iF Gold design award winner ‘26
Successfully launched on Kickstarter
We founded headfirst® after experiencing the same frustration every cyclist faces: helmets that looked terrible, fit poorly and hadn't evolved in decades. headfirst® brings together Dutch cycling expertise and innovative design thinking.
What followed was an intensive 2-year development process. We explored dozens of concepts, created countless prototypes, and conducted rigorous testing. Our mission wasn't to make an incrementally better helmet. It was to solve fundamental problems that had plagued cyclists for decades.
The defining moment came when we shifted our thinking from "adjusting" to "adapting." Instead of improving existing dial systems, we created an entirely new approach: an internal framework that adapts to hug the unique contours of each rider's head. When testing revealed that our system improved helmet stability compared to traditional designs, we knew we had created something revolutionary.
The journey to create headfirst began with a simple observation: traditional helmets just don't fit properly. As Dutch cyclists who ride daily, we were tired of uncomfortable, mushroom-shaped helmets that compromised both safety and style. We knew there had to be a better way.
In 2023, we joined forces with Studio APE, an Amsterdam-based design collective with four senior industrial designers trained at TU Delft. Their background in interior design, sustainable products, and lighting—coupled with successful startup experience—made them the ideal partner to rethink helmet design from the ground up.
