TSG SKATE HELMETS & PROTECTION 2024 PREVIEW

Retail Buyers Guide: Skate Helmets & Protection 2024 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: TSG
Interviewee: Nadja Herger, Head of Communication

What trends are you noticing in boardsport protection for 2024?
The storage situation is slowly relaxing. We are seeing demand in all our areas, from helmets to protectors. That is pleasing. In Switzerland, skating on the pump track is becoming more and more popular. Pump tracks have been popping up like crazy over the last 10 years. Everything that rolls meets on the pump track. From skateboarders to BMX and scooter kids. Skateparks (indoor and outdoors) are family hangouts at the weekend. Skateboarding dads and mums put their kids on the boards. They all need helmets and pads.

What are your main price points for next season in helmets, pads, protectors?
Our main price points remain unchanged. Skateboard helmets range from 44.95-59.95 for classic hardshell helmets. From 74.95-89.90 for more elaborate designs, lightweight in-mould helmets to our FlexTech helmets with an inner shell that adapts to the shape of the head. 2-3-piece protector sets start at 44.95 € to 69.95 €. Knee pads from 59.95 up to 129.95 € for high performance vert pads.

How is skate participation developing and how important is protection to new riders?
I would say modest growth. Parents who skate themselves put their kids on the boards, and the many workshops for girls and women (e.g. from the Longboard Girls Crew) make it easier for young and old to get started. Protection is a big issue, especially for beginners. Those who are well and above all comfortably protected stay motivated and progress. However, it is a fact that street skaters are still on the streets without any protective equipment. I don’t think that making helmets compulsory for under-18s at the Olympic Games will change that. Street skaters who have outgrown their childhood adapt to the majority of street skateboarders and go skateboarding without protection.

What are your main stories in terms of protective technologies for 2024?
Main story is our new Pass 2.0 downhill skateboard helmet. Super safe ABS construction with reinforced chin bar and comfortable fit and new Anti-Fog Air Duct System, which prevents the visor from fogging up. We offer the helmet in a size range from XS to XXL, so that really all head sizes can be catered for. Compared to its predecessor, the Pass Pro, the head slip-in area has also been enlarged to make it easier to put on and take off the helmet.

How are you communicating safety certification and is it a must-have?
TSG launched the first helmet with certification in 1998. Since then, there has been no helmet without certification. So this is not a new issue for us. The same applies to skateboard protectors. I’ve been with TSG for 20 years now and every new skate product we designed has always been tested with regard to CE certification EN 14120: 2003 + A1: 2007 (Wrist, Palm, Knee & Elbow Protectors for Users of Roller Sports Equipment). Our Top Vert protectors are even all level 2 tested. The certifications are communicated via the product labelling and on the packaging (specification of the test standard) and of course also on our website. From time to time, we also include the topic in our social media campaigns.

Do your protection products cross over into other sports?
TSG is a protective gear supplier for skateboarders and other roller sports and has product lines for BMX, mountain bikers and snowboarders. Each product has its own area of application and has been developed for a specific sport. Are there any overlaps? Definitely. There are skateboarders who like to wear pads under their clothing. They use our mountain bike protectors. Vert skateboard prodigy Leonardo Vinicius uses soft mountain bike sleeves under his vert pads for extra strong impact protection. The other way round is rather rare. I don’t know any mountain bikers who would wear skateboard protectors. We have products that work for everyone. Ankle support, shin guards, or of course our All Terrain helmet, which is designed for use on land, water and snow.

What helmet designs are trending (full helmets/ lighter models)? Same question, same answer every year. The classic hard shell is the most popular. With our Evolution helmet, we simply developed a damn well-fitting hard-shell helmet in 2006. Its snug fit is unmatched. A year later, we implemented this concept in the In-mold design and with the Superlight we have a helmet on the market that weighs just 300 g. Anyone who puts it on doesn’t want to wear anything else. However, at 79.95 it is higher priced. In between, our Meta helmet has established itself extremely successfully. Lightweight in-mold construction, a dial to adjust the size, additional fine-tuning with inner pads of different thicknesses and a huge selection of colours and designs. A certain target group also likes full-cut helmets, such as our Dawn and Dawn Flex. And then, of course, our DH full-face helmet Pass is very popular. In 2024 we launched the new Pass 2.0.

What are trending styles in pads and gloves?
We have increased our size range and now offer 2XL and 3XL in our Force and Roller Derby Kneepad Line. This is in response to market developments in the USA.

Which colours and graphics/ collaborations are you looking forward to for next season?
We are delighted to have another collaboration with Jimbo Philipps. The son of Jim Philipp, the inventor of the Screaming Hand, has used his art on our Evolution helmet. Jimbo specialises in bold, eye catching graphic design and mind numbing illustrations. In addition to black, black, black, white and grey, we are again offering a large selection of different new and carry-over colours. (from teal to oil blue, lavendula, pale aqua to gentle red, magic purple, yellow ochre and olive). We are bold and loud with the tie dye all-over print on the Meta helmet. Allover logo prints remain popular. For children, we have a raccoon and a lion design, as well as a cool and cheerful happy sticker all-over print. Bright acid yellow remains in demand. The women’s colour palette looks like an appealing fruit candy palette with colours such as matcha green, soft cradle pink, violet, sakura and foilage green. The Ivy with the mauve-violet fade colour gradient is very beautiful and interesting.

Which technical features are you the most proud of in your protective gear?
Fit! Our protectors are ergonomically cut and our horseshoe shape together with sticky silicone ensures a non-slip fit. We also have a sophisticated Velcro strap system for perfect adjustment. Force III A and Force IV A knee pads have an additional layer of smart ACF impact foam in the knee pad insert. Our strongest vert skate pads. ACF compresses on impact and then returns to its original state. We offer replacement caps for our Force Line knee pads with an extended cap on the outside. This allows you to slide easily over the ground in the event of a sideways fall and protects not only your knees but also the fabric of the knee pad from abrasion.

KEY PRODUCTS:

Pass 2.0:
This is TSG’s refined version of the legendary Pass SH Skate Helmet. It benefits from a ground-up revamp, starting with a wider size range and easy-on head channel. The Pass 2.0 is made from light but durable ABS for a sleek and safe outer shell. The visor is also new and fits the silhouette perfectly with distortion-free optics. The new durable visor screw allows easy lens exchange. Inside, we made the fit and comfort next level, with a superior impact-absorbing EPS liner and all-new padding matrix. Plus, its functionality has been perfected with upgraded mouth and nose ventilation and fog clearing air ducts.

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Force III A Kneepads:
The Force III A knee pads with high performance ACF foam are the most advanced vert knee pads available. The multi-layered EVA impact pad features an additional layer of ACF foam that is soft in use but compresses on impact, surpassing the shock-absorbing performance of EVA. Fine-tuned with a replaceable PE cap at the outer side for careless slides. The level 2 certified knee pad can be full opened on the backside and features a comfortable butterfly Velcro closure with additional top and bottom Velcro straps for perfect adjustment.

kneepad_force_III_A

Kneepad & Elbowpad All Ground:
The Kneepad and Elbowpads All Ground are perfect pads to make slams in bowls and skateparks more bearable. Durable, high-quality fabric with double stitching, EVA impact foam and flat, high-density caps guarantee great protection and durability. Their open design with neoprene butterfly fastening and 360° straps make them easy to put on and take off without removing the shoes. The colour of the woven label varies depending on the size, making them also ideal for skateboard schools or skate halls for hire. Large size range from XXS to XL.

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