Bern Morrison Helmet
by James Englert, PCI #1081, Arapahoe County (CO) Sheriffs Office, IPMBA Industry Liaison
Since I first saw Bern helmets at our conference in St. Paul in 2012, I have been a fan. And Bern has been a great supporter of IPMBA.
When I was at Interbike in September 2014, I stopped by their booth to say hello and see their newest products, including the Bern Morrison. I had mentioned the Morrison in my article in the IPMBA 2014 Product Guide and in February, I was finally able to get my hands on one. I selected an all-black one so I could use it for my personal use and at work. I immediately liked what I saw.
One of the features I particularly like is the sizing. It comes in S/M, L/XL, XXL/XXXL. Another feature I really like is the crank fit on the back of the helmet. I like to use this feature when putting on the helmet so I can tighten it down a little. Interestingly, the helmet straps adjust for tightness only under the chin. There is no adjusting the straps where they meet under the ears, at least on the version I tried.
This helmet is comfortable to wear. I’ve worn it for several hours at a time and it doesn’t bother my head. The visor isn’t very big and it doesn’t adjust, but I feel it does a good job blocking the sun and keeping debris out of my face when off-road. The visor is removable.
Some additional features of the helmet are 14 vents and Zip Mold technology. Apparently the Zip Mold makes a tighter fit with an outer PVC shell and foam inner shell. This seems to make for a comfy helmet.
I have worn the helmet in cold weather (25 degrees) with a skull cap underneath and in hotter temperatures (90 degrees). The helmet performed great in both extremes.
One small drawback is that although it does tighten, it doesn’t tighten much. However, it doesn’t seem like much tightening is necessary. Another is that it comes fairly low on the head and hits my neck when I look up. Easy fix: sit up higher on the bike.
I’ve received several compliments and questions when I’m wearing the Morrison. It’s a great helmet for anyone who already likes Bern and/or is looking to get a comfortable helmet that is different from the “standard” helmets out there. I give props to Bern for looking forward and thinking of new helmet technology and designs.
Visit http://www.bernunlimited.com for more information and/or to purchase a helmet. Bern does not participate in the IPMBA Product Purchase Program at this time.
James is a school resource officer in Centennial, Colorado. He was certified as an IPMBA Instructor in 2008 and currently serves as the Industry Liaison on the IPMBA Board. He can be reached at jenglert9926@gmail.com.