Bern Hudson Urban Helmet Review

The Bern Hudson is a low-profile helmet for urban riders. What drew us in on the Hudson was the 5 star Virginia Tech safety rating, a MIPS liner, a NTA 8776 eBike rating, and of course the rear light.

Safety is a big deal for us and it should be for you. On eBikes we typically find ourselves riding faster which can come with great consequences. This is why we are constantly seeking out helmets that are tested for higher speeds and come with additional safety features to help us be seen while out on the road.

If you’re not familiar with Bern, they have a large following in the Snow sports industry, but over the years have expanded their collection to cycling, skateboarding, water sports, and a large youth collection.

The Hudson comes in sizes Small through Large (52-61.5cm) and weighs in around 370g.

The Hudson has a low profile and sits low on the head. It includes a soft visor that is integrated into the front pad. There are 13 vents scattered around the helmet for ample airflow. The rear vents are U-lock compatible and reinforced to be used with a U-Lock to keep your helmet secure when not in use.

Bern uses their “compass fit” to secure the helmet. By twisting the dial, you can tighten or loosen the rear strap to snug it up for the perfect fit.

The 6.6 lumens rear light is removable and rechargeable with up to 10 hours of runtime. The light is water-resistant and has three different lighting modes. Steady, Flash, and Pulse.

Coming in at $140, the Bern Hudson has been tested and is extremely safe, boasting not only a 5 Star Virginia Tech helmet rating but also containing a MIPS liner and a NTA 8776 ebike rating.

The 5 Star Virginia Tech rating is the highest possible rating on this test. Through a series of impact tests, VT calculates a STAR score. This sums up the exposure-weighted risks for cyclists’ heads in impact situations and the risk of concussion.

If you’re a friend of the channel you’ve likely heard us speak highly of MIPS liners in helmets. In short, a MIPS liner helps to reduce the brains internal rotational motion on impact. The MIPS liner allows the helmet to slide 10-15mm in all directions when the helmet makes an impact.

Another common topic here at EBJournal is eBike Rated gear. The NTA 8776 standard has been developed in the Netherlands to address the urgency for safety standards for eBikes and higher speed impacts. The NTA 8776 standard accounts for increased surface area for direct impact testing and a lower allowable threshold of impact transference on eBikes.

All things considered, the Bern Hudson is a very safe helmet and if you need a new helmet for your urban escapades, it surely would make a great helmet to consider.

As it is winter time, we haven’t been able to test out the air vents to their fullest capacity, but on a brief visit to Arizona and a day of riding in 70°+ weather, heat was not of concern. Locally with 30°-40° temps, your head will feel that cold air flow through, but a simple thermal cap will do the trick to keep you a tad bit warmer.

The Bern Hudson is quite comfortable and the Compass Fit makes it fast and easy to find the perfect fit. The Hudson is rather low profile helmet and your head does fit rather deep into the shell. We found that this caused the front of the helmet to sit slightly low on the brow. We would suggest trying the helmet on ahead of time if it is available locally.

We do think it would be nice if the rear Compass Fit mechanism was adjustable to the helmet shell as well. I found that it sat in the right position on my head, but others found it to be a bit lower than they would like.

Wrapping up the general fit of the Hudson, I did find it to feel a bit loose side to side, while feeling perfect front to back. Again, we would encourage fitting if possible. From skiing to biking, we are never concerned with safety when it comes to a helmet from Bern. At $140 if the Hudson is the right fit and color for you, you’ll find it to be a fantastic helmet to look good and of course keep you safe.

Price: $140
Sizing: S, M, L
Colors: Matte Black, Satin White, Matte Sand, Matte Mint, Matte Hi Viz, Matte Turquoise
Website: bernhelmets.com