With Charles Owen finally having a helmet configurator, we found it due time we added their products to our assortment. If you want to learn more about these popular classics, keep on reading!
About the Charles Owen brand
The company founded in 1911 by mister Charles Owen himself. At that time they mostly produced military helmets for the British army. When they entered the equestrian market with jocky helmets they became more popular due to their super safe helmets.
So much so, that they participated in the development of the very first equestrian helmet safety standard. Soon after, Charles Owen created the first dual-standard riding helmet, which was popular amongst Pony Clubs.
With their patented Microfit system the company prioritizes correct and comfortable fit. Today the company name ingrains deeply within the global equestrian industry as a trusted brand known for safety, quality, and prestigious fashion. Even the Queen of England wears Charles Owen.
The late grandson of Charles Owen, Professor Roy Burek was dynamic in leading industry research. By studying traumatic brain injury, he set new standards for safety technology.
Charles Owen safety standards
With all the research conducted in the past, Charles Owen’s design engineers can currently develop helmets meeting the PAS015:2011, VG1 01.040 2014-12 and ASTM F1163:2015 safety standards. To pass, the helmets needs to meet only one of three standards. In the picture below, you find the criteria per helmet standard.
Every standard differs in which aspects of impact they take into account. One looks closely at preventing the most severe types of head injuries a rider may experience. Others protect from the more commonplace. Therefore not one standard certification alone can accurately predict the specific type of accident or fall a rider may experience. There are too many variables to take into account. Therefore, a helmet that meets multiple standards proves to provide the most complete protection and cover a wider range of the potential accident scenarios a rider might experience.
When determining helmet safety and assessing if a helmet will pass, each of the individual standards have their own criteria and tests. They differ in the amount of emphasis they put on different helmets and various types of injuries.
For example, they examine how much of the head a helmet covers. Next, they look at how a rider falls and onto what type of surface. After that, they examine how a helmet moves, and how severe of an injury a rider expects to receive from that fall. The number of times a batch of riding helmets is tested varies between the different certifications. But if criteria are not met, they throw out the whole batch.
For Charles Owen helmets this means that they test their triple standard helmets thoroughly. Charles Owen tests their helmets by dropping them on steel edges and through advanced computer simulation. This ensures even more complete protection in each helmet produced. And while most of the helmets meet 3 safety standards, a few cross-country helmets even meet the fourth “SNELL” safety standards. If you are interested in that one, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Our assortment
In the My Riding Boots product range, you find a wide assortment of Charles Owen models, colors, and special designs. Additionally, we offer a variety of customization options, like the addition of Swarovski elements or a name embroidery. Have a look through the buttons below!