Featured Image: Johnathan Finch
Protection—it is in their name and it is paramount in everything Sweet Protection builds. The former chief engineers from Volvo and Lego, that now call Sweet Protection home, had top-tier protection in mind when designing their newest products for ‘22/’23: The Igniter 2Vi helmet and Durden goggle, developed in collaboration with Sweet’s freeride athlete roster.
The new Igniter 2Vi is a ground-up rebuild of the current Igniter helmet from Sweet Protection. The new helmet is loaded with proprietary technology but there are three key components that they believe will set this helmet apart from the competition. First, the outer shell uses variable elasticity plastic that is harder in areas over the parts of your head that are softer and offers more give and flex surrounding the areas of your head that are harder.
“The variable elasticity plastic really helps to dissipate impact forces more structurally and in a smarter way,” Sweet Protection North American Marketing Manager, Casey Garrity, said. “We found reductions in weight and a 17- to 20-percent increase in performance.”
Inside, Sweet Protection added a proprietary EPS foam to the Igniter 2Vi that is engineered so that the interior cells collapse in specific ways upon impact. Finally, they added a two-layer Mips system that Sweet Protection pioneered for their downhill race helmets. In some crashes, your head can get stuck with the helmet and the helmet can transfer its forces to your head causing concussive rotation. The two-layers of Mips helps to prevent that geometric lock between the head and the helmet because the two layers can slide over each other to reduce those forces.
“MIPS has been a long-time partner of Sweet Protection,” Garrity said, noting the convenient proximity of the two companies. “Our headquarters in Norway are only about 10 miles across the border from MIPS’ headquarters in Sweden, so we were one of the first companies to work with them and we’re constantly innovating with their technology.”
Beyond this new proprietary tech, the Igniter 2Vi is packed with tried-and-true features that Sweet Protection fans have come to love. The box-shaped ear pads have a vent port in the ear piece that make it easier to hear, and a cut out around the ear to reduce ear soreness. The Fidlock buckle and Occigrip turn-dial ensures a perfect fit by anchoring the helmet and skull into the most natural position. Both static and active venting comes standard, complete with polycarbonate vent covers that are stronger and lighter than steel, structured to run over your temples and evacuate out of the back of the helmet.
The new Durden goggle is a medium- to large-size goggle with cylindrical lenses and a standard pull and peel interchangeable lens system with top and bottom mounting points.
“Coming from our race heritage, we stay away from strictly magnetic lens hold goggles because those can fly off very easily,” Garrity said. “We also make our lenses a little thicker so they’re torsionally rigid. We don’t just see the lenses in goggles as protection from light, we see them as an extension of your helmet—we want them to be impact-grade eyewear.”
Sweet Protection spent five years developing their own lens technology called Retina Illumination Grading or RIG. These lenses treat light differently than other lens companies—with enhanced visibility, superior contrast and natural color clarity so you see how colors exist in their natural environment as opposed to highlighting colors which can cause eye strain and fatigue. Sweet Protection also added a new anti-fog interior layer called Clear AF.
“The lighting conditions in Norway, where these were developed, are very demanding with an abundance of dark, flat light,” Garrity said. “I’ve skied it a few times and it is an awesome goggle. The lens is great and so is the fit. This will definitely become the new ‘it kid’ for many skiers.”
Both the Igniter 2Vi helmet and Durden goggle are built to integrate with one another. A goggle garage step slot under the front brim of the helmet is meant to anchor in the goggle. This kit is sure to usher in a new era for Sweet Protection next season.