An eco helmet made from plant fibers
26/5/2022
Translation: machine translated
A bicycle helmet must first and foremost protect the head. The "Idol" from Alpina also wants to be a role model: Thanks to plant-based raw materials, recycled materials and local production, it saves resources and CO₂.
The Idol looks relatively unimpressive. At Cycle Week in Zurich, I would have walked past it thinking "an urban helmet like a hundred others". But there's this man-sized poster that advertises "be an idol, wear an idol" and, with the addition of "protecting planet," makes it clear which way the wind is blowing. Somehow it has to be eco.
A friendly employee explains to me what Alpina's "lighthouse project" is all about. Of course, the manufacturer is not alluding to the helmet's integrated rear light, but to the manufacturing process and the materials used, which are supposed to be groundbreaking. The helmet is only secondarily defined by appearances, even though I find the Mojave Sand color appealing. It is strikingly unobtrusive, as is the entire helmet.
The design is clean and I like it with the short visor and air intakes. But more important than the look of this model is that its eco-balance is right. For this, the manufacturer has looked around for obvious.
Old and new
Plant fibers, biodegraded castor oil, recycled production scrap, recycled polyester yarn and PET are the raw materials from which the helmet is made. Equally important for the CO₂ balance is where this happens: instead of being produced in Asia, the Idol is made in Germany.
Waste nothing, recycle old, use new from sustainable materials, keep the distances short: This formula makes it a role model for Alpina, showing how it can work in the future. To my delight, despite all the practicality, there is at least a taillight on it.
The Idol is unfortunately not self-loading like the Poc Omne Eternal with its solar foil. But at least there is no permanently installed battery in the shell. The button cell battery of the rear light can be replaced.
No MIPS, but fresh air
What I miss is a variant with MIPS or a related system that mitigates rotational forces in an impact. If that option is important to you, you'll have to look for another city helmet. On the other hand, there's little room for improvement with the Idol in terms of sustainability. It won the Green Award at Eurobike 2021. Apopro's room for improvement: The air inlets on the top can also be closed. Just like the raw material cycle, if recycling is consistently relied on.
Sports scientist, high-performance dad and remote worker in the service of Her Majesty the Turtle.