FARO by UNIT 1: A Sleek, Visibility-First Smart Helmet

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Helmets aren’t exactly stylish, we get it - add some lights and it only gets worse.

So we set out to design an urban helmet that is safe, comfortable & ventilated but also sleek & stylish.

We designed every inch of this thing like a proper product, including the lights: they were integrated in a way that they’re truly part of the helmet.

 Cycling accidents on the street are often caused by lack of visibility and unclear communication. Drivers and other riders not seeing you well enough or not knowing what you’re going to do next.

80% of riders use cycling lights and still don’t feel safe. Why? Because they’re small and sit quite low. On top of that, they are easily lost, forgotten or even stolen.        

Helmets usually work the same way as seatbelts: they only work for you the second you get hit (which can save your life obviously). How can a helmet work for you all the time? You put lights on it. They are bigger, much higher and more visible than regular cycling lights - that’s exactly what we did with FARO.

Every FARO was designed up to International Certification standards. To take it up a notch, we partnered up with MIPS - a Swedish company at the forefront on helmet safety - to take FARO to the next level in terms of safety.  

 FARO’s backside features a fabric-covered portion. This fabric is tough, tear- proof and waterproof, the same kind used in those speakers you can throw in the pool.  

Take that, regular helmets:

Tear-proof, Water-proof fabric that looks & feels amazing. But wait! It’s hiding something...  

So how do you put lights on a helmet without making it look like sci-fi? You cover them up with a classy fabric liner.

During the day you rock that fabric that looks & feels amazing. At night...the magic happens. 

Sometimes being visible is not enough and you need to let others know your’re stopping or about to make a turn. FARO can be upgraded with a handlebar remote to incorporate an automatic brake-light and turn signals.        

 Why is this an add-on? 

Cycling is very different for everyone. The cycling infrastructure in your city, how experienced of a rider you are...it all comes into play. We talked to over 300 riders from London, Copenhagen, L.A, Hong Kong & Berlin and their opinions on Turn Signals were split: many requested the feature while many others assured they wouldn’t use it.

Since we don’t want half of you guys stuck with (and paying for) an accessory you don’t want, we decided to make it an Add-on and as a bonus, make the helmet itself more affordable. 

 This won’t be your typical Companion App.

We’ve put in a ton of functionality in there that will let you personalize your helmet in every way and even measure & track what your riding does for the environment (as opposed to driving).

We partnered up with these guys to develop it.

 *App is currently under development. 

From your office outfit to casual everyday clothes to a night out with friends, FARO will work with your outfit, not against.  

The electronics are fully sealed and the fabric - in case you were wondering - is the same fabric used on bluetooth speakers you can thrown in the pool. *Based on internal testing. Final Certifications will happen after tooling.

Our 3 sizes can accommodate a wide range of heads and make sure everyone gets a snug, comfortable fit. Remember, the fitting system will get you that final 5% to reach perfect fit.

We held a fun Colorway Battle with our community and these 4 were the winners. We had some serious runner-ups though so stick around: if this gets big enough we might add them later!

 UNIT 1 is an American Company built by a team of designers, engineers & entrepreneurs commited to creating amazing products that make an impact.

We’ve designed, developed, manufactured & shipped thousands of our ski & snowboard helmets around the globe  - we are ready to do it again.

This is not our first rodeo - we have a long-standing relationship with our (very) experienced manufacturing & logistics partners and we feel FARO couldn’t be in better hands.    

*Dates are estimates and may vary. *We will keep periodically updated during the whole process. Small & Large sizes - add 2 months to delivery time.

Environmental commitments

Visit our Environmental Resources Center to learn how Kickstarter encourages sustainable practices.

Long-lasting design

We have designed FARO to be tough & durable. Both its materials (tough ABS top shell, lower PC shell and EPS liner) and its components (top of the line electronics) are the highest available quality and will endure long, sustained use. All the electronics are sealed so they will also resist any weather condition.  All in all, FARO was conceived in such a way that will stand the test of time.

Environmentally friendly factories

We carefully chose our Suppliers making sure they abide by the rules & regulations concerning labor law and sustainable practices, ensuring all waste is either recycled or disposed of correctly.

Sustainable Distribution

Logistics, if done wrongly, can be overly expensive and taxing on the environment (heavier loads, longer trips, extra fuel being employed to move stuff around). We've tackled this early on and built an optimal logistics chain from our factories to our warehouses to your homes, making sure everything runs smoothly and keeping inefficiencies to a minimum.

Something else

In our App, we are developing an entire section devoted to quantifying & tracking the positive environmental impact of riding a bike vs driving or using public transportation (measured in kg of CO2). That way we can encourage riding habits to our users that are healthy for them AND for the planet. We believe a change is due and we not only want to be a part of it but we want to help push it.

Check More Details On Kickstarter.Com