members of the POC lab is the rapid evolution of skiing and snowboarding. The speeds are increasing, drops and jumps are higher and playing around in parks, with jumps, banks, and rails are available to most. Downhill racing, Skier X, or moguls are also disciplines where the limits are being tested. The whole scenario is actually a bit frightening. With this pace, we are likely to experience an increased number of serious accidents in the coming years. Therefore, it is important to underline that protection can’t guarantee your safety. What it can do is reduce the risk of being injured. The most vital ingredient to avoid injuries is you. Skill and good common sense are the assets that need to be prioritized.
Members of the POC Lab are carefully selected for their unique expertise. Each member shares POC’s mission to save lives and reduce the severity of injuries resulting from accidents.
Helmet Concepts Snow
POC has worked intensively with leading experts to understand every detail how a helmet should be constructed. All this is preformed with the sole objective of giving you far better protection than ever before. This has led up to a bunch of different concepts for different needs.
Current designs
WHEN POC FIRST STARTED UP, there were two types of helmets on the market. Firstly, the traditional helmet with a hard shell and a liner of softer expanded polystyrene (EPS) which has good penetration resistance and energy distribution properties. The disadvantage of the hard shell is that upon impact, the hard structure causes a sudden stop. The brain may continue to move in the direction of travel and the impact is not absorbed very well. The hard shell is also quite heavy which may cause the helmet to bounce off the ground on impact. These properties can lead to brain damage and whiplash injuries.
THE SECOND TYPE OF HELMET IS THE ‘IN-MOLD’ TYPE, which originated in the field of cycling. These molded helmets have a thinner shell of hard plastic that covers the ears and the back of the neck.
NORMALLY, BOTH THE TRADITIONAL hard shell and in-mold helmets rely on expanded Polystyrene (EPS) for the shock absorption. EPS absorbs energy by plastic deformation, meaning it is deformed permanently upon impact. Therefore, a helmet liner made of EPS will not be good at absorbing repetitive shocks. Another aspect that is not taken into account in traditional helmets is the effects of rotational violence, which is a major risk at oblique impacts.
Six different helmet concepts for six different needs.
”Semi-hard shell” 2.0 helmets
WHEN FIRST developed and launched season 2005/2006, the aim of the “semi hard shell” helmets was to combine the advantages of both in-mold and hard shell helmets. The excellent energy absorption properties from the in-mold helmets was achieved by using a thin and light outer shell and the ability to withstand sharp object penetration was solved by adding a barrier made from ballistic aramid. POC has been refining the concept over a couple of seasons and is now presenting the second generation of these helmets, the “semi hard shell 2.0” collection. By studying today’s top ski racers, it was evident that a helmet used for ski racing is likely to be exposed for repeated violence from hitting gates at high speed. The updated helmets are therefore equipped with a liner of Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) instead of EPS. The difference between the materials is that EPP, unlike EPS, does not deform permanently on impact and is therefore suitable to absorb repetitive shocks. The outer shell is also updated for increased durability and optimized for the new liner material (all Skull helmets).
Unique in-mold helmets
STARTING FROM the amazing properties of our Skull Comp helmet, we have taken the technology further by incorporating the Aramid ballistic penetration barrier APB, into a series of in-mold helmets – Synapsis. This has enabled us to overcome the traditional problems of in-mold helmets breaking easily and not being able to withstand penetration. The Synapsis helmets are designed to offer extreme lightweight, ventilation and comfort without compromising safety. The helmets have soft foam pads for a perfect individual fit and detachable ear pads (all Synapsis helmets).
Double shell helmets
IMPROVING PROPERTIES such as better shock absorption, lower weight and penetration resistance are some of the major advantages solved by using POC’s patent pending Aramid ballistic penetration barrier: APB. Transferring these qualities and lessons learned into a fully ventilated system has led to the new revolutionary, patent pending; Ventilated- Double-Shell-Anti-Penetration: VDSAP.
THE CONCEPT WAS initially developed for the Receptor + all season helmet. A helmet developed and certified in Europe and the US for skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, biking and water sports. VDSAP is built with double shells, placed offset, for maximum penetration resistance and has channels in between to evacuate heat, moisture or water. The inner shell is an extremely thin in-mold shell, while the outer shell is a hard shell of ABS and PC. The properties are amazing and used in all Receptor helmets and the Cortex DH.
