Meet Tough Turban: A Traditional-looking Protective Headgear For Sikh Riders

A Canadian company called Spark Innovations has teamed up with the Sikh Motorcycle Club in Canada to introduce the Tough Turban, a protective headgear exclusively for Sikh riders.

A turban is integral to Sikhism. Respecting the culture, some governments have exempted Sikhs from wearing motorcycle helmets while riding, exposing them to injuries in case of a crash. 

This is exactly the problem Tough Turban aims to solve. It may look like a traditional turban, but it actually has three protective layers. First, a non-Newtonian impact-absorbing foam, then a matrix formed of 3D-printed plastic, and finally, a bulletproof Dyneema fabric that’s ten times stronger than steel. Chris Pearen, design director of the Tough Turban, says the chainmail worn by Sikh warriors under their turbans during battles is what inspired him to create this product. 

One can easily wrap the Tough Turban around his head just like a regular turban. It even looks like the usual turban, but offers as much safety as an open-face helmet, making it ideal for regular usage.

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The makers of the Tough Turban have kept the design open-sourced, meaning you can download the blueprint from the website and recreate the product for yourself. 

Like in Canada, Sikh riders in India are permitted to ride two-wheelers without a helmet. Factoring in the population here, this product, of course, seems much more crucial for our country. More importantly, recent studies suggest that four people die every hour in India because of not wearing a helmet. So when you consider this grim statistic, Tough Turban seems like a vital accessory here in the country. 

However, recently, our government put an altogether ban on non-ISI rated helmets from June 1, 2021, which means the Tough Turban could be deemed ‘illegal’ here. The only way we see it coming to our shores is if an indigenous manufacturer uses the blueprints and tweaks the product to meet ISI norms.