Folksam Equestrian Helmet Test 2026: YELM Hybrid Helmet 2.0 Earns the Recommended Label

In June 2026, Folksam published its independent test of 15 equestrian helmets available on the European market. The YELM Hybrid Helmet 2.0 received Folksam's Recommended label with the highest rating, 3 out of 3, as one of only four helmets of the fifteen tested.

Some major take-aways from the test:

Wearing one of the worst performing helmets vs the best performing helmets, could mean up to 8 times bigger risk of a concussion.
Helmets with MIPS system, for decreasing rotational forces, performed better in the test.
Some of the most expensive and highly regarded helmets ended up in the lower part of the ranking.

Here is in detail what the test measured, how it was carried out, and why the results matter when you choose a riding helmet.

Why Folksam tests riding helmets

Folksam is one of Sweden's largest insurance companies and has tested equestrian helmets since 2014. Its injury statistics show why: among the roughly 140,000 riders insured through the Swedish Equestrian Federation, around 1,400 are injured every year. The head is the most exposed body region, with approximately twelve riders sustaining head injuries every week, and concussion is the most common diagnosis. In 81 percent of cases, the accident is a fall from the horse.

A fall from a horse rarely produces a straight, vertical impact. The head usually hits the ground at an angle, which creates rotational forces on the brain. Research identifies this angular motion as the dominating cause of brain injuries. This is exactly the scenario Folksam's test is designed to evaluate.

How the test was carried out

All fifteen helmets in the test were already certified under EN 1384:2023, the European standard for equestrian helmets. Certification testing measures energy absorption in radial impacts, meaning straight impacts to the helmet. Folksam's test goes further and adds the oblique impacts that better represent real riding accidents.

Each helmet model went through five physical tests, performed by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm: two shock absorption tests according to EN 1384:2023 and three oblique impact tests at 6.3 m/s against a 45 degree surface with asphalt-like friction, producing rotation around three different axes. In total, 120 physical tests were performed across the fifteen models. The recorded motion data was then fed into a validated computer model of the human brain to estimate the risk of concussion in each impact. Because concussion is the most common head injury in riding and is most often linked to oblique impacts, the oblique tests were weighted twice as heavily as the radial tests in the final rating.

What the Recommended label means

Folksam rates helmets on a three point scale. A rating of 3, the Recommended label, requires a helmet to perform at least 10 percent better than the median helmet in the test. A rating of 2 means average performance, and a rating of 1 means the helmet performed more than 10 percent below average.

The YELM Hybrid Helmet 2.0 performed 14 percent better than the average helmet in the test and received the Recommended label. Only four of the fifteen helmets reached that level. The Hybrid Helmet 2.0 was also one of six helmets in the test where the estimated concussion risk stayed below 50 percent in every single oblique impact test.

The test confirms what MIPS is for

Eight of the fifteen helmets in the test were equipped with a rotational impact protection system (MIPS). Folksam's results show that helmets with rotational protection generally performed better in the oblique tests than helmets without it. This is the core of why the Hybrid Helmet 2.0 is built with MIPS as standard: the low friction layer allows the helmet to rotate slightly relative to the head in an angled impact, which reduces the rotational forces transferred to the brain.

A higher price does not mean a safer helmet

One of the most striking findings in the report is that price and protection did not go hand in hand. Folksam's data in fact shows a negative relationship between price and test performance. When you choose a helmet, the test result and the protection technology matter more than the price tag.

What this means for you as a rider

Certification under EN 1384:2023 is the baseline: every helmet in the test met it. Folksam's test shows that the differences between certified helmets are still large when they are evaluated under realistic accident conditions. If you are choosing a new riding helmet, look for independent test results and rotational impact protection rather than price or brand prestige.

Link to Folksam's full report, Folksam Test of Equestrian Helmets 2026