Optimized vent helmets
SOME MARKETS have asked us to come up with a super ventilated helmet, adjustable for cold days. With the experience gained from previous models, innovations and patents, we have come up with a cocktail of different ventilation concepts, all included in one helmet. When using an adjustable system, there is also the challenge of keeping weight down. The solution combines three different ventilation systems. At the front, there is the POC patent VDSAP, a double shell solution where air is transported between two layers of shell, to avoid direct wind and to withstand penetration from sharp objects. At the back, there are ventilation holes for the helmet to function as a chimney, where air is pulled from the front to the rear.
ON TOP, the helmet has generous ventilation with six vents, that may be closed or semi-closed with a turning-devise. This combination makes the helmet very airy and very light (all Frontal helmets).
Carbon Fiber helmets
SO FAR, carbon fiber helmets haven’t made too much sense. The methods of industrially laying carbon fiber have been counterproductive to the goal of thin, light shells that deform or destruct at certain stress points. The shells have been too stiff and too thick for use in ski helmets.
HOWEVER, thanks to a new method, we can make a super-thin and superlight carbon fiber shell, which is highly flexible and makes sense to use in a ski helmet. Unfortunately the technique is still very expensive but it’s so good that we want to introduce it in a new line of Skull Helmets; Super Skull Comp.
Multi directional impact protection system helmets
TRADITIONAL HELMET testing methods only test vertical falls. However, the real situation is that, if crashing at speed, the impact will be oblique. In turn, this means that the helmet and head will start rotating when hitting the ground, resulting in rotational forces to the brain. The brain is highly sensitive to this kind of violence.
Helmet Concepts Wheels
WHEN ENTERING the bike scene, we made use of the experiences gained from our short but successful history in making revolutionizing ski helmets. The concepts that we have developed for ski helmets has been taken further and optimized to reach and exceed the demands of today’s bike users in the DH, Dirt, Free ride and BMX disciplines. The aim has been to provide better head protection than ever before.
NORMALLY, both the traditional hard shell and in-mold helmets rely on Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) for the shock absorption. EPS absorbs energy by plastic deformation, meaning it is deformed permanently upon impact. Therefore, a helmet liner made of EPS will not be good at absorbing repetitive shocks.
THE CONCEPTS that we have developed for ski helmets has been taken further and optimized to reach and exceed the demands of today’s bike users in the DH, Dirt, Freeride and BMX disciplines.
Multi Impact Performance
MOST OF POC’s bike helmets use a liner of EPP instead of the traditional EPS. The difference between the materials is that EPP, unlike EPS, does not deform permanently on impact and is therefore suitable for absorbing repetitive shocks.
Transferring experience from ski
THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS for ski and bike helmets are similar, but bike helmets call for some additional requirements when it comes to ventilation and comfort. A bike helmet should have full ventilation to let fresh air flow into the helmet as well as letting out excess heat and perspiration. The challenge with ventilation is that open vents in the helmet leaves the user unprotected from sharp objects that may penetrate the vents. This is a serious risk, especially for DH riders since they are likely to be exposed to branches, sharp rocks and other hazardous objects in a crash.
To overcome the challenge of providing penetration resistance, excellent ventilation and impact protection properties, we developed our patented concept with double overlapping shells (VDSAP).
MIPS rotational violence protection
POC HAS ALSO ADDED the patented MIPS technology to our collection of innovations, aiming for safer helmets. MIPS is a system used to reduce the rotational forces on the brain in the case of oblique impacts. This is achieved by allowing a controlled rotation of the shell relative to the liner. We are proud to present this unique and necessary system in a bike helmet.
POC’s double shell helmets
TRADITIONALLY, there have been two different types of bike helmets on the market. First, there is the traditional hard shell helmet with a thick outer shell, covering a shock absorbing liner of EPS. The hard shell helmet provides good protection against penetration and makes a durable construction. But, the nature of the stiff outer shell also has its drawbacks.
