Dynamic Duo on the Snow
Design Challenge: K2 desired to create the ski and snowboard industry's first-ever fully integrated helmet and goggle system. Prior to the Black Hawk One system, helmets were rather bulky and generically designed to fit most available goggles. A poor fit between goggle and helmet caused by gaps exposed to the elements is not only uncomfortable; it’s downright annoying, and takes some of the fun out of a sport people take to for that very reason. Furthermore, we discovered that users are frustrated by low-tech retention devices that keep a goggle secured to the helmet, especially when the goggle is pushed upward and worn on the forehead.
Design Solution: We set out to establish a design that provides cutting-edge goggle ventilation with a net fit seam between goggle and helmet. In its final form—which could be imagined to emulate the wind itself—the groundbreaking Black Hawk One System consists of 1) a sleek helmet with 16 passive and two active vents (to prevent fogging); 2) removable earpiece modules that allow for future upgrades such as built-in headphones; 3) an innovative elastomeric goggle strap that connects the helmet and goggle; and triumphantly 4) goggles—called “The One’—that use state-of-the-mountain spherical lenses for crucial optical clarity.
