It is quite well known that POC gear is at the high end of the market when it comes to Ski Racing equipment. But it is worth taking into account what you are paying for, there is more than just their modern eye catching designs, in this blog we find out a little bit more about POC Sports and why their products are some of the best in the world.

POC’s mission – “POC is a Swedish company with a strong mission to do the best we can to possibly save lives and to reduce the consequences of accidents for gravity sports athletes and cyclists.”

POC was founded in 2005 and made its first entry, addressing the ski racing market, at the ISPO trade show where it also introduced its mission. POC’s new ideas and solutions to improve ski racing safety, by reducing the force transmitted to the brain and body in case of a crash, gained a lot of attention. POC has developed a strong reputation for gravity sports protection and is today established in 25 countries. Throughout the years, POC has received more than 40 prestigious international safety, design, innovation and business awards.

So what is the new technology that POC have brought to the Ski Racing World? Let’s begin with the new SPIN Technology which is found in the new Artic SL SPIN, Skull Orbic X SPIN and Skull Orbic Comp SPIN helmets. 

The most common type of fall results in an angled, or oblique, impact with the ground or object which can lead to a rotation of the helmet and head. Research has shown that compared to a direct fall the force required to cause serious head injury from an oblique impact is often much lower. To counter this common impact scenario POC created SPIN pads, which are an evolution on nature’s own design and use an innovative pad technology and design. To maximise safety and reduce the rotational impact forces involved in an oblique fall other helmet details, design and materials need consideration, and which offer several layers of protection during a fall.

Helmets should initially be able to slide on impact, reducing the amount of friction and energy, which could  otherwise continue through to the brain. This ability to slide is directly related to the design and shape of the helmet and the quality of the shell material used. The shell acts as the first layer of protection, followed by the liner which is the core of a helmet and with the right materials will absorb a large amount of the shock and energy that would otherwise make its way through to the head.

Without SPIN pads the remaining rotational impact energy would require nature’s impact defense system, Cerebrospinal fluid, to react. However, by using SPIN pads another layer of protection is introduced as SPIN pads are able to shear in any direction and reduce the energy and force transmitted to the head.

POC helmet technologies, designs and innovations have received numerous awards in recent years and POC never compromise on choosing materials, safety, quality or performance. Through their very own POC Lab and vast experience POC have come up with different helmet concepts, for several different needs with new ideas and innovative solutions on how to reduce the force transmitted to the brain. POC’s patent pending rotational impact protection system, SPIN (Shearing Pad Inside) is a new innovation to support POC’S mission and represents an evolution in head and brain protection.

Not only is the new SPIN range a revolution in safety, the fit that the new range offers to the racers head is greatly improved from previous models and whilst still maintaining the characteristic “snug” fit that race helmets should certainly have, the SPIN range offers a new level of comfort for most head shapes.

POC aren’t only focused on preventing damage to the body but also helping to prevent the injury causing crash from even happening. Vision is everything. All racers ski with far greater confidence when the sun is shining and there is plenty of contrast, compared to the days where the light is flat and it is near impossible to see contrast. This is exactly why POC have launched their Clarity Comp range.

POC Clarity introduces a new level of optical performance thanks to unique lenses produced in collaboration with industry leaders, Carl ZEISS Vision Sunlens. POC Clarity are lenses which have been developed for competition and all day, all mountain use, with specific and highly advanced tints designed to enhance vision by significantly improving contrast and light in three conditions: sunny; partly sunny; overcast. In close collaboration with elite ski racers and scientists in ZEISS, POC has considered how it can improve athletes performance and safety through enhanced sight and sensory experience, whatever the weather.

Long gone are the days when skiers raced on snow, today it is ice, hard, fast and treacherous! Elite skiers reach speeds in excess of 150km/h and cannot lose their edge or compromise their focus. Milliseconds matter, but equally the consequences of losing control are never far away and decluttering the surrounding environment to maximise a skier’s ability to perform and react is critical. A skier’s vision is the gateway to decision making, freeing the senses from the chaos associated with a competition, providing an uninterrupted and enhanced light to support higher speeds, more precise turns and faster reactions, that will improve performance and their ability to react to dangers.

If you want to learn more about the POC range we stock by clicking here. Our full range is now in stock, put your safety in the safest hands on the market.