ON IMPACT, the hard shell causes an abrupt stop of the head. This increases the risk of brain injuries. The hard shell may also bounce on the ground and thereby increase the risk of whiplash injuries. The second type of traditional bike helmet is the “in-mold” type. These helmets have a thin shell of polycarbonate molded together with an EPS liner. With this construction, the impact energy is very well absorbed as the thin shell allows the helmet to deconstruct on impact, creating lower energy levels for the brain to deal with and minimal bounce. The disadvantages are poor resistance to penetration and a less durable construction.
Benefits
OUR EFFORT to combine the strengths of these two major concepts in ski helmets led to our patent pending “Aramid ballistic penetration barrier”: APB. By adding a layer of penetration-resistant aramid between the shell and the liner, the shell thickness could be reduced, leading to weight reduction and better energy absorption.
Transferring the APB concept into a fully ventilated system for bike users led to our revolutionary, patented Ventilated- Double-Shell-Anti-Penetration: VDSAP.
THIS CONSTRUCTION was initially developed for the Receptor+ all season helmet. A helmet certified in Europe and the US for: biking, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and water sports. When developing the Cortex DH full face downhill helmet, it was an obvious choice to use the VDSAP concept.
VDSAP has two ventilated shells placed offset for maximum penetration resistance and channels in between the shells to ventilate heat, perspiration, or water. The inner shell is an extremely thin layer of polycarbonate while the outer shell is made of carbon fiber or injected plastic depending on model. The properties are amazing and these helmets represent an unique way of thinking in helmet design.
Body Armor Concepts
Back protection
AS A RESULT OF OUR COLLABORATION WITH SPECIALISTS in spinal cord injuries, riders of all kinds and experts in material and construction, we have come to the conclusion that many of the protectors on the market have serious weaknesses.
THE CHALLENGE IS TO COME UP WITH A FLEXIBLE, comfortable protection that really does the work! Many back protectors out there are lightweight, but less good when it comes to shock absorption and really protecting your spinal area. We are very happy to present two different concepts of back protections; VPD and Multi-impact hard shell system, both as a result of different needs of riders and state of art materials and constructions.
Our VPD protector works progressively, adapts itself to the force of the impact and is the most flexible back protector out there.
VPD – Visco-Elastic Polymer Dough
POC USES A COMPOUND and technology for our most shock absorbing back protector called VPD (Visco-Elastic Polymer Dough). This protector is one of few on the market that reaches the highest standard (Level 2 “High performance”) of the CE 1621-2 motorcycle standard.
THE MATERIAL IS HIGHLY DAMPENING, using a modified Polyurethane foam that is soft, comfortable and adapts to create an individual fit. However, when exposed to impact the material stiffens and has extreme energy absorption properties. Most of the protector systems available on the market are designed to just pass the specific CE-Norm test. However, this means that low energy impacts are transferred almost directly to the body. Our VPD back protector functions progressively and adapts itself to the force of the impact.
TO FURTHER IMPROVE properties the back protector uses a dual density combination, with extra protection covering the spinal area. This way we maximize both the freedom of movement and the shock absorbing characteristic of the protection.
Multi impact hard shell system
TO MAXIMIZE ENERGY absorption POC’s back armor with hard panel shields has a multi impact core. Unlike many other back protectors, the EPP and EVA cores also withstands multi-impact without losing the energy absorbing abilities.
An individual system
WE HAVE A FLEXIBLE PATENTED back-protection system which allows you to choose your protection degree at all times from various components. This means you can tailor the degree of protection, depending on how you ride for the day or to meet different rules and restrictions applying to the competition you enter. With the Cervical and Coccyx you can be sure to gain protection for the upper part of the spine, including vertebrae C1 – C7, as well as the lowest part including the caudal area. The uppermost part of the spine – the vertebrae C1 – C7, is the most important region to protect as damages here may result in serious irreparable injury or even death.
THE ARMOR IS NOT ONLY DESIGNED to give you the highest possible level of protection, we have also done everything we can to make the armor as comfortable to wear as possible. You will feel how the protection anatomically and ergonomically follows the shape of your back. At the same time, the protection is supple, giving you complete freedom of movement. Another major advantage of the POC armor is the highly efficient ventilation technology.
TO SUM IT ALL UP, POC’S BACK PROTECTION will give you unsurpassed levels of comfort and safety. Looking at our range we hope that you will find a product for your personal need, regardless of how you like to ride, whether it be DH racing or pulling back flips in the park.
