Sweet Protection Adds Three New Five-Star Helmets in Latest Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings

March 19, 2026

Fixer Carbon 2Vi® Mips, Strayer 2Vi® Mips, and Fixer Composite 2Vi® Mips Earn Top Safety Rating.

BOULDER, CO (March 19, 2026) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Sweet Protection, the industry leader in high-performance helmets, goggles, and technical apparel, announced today that three new helmets in its 2026 bike lineup — the Fixer Carbon 2Vi® Mips, Strayer 2Vi® Mips, and Fixer Composite 2Vi® Mips — have earned five-star ratings from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, the highest possible rating in the lab’s independent bicycle helmet safety evaluation.

The recognition brings Sweet Protection’s total number of five-star rated bike helmets in the Virginia Tech system to seven models, including five helmets in the top 20 rankings. These results reinforce the brand’s continued leadership in advanced helmet safety and performance.

The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, working in collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, evaluates bicycle helmets using the STAR (Summation of Tests for the Analysis of Risk) testing system. The system assesses how effectively helmets reduce both linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the head during a wide range of impact scenarios representative of an actual cycling crash. Helmets with higher star ratings are associated with a lower risk of concussion in these scenarios, and the lab recommends that consumers choose helmets rated 4 or 5 stars.

“Our mission has always been to push helmet technology forward,” said Ståle Norman Møller, Co-Founder and Head of Product at Sweet Protection. “Seeing multiple models across our range earn five-star ratings confirms that our approach to design, engineering, and safety, including our advanced 2Vi® technology platform, continues to deliver best-in-class protection for riders.”

Sweet Protection’s most advanced downhill full-face MTB helmets are specially designed and engineered for downhill racing, slopestyle, and park riding. The modern way of riding bikes has been taken into account, with the field of vision tailored to the extended reach required. Built on Sweet Protection’s 2Vi® helmet technology platform and known for its impact performance and comfort, the helmet strikes a perfect balance between low weight and volume with proven impact protection.

The Fixer Carbon 2Vi® Mips helmet, Sweet Protection’s highest rated helmet in the Virginia Tech testing, features a progressively engineered carbon shell made of linear, unwoven fibers in optimized direction throughout the whole shell to optimize strength, stiffness, and weight, sits at the heart of the helmet. The shell construction allows for a low-density EPS shock-absorbing structure to maximize travel upon impact, complemented by four impact shields in each corner of the head for optimizing impact dissipation where the head has a sharper radius. It also features an exclusive 2-Layer Mips System. The two layers are designed to move in the event of an impact to help redirect rotational motion away from the head, which reduces the risk of brain injury. The Fixer Carbon 2Vi® Mips helmet offers a well-vented removable lining and quick-release cheek pads for emergency situations and underlining Sweet Protection’s commitment to protection and comfort. The integrated, adjustable visor will rip off in crash situations. The helmet features rubber trim for goggle compatibility and to protect the shell while being placed on a surface. 11 Penetration-resistant vents will provide great airflow to the rider.​

Key Features of the Fixer Carbon 2Vi® Mips helmet

• 2Vi® Helmet Technology Platform for increased performance and comfort, including a 2-layer Mips® Safety System for protection against rotational forces.
• Carbon fiber pre-preg shell, which ensures an optimum combination of rigidity and elasticity
• Multi-density EPS Impact Shields in each corner for improved impact dissipation
• Adjustable (two-position) break-away visor designed to tear off at an impact to improve protection performance
• Emergency removable cheek pads
• 11 Penetration-resistant vents
• Titanium Double D Buckle (Moto-inspired)
• Adapted Fit: Built to fit perfectly with Sweet Protection goggles

The Fixer Composite 2Vi® Mips Helmet is a high-performance helmet designed for downhill racing, freeride, and park riding. This helmet shares the 2Vi® features used in the Carbon version, but uses a variable elastic composite material in the shell instead of carbon fiber.. This helmet and its innovative 2Vi® helmet technology platform provide high-performance protection and comfort in a low-profile package, including a 2-layer Mips® Safety System to minimize the rotational forces during an impact, complemented by multi-density EPS Impact Shields in the front and rear for improved impact dissipation.

The Strayer 2Vi® Mips is an advanced in-mold full-face mountain bike helmet, designed for aggressive trail riding and enduro racing where lightweight performance and maximum protection are essential. Developed alongside the Fixer model, it shares the same distinctive geometry while balancing strength, ventilation, and comfort.

Built on Sweet Protection’s 2Vi® technology platform, the Strayer 2Vi® Mips helmet integrates multiple protection systems into one cohesive design. An injection-molded ABS/PC chin guard is fused directly into the helmet structure, providing exceptional strength while maintaining a lightweight feel. The helmet uses a five-shell construction paired with a low-density EPS liner to effectively dissipate impact energy, while a front impact shield and EPP structure behind the chin guard add targeted protection in critical areas.

Understanding the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings

Virginia Tech’s bicycle helmet ratings provide an independent and objective assessment of helmet performance, free from manufacturer influence. Each helmet is evaluated through 24 laboratory impact tests designed to replicate helmet-to-ground conditions commonly seen in real-world cycling crashes.

Using a specialized drop tower, researchers measure peak linear acceleration and rotational velocity during impacts, two key factors correlated with concussion risk. Helmets are tested at six locations around the helmet shell under both medium and high impact energies, with velocities selected based on helmet damage replication studies of typical cyclist crashes.

Each impact scenario is weighted according to how frequently a cyclist might experience a similar impact in real life. Concussion risk is calculated from the measured acceleration and rotational velocity for each test, then multiplied by its weighting factor and summed to generate an overall STAR score. Lower scores indicate better overall helmet performance and a reduced estimated risk of concussion.

Because testing methods and impact scenarios vary between sports, the scores in bicycle helmet ratings are not comparable to helmet ratings for other sports.

For more information about Sweet Protection helmets and the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab ratings, visit www.sweetprotection.com.

About Sweet Protection
Sweet Protection combines industry-leading innovation with the finest craftsmanship to create the most advanced helmets, goggles, and technical apparel in ski/snowboard, bike, and paddle sports. The company was founded in 2000 by a tight-knit group of skiers, snowboarders, paddlers, and cyclists in Trysil, a mountain village in Østerdalen, Norway. Since their beginnings, they have pursued the goal of both ensuring the safety of athletes and inspiring them to push their own boundaries – from World Cup ski racers to the weekend warriors. More information:www.sweetprotection.com