Kask Winter Cap Skullcap Review

Designed for certain helmets in the Kask range, the Winter Cap skullcap is presented as an original solution to protect the head from winter’s bite. We tested it during several rides in cold and wet conditions.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: Kask, @3bikes.fr

Protecting your head from the cold in winter is essential, especially when wearing a helmet normally designed for summer, which promotes air circulation over the head. The top of the skull, the forehead, and even the ears are sensitive areas that need to be protected from the cold, first to limit the risk of getting sick, then to avoid numb fingers/toes from cold. Because if not protected, and to preserve the brain, the body will tend to concentrate blood circulation on this part and thus neglect the other extremities.
The traditional wool hat has no place under a helmet, because the helmet must remain snug to be effective in all circumstances. So, the solutions remaining are a fabric cap to slip under the helmet for only cool temperatures, a bandana or a full balaclava, or a skullcap.

With the Winter Cap, Kask offers an original and interesting solution, which consists of a kind of anatomical cap that covers the ears, but which attaches in place of the traditional comfort pads inside the helmet, being held in place by Velcro straps and by a specific loop at the tightening straps.

The Winter Cap is perfectly compatible with Kask Protone, Utupia, Valegro, Mojito 3, Rapido, Rex, and Caipi helmets. In absolute terms, it could also be used with other helmets, but at the risk of losing comfort. The Winter Cap is quite thick and precisely fitted in a dedicated helmet. And even incorrect placement can become uncomfortable in the long run.
Warm and protective materials

The Winter Cap is composed of an internal merino wool padding and an external Tekseries fabric, a windproof membrane that offers particular resistance to cold and humidity, while allowing heat to escape to prevent sweating. The Winter Cap is, of course, washable and dries very quickly.

At the back, there is a vertical reflective strip for visibility. This strip is even more visible if the Winter Cap is positioned correctly. For more comfort, the front part should be placed exactly at the edge of the helmet. If you want it to go a little lower (at eyebrow level, for example, to properly protect the forehead), the skullcap does not fit exactly in the helmet and the helmet becomes too tight, with an unpleasant pressure sensation on the front of the head quite quickly.
Put to the test in winter

Once the correct position is found, the Winter Cap fully fulfills its function and is quickly forgotten. No biting cold is felt on the skull, despite the helmet’s vents, nor any pressure points. The parts covering the ears remain perfectly flat against them, and no air passes through.

Moisture wicking is decent, but perhaps less effective than with a simple insulated fabric cap. However, the Winter Cap is more comfortable than other skullcaps lined with a windproof material.

Its thickness over the ears poses no problem for hearing ambient noises. But on the other hand, when you converse with your riding companions, you feel a rather curious, or at least unusual, resonance.

Then there’s the price, a bit high compared to most thermal skullcaps on the market, generally sold for around €25 to €30, while the Winter Cap is offered at €49.90. This is the price for an original solution, perfectly adapted to a Kask helmet, with the assurance of optimal retention once attached. It remains to be seen if this is enough to convince many cyclists to equip themselves with a skullcap to face the rigors of winter.

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