Optical Concepts
Both goggles and performance eyewear are developed to optimize need, function and protection, depending on activity and conditions. along with protecting your eyes from snow, ice, rain, slipstream, uv-rays, branches etc as well as assisting your vision in different light conditions, we have worked on optimizing the fi eld of view, for better periphery perception, fast reaction and therefore promoting safety.
ALL GOGGLES have a cellulose propionate inner lens to optimize anti fog properties. double lenses have an outer polycarbonate lens for durability and penetration resistance. All POC lenses have a state of the art anti-scratch and anti-fog treatment. NXT lenses are used in our performance eyewear and goggles and was initially developed for fighter jet canopies. The properties include extreme impact, temperature and chemical resistance, together with superior optical performance versus existing technologies, i.e polycarbonate.
Since different properties are prioritized for different users, POC has developed and employs a range of lens types in our goggles and eyewear.
Injected goggle lenses
THESE DOUBLE LENSES have an injection molded outer lens. This allows for a great variation of the shape and geometry, allowing optimized coverage and 3D shape of the lens. This results in better field of vision as well as better optics, since the shape can be optimized for the frame and the resulting distance from the wearer’s eyes.
Die-cut goggle lenses
THIS TYPE of double lens is die-cut. This means that the lenses are cut out from a sheet, allowing for a highly efficient production process plus great possibilities to change the tint and VLT of the lenses.
Anti-fog protected single goggle lenses
RACE SKIERS demand minimum refraction error, which is why race-specific lenses are made using only a single lens. Single lenses are generally known to havempoor anti-fog protection, but the base material and coatings chosen for POC ́s race goggles are the best available.
NXT lenses for protective and perfomance eyewear and goggles
ALL OUR NXT LENSES are equipped with a color vision boosting filter - HCD (High Chromatic Definition) which has an extreme contrast enhancing effect and takes goggle lens clarity to a new dimension. To help you keep your lens clean and clear you will also find an excellent Oleophobic/Hydrophobic treatment as well as an Anti-scratch/Anti-fog treatment. Except for these unique “basic” features we also added a Photochromatic filter. The Photochromatic filter enables the lens to change the tint color depending on the current light conditions.
Choosing lens
VLT – Visible Light Transmission
A measurement that specifies the percentage of light coming through the lens and reaching your eyes, a totally clear lens for dark conditions typically have around 90% VLT and a very dark colored lens with mirror for sunny conditions may have down to 10% VLT. Most allround lenses will be found between 30 to 60 %. In the range of POC goggles you will find alternatives for all kinds of conditions.
Colors vs. light conditions
The color spectrum runs from blue to red with a lot of different shades in between. The color sensation and perception will differ between individuals and due to this the choice of lens color will to an extent be a subjective matter.
One basic rule explains the contrast enhancing effect by studying the color spectrum. When choosing a lens with yellow, orange, pink or red color it blocks out more of the blue end of the color spectrum. This enhances contrast, enabling you to make out shapes, objects, and bumps in the snow more clearly. These lenses work well in low light, fog and flat light, but also in moderate light. However some individuals experience good contrast by blocking the other end of the spectra as well, by using a blue tint.
NXT
All our NXT lenses are equipped with a color vision boosting filter – HCD (High Chromatic Definition) which has an extreme contrast enhancing effect and takes goggle lens clarity to a new dimension. To help you keep your lens clean and clear you will also find an excellent Oleophobic/Hydrophobic treatment as well as an Anti-scratch/Anti-fog treatment. The Photochromatic filter enables the lens to change the tint color depending on the current light conditions.
Double vs Single lens
In all our PC double lens constructions, the outer lens is made of Polycarbonate, which has the best anti scratch treatment available. All models with the Polycarbonate lens are 100% (99,9%) UV blocking and they also provide good penetration resistance. In our single lens construction, Iris Comp, the lens is made in Cellulose Propionate with a anti fog coating. The single lens is used to minimize the optical distortion and in this case the lens will not have the same high degree of protection against scratches nor fog as the double PC lens. So only choose the Comp version if you are a competitive racer who really prioritize to minimize the optical distortion.
