Before I even begin to argue in favor of Hövding, the Swedish made so-called “invisible bike helmet,” let me concede a few things:
It’s not that invisible. It looks like a huge scarf. It’s not quite a keffiyeh, but it’s pretty hipster.
It’s bonkers expensive. It’ll run you over $500 for a bike helmet. This product is only for the rich.
Once it inflates, you have to get a new one. You could slip on a banana peel leaving the place you bought it and have to go right back for a replacement.
But the curse of how stupid the traditional bike helmet looks can finally be lifted.
The stupidity of how a bike helmet looks, which is of course proportional to the wisdom of wearing one, is to blame for countless deaths and injuries. I don’t mean countless like it’s in the bajillions, I just mean nobody can exactly measure it. Nobody knows when deaths happen because the victims wanted to look cool, or if they didn’t wear a helmet for other reasons. And probably nobody’s asking.
Based on my own time in middle school, I can tell you. I didn’t wear a helmet because they look stupid. I didn’t exactly have the type of looks or smarts that could get me a date while wearing something that lowered my already floor low confidence.
I couldn’t have afforded an invisible helmet in middle school anyway, but finally the nerdy children of the rich will have an advantage in something.
by Ygal Kaufman
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