Would You Trust An Inflatable Bike Helmet? We're Not Sure

Every time I swing a leg over my motorcycle, be it to ride to the grocery store or go on a thousand-mile adventure, I never do so without strapping on my helmet. But even I will admit that when I get on my bicycle, there are times when I’ll skip the helmet, either because I’m too lazy or I’m just cycling nearby.

In the cycling world, helmets aren’t as mandatory as they are in the motorcycling world. But that doesn’t mean you should hop on your pedal bike without strapping a lid on first. But of course, without any legislation (in most parts of the world, at least) mandating bicycle helmets, plus the fact that bike helmets tend to be dorky, uncool, and not to mention bulky when you’re off the bike, well, people simply aren’t incentivized to prioritize safety.

This is where a startup called Ventete (pronounced “von-tet”) enters the picture. It’s a UK-based company that sells a very unique helmet, perhaps unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. And that’s because it’s an inflatable helmet that can fit in your pocket when not in use.

It’s called the aH-1, and the way it works is pretty simple, and quite frankly, it’s surprising that this tech is only now gaining traction. Simply inflate the helmet with the included electric pump, strap it onto your head, and go on your merry way. Once you reach your destination, simply deflate it, fold it up, and stow it away in your bag. No need to worry about bulky helmet locks or using your helmet as a basket in the grocery store.

Granted, Ventete isn’t exactly the first of its kind. But it does appear to be a much sleeker, more well-designed inflatable helmet than that of Inflabi, which actually looks like a sad and poorly fitting shower cap. In essence, Ventete seems to be a step in the right direction, as it blends portability and safety with style and aesthetics.

Ventete is the brainchild of architectural designer Colin Herperger, and was born out of his desire to make safety cool. It’s true, safety, particularly on a bicycle, is usually seen as dorky, with bulky helmets and hi-visibility vests usually associated with gatekeeping boomers. But Ventete just might be able to change this.

Beneath the surface, this thing is quite a bit more than just a balloon you strap onto your noggin. It’s made out of 11 woven nylon bladders ribbed with fiberglass at the top for some extra durability and impact absorption. All these are plastic-welded together for a durable, airtight shell. The company claims that it takes just 30 seconds or so to inflate this helmet with a handheld electric pump. Granted, it’s about 10 times longer than strapping on a regular helmet, but hey, the added portability is surely a worthy tradeoff.

But portability isn’t the only benefit here. According to Ventete, the aH-1 is safe, in fact, even safer than most traditional helmets. You see, thanks to the fact that this thing uses air as its main impact absorption material, it has much more compression than foam. And when the company had its helmet tested by the Imperial College of London in a pool of 30 bike helmets, it came out to be 25% safer than the other helmets in the test.