Alpinestars Supertech M10 Solid Helmet

The result of over five years of intensive study, development and testing; Alpinestars Supertech M10 motocross helmet made its race debut at the Anaheim Supercross, in January 2018. At the outset of the MX helmet project, Alpinestars product philosophy was applied and a set of specific objectives set:

Create the most advanced, protective and performance enhancing helmet possible. Primary objective: protection – to create the most high-performance protection possible.

Secondary objective: to give excellent ventilation, comfort and reduced weight.

Alpinestars approach to the creation of the advanced technology in the Supertech M10 draws on its depth of experience from over half a decade of world class innovation across the spectrum of motorsports and especially, its deep-rooted commitment to motocross. As with all other categories of technology that Alpinestars has mastered, bringing a new, highly complex, product to fruition requires specialist experience and know-how and a project plan led by the best brains in protection development.

Hence Alpinestars Helmet Development Department was created and given the brief to research and develop the most protective, most comfortable and lightest possible motocross helmet. The goal was to allow riders to push the limits of performance, benefiting from confidence inspiring safety technology, reduced weight distribution to minimize muscular effort in the neck, shoulders and back and improved physiological and cognitive performance with a supremely well-fitting and well-ventilated construction, optimizing comfort while riding.

The design is coherent to Alpinestars philosophy and shares distinctive themes with other products in the portfolio; a smooth, attractive, profile which is streamlined and free of any external channels and features that might act as a load point in an impact, or compromise the overall integrity of the construction. The surface curvature promotes reduced friction on impact, allowing deflection and the most efficient transfer of energy to protect the rider’s head from direct force to the skull and referred to the neck and spinal column.The aperture is designed to accommodate a wide variety of goggles and the air vents in the shell are located to maximize ventilation efficiency.

The Supertech M10 shell has been profiled with performance as a priority and with a design style that identifies the profile of the helmet and its sculpted surface as uniquely ‘Alpinestars’. Another key feature is the M10 shell sizing solution; each helmet fit size has its own appropriate shell size to deliver the most anatomical solution for the wide variety of fit needs worldwide.

CONSTRUCTION:

• Carbon shell construction utilizes a highly advanced molding technology with a multi-composite combination.
• 3K, high density carbon outer layer that improves strength and efficiency of energy dissipation over the shell.
• UD carbon composite layer that gives significantly greater radial strength around the shell, preventing compression but allowing controlled deflection for reducing transmitted impact energy.
• Aramid fiber layer which provides critical penetration protection.
• This three-layer composite combination is given even greater performance with an epoxy resin bonding that offers the best possible strength and energy management.
• The combination of material layers gives improved energy management: limited outer shell deflection making the energy spread wider and better absorbed by the EPS liner.
• The result of the unique shell lay-up process employed in the M10 construction results in extremely effective impact protection.
• With a fully equipped helmet testing facility, within Alpinestars Racing Development Center, an exhaustive impact research program has resulted in the Supertech returning linear and oblique impact performance which far improves upon current helmet regulation standard limits.
• For direct, linear, impact by an average magnitude of 41% and for rotational acceleration, oblique, impact performance by an average of 48%.
• M10 in four anatomical shell sizes.
• The Supertech M10 shell construction is optimized to offer best fit across the range of four size options.Shell sizes are manufactured in small, medium, large and extra-large to ensure that riders have the correct fit which not only improves comfort but, most importantly, the effectiveness of the helmet in an impact.
• The Supertech M10 liner construction combines with the shell to offer highly efficient impact energy management.
• Formed with a multi-density EPS polymer, the energy absorbing layer gives an inner helmet profile which soaks up impact forces dissipated over the outer shell at the point of an impact and provides a shape offering a close and comfortable fit.
• The energy absorption performance of the M10 is substantially improved by a four-section construction that allows for specific densities of polymer to be prepared for different zones around the helmet lining. Not only is energy performance improved but also fit and comfort.

A-HEAD ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM:

• Patented A-Head fitting height and angle adjustment system. The Supertech M10 incorporates a patented system to allow the helmet to be tuned exactly to the riders preference for the height and angle at which the helmet sits on the head. This unique technology allows for an ultra-specific set-up that can be adapted for the type of riding and the rider’s preference.  With a micro-adjustable pad that is connected to the helmet inner shell, it is possible to raise or lower the helmet fit and also, to tilt the helmet forward, or backwards.
• Unique, patented, visor release system is another key attribute incorporated into the design of the Supertech M10. Visor release is a key part of overall protection performance in the helmet and a major influence on the distinctive, flush, design of the outer shell profile. Alpinestars has developed a unique visor release system which, while ensuring the mounting is held securely in place for riding over the most extreme terrain and any track conditions, provides exactly the right level of resistance to ensure the visor detaches from the helmet shell if it is subjected to a significant impact, no matter what the angle.
• The M10 visor release mechanism is conceived to avoid the inherent weaknesses in other types of anchoring systems. Maintaining shell integrity is vital for safety and with the possibility of multi-directional forces impacting on the visor, separation at the critical point of loading reduces potentially damaging leverage and rotational accelerations that refer injury to the rider’s neck and spine. Along with the ERS padding removal, ‘Eject’ allows for emergency removal of the helmet, without putting load on the rider’s spine. 

PROTECTION:

• Conforming to both DOT certification and ECE homologation, the M10 is certified for use worldwide.
• The DOT 218 standard prescribes specific impact penetration protection over the crown of the helmet area and hence, for the US and Canada markets, the Supertech M10 will feature technology that substantially exceeded the minimum safety requirements.
• Collarbone protection is an important design feature of the Supertech helmet shell base profile.
• The base of the M10 has been sculpted to give a relief section, where the bottom profile is raised to clear the collarbone (Clavicle).
• Also, incorporated into the area of the base pad, where it sits over the rider’s collarbone, is an energy absorption pad; a more flexible compound rubber section which allows deflection when it contacts the Clavicle.
• The Supertech M10 chin-bar is formed with polypropylene which, by allowing for a degree of lateral deflection, further improves impact protection for the collarbones.
• Post-crash protection mechanisms are also a key feature of the Supertech design, allowing rapid and safe intervention if the rider has suffered a major impact.
• Multi-Directional Impact Protection System: MIPS.
• MIPS is incorporated into the Supertech M-10 to reduce rotational motion energies that impact the helmet causing damaging gyration force to be transmitted to the brain.
• A low friction ‘slip’ layer is incorporated into the Supertech M10 helmet, between the comfort padding layer and the multi-density polymer energy absorption shell.
• When energy is impacted upon the helmet, causing a rotation force, the MIPS layer allows for movement of the inner absorption layer to damp and re-direct the energy before causing significant acceleration stress to the brain.
• This mitigates the causes of brain injuries, such as concussion.
• Emergency Release System (ERS).
• The side cheek padding of the Supertech can be extracted efficiently and safely, while the helmet is still on the rider’s head, to allow ease of removal by trackside support and medical staff.
• The Supertech M10is also designed to allow a helmet ‘Eject’ inflation system to be fitted into the inside crown of the shell.