APB
Aramid Penetration Barrier – Aramid (also known as Kevlar ®) is a short form for aromatic polyamide. A fiber that provides exceptional strength and thereby, if used correctly, can be used to provide protection against penetration in applications such as bullet proof clothing. POC is using Aramid as a soft penetration barrier to protect from sharp objects penetrating the helmets.
Aramid bridge shell helmets
Concept used in Trabec and Fornix helmets – By using the extreme strength provided by the Aramid fiber in bridges in the helmets shell, the structure is reinforced and at the same time, the impact energy deforming the helmet is srpread over a larger surface. Both features are good form a protection standpoint.
MIPS – Developed in cooperation with Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
The new MIPS technology mimics one of the safety systems which already exist in the human head. When the head is subjected to an oblique impact, the brain can slide along a membrane on the inner surface of the skull, which reduces the forces transmitted to the brain. This protective feature has, with the MIPS technology, been incorporated into the helmet. In a helmet equipped with MIPS technology, the shell and the liner are separated by a low friction layer. When subjected to an oblique impact, the low friction layer allows a small rotation of the shell relative to the liner. Experimental tests shows a significant reduction of the forces to the brain. Find more information about the tests at www.mipshelmet.com
Accident statistics show that the most common accident occurs in an oblique impact to the head, resulting in a
rotation of the head and brain.
The brain is more sensitive to oblique impacts than radial impacts. However, according to the helmet test regulations, the helmets are dropped vertically onto the impact surface, resulting in a radial force to the head. This is why helmets today have good protective properties for vertical impacts while the protection is not optimized for oblique impacts. MIPS AB has therefore developed MIPS technology to provide substantially increased protection against oblique impacts.
Multi Impact
Many protectors out there are lightweight, but less efficient when it comes to shock absorption. Others are light and can take one blow with proper shock absorption, but a second blow to the protector will transfer a much higher amount of energy and the third hit an even higher amount. The VPD material stays at the same high absorption level. This is an important issue for us since we believe that a protector will take several beatings both during one fall, but also during its complete life time.
The armor is not only designed to give you the highest possible level of protection when riding. We have also done everything we can to make the armor as comfortable to wear as possible. You will feel how the protection anatomically and ergonomically follows the shape of your body. At the same time, the protection is supple, giving you complete freedom of movement. Another major advantage of the POC armor is the highly efficient ventilation technology. To sum up, POC’s body protection will give you unsurpassed levels of comfort and safety. Looking at our range we hope that you will find a product for your personal need.
VPD
The new VPD 2.0 range offers extreme shock absorption properties, which gives us a completely new alternative in the traditional tradeoff situation between flexibility and real protection. Due to the ability of transition from soft to hard when needed and the extreme shock absorption properties, you no longer have to choose between freedom of movement and proper protection.
VPD 2.0 offers a better flexibility in cold temperatures and has an increased tear resistance. To further improve anti penetration properties, the back protector has a durable thermoplastic polymer sheet integrated for extra protection at the spinal area. The slightly revised material compound is still highly dampening, soft, comfortable and adapts to create an individual fit. When exposed to impact, the material stiffens and has an extreme absorption of energy.
POLYGIENE – helmets and armor stay fresh and last longer
Polygiene permanent odor control treatment neutralizes odor by stopping the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi, and makes your helmet and armor stay fresh and odor free. Your gear also lasts longer because bacteria never get the chance to break down the synthetic fibers. Polygiene is safe next to your skin and helps reduce your environmental impact, too. Polygiene odor control treatment is included in all POC products where applicable.
NXT
These lenses are made from a proprietary material that is known as ”visual armor”, which was developed as a solution to military fighter jet and helicopter pilots’ demands for a shatterproof canopy that would not distort their vision.
All our NXT lenses are equipped with a color vision boosting filter – HCD (High Chromatic Definition) which has an extreme contrast enhancing effect and takes goggle lens clarity to a new dimension. To help you keep your lens clean and clear you will also find an excellent Oleophobic/Hydrophobic treatment as well as an Anti-scratch/Anti-fog treatment. Except for these unique “basic” features some NXT lenses also are equipped with a Photochromatic filter. The Photochromatic filter enables the lens to change the tint color depending on the current light conditions.
