Dahon Pango

Dahon has another innovation for commuters. This time, it is the Pango – a helmet that folds. By folding the helmet, your helmet will take up a smaller footprint than a regular helmet would, and this allows you to place your helmet in places which you usually cannot, such as your bag.

Characteristics

The helmet is shaped similarly to a mullet helmet, in that it is has a very distinct circular shape. It has fourteen vents for breathability, and removable pads as any good helmet would. However, first impression of the helmet is that it is rather heavy, as compared to my regular helmet. On my head, the weight is not evident. However, a side-by-side comparison with regular helmets shows the weight of the Pango quite distinctly.

The first time I put the helmet on, it felt a bit weird, because it seemed a bit too big for my head. Nonetheless, after some adjustment, I got settled in and it felt like a normal helmet. Should bad things happen, you’ll be glad to know that the Pango meets EN and CPSC safety requirements.

Folding the helmet is rather simple. My helmet didn’t come with instructions, but it is easy enough to figure out. There are three layers to unfold. From a folded state, you have to pull out the front, then pull the sides out and lock it. In around ten seconds, you get a helmet that can fit over your head. Unfolding is pretty much the reverse. It is a very simple system.

Washing is rather tedious if you prefer to remove the pads. There are fourteen pads in total, and the small pieces are rather easily lost. I preferred to just wash the whole helmet without removing the pads.

Conclusion

Joshua Hon, the vice president of Dahon, mentions the raison d’être of the Pango is to allow commuters to avoid “[hanging] the helmet off their handlebars where it’s vulnerable to theft, [clipping] the helmet to the outside of their bag where it dangles and catches on things, or simply [walking] around holding a sweaty helmet.”

The main thrust of his argument is that, with the Pango, you can carry it in your bag and avoid all these problems. However, this raises other issues, such as – do you have space in your bag? Are you willing to let a sweaty helmet go into your bag? Are you willing to pay $140 for these features?

The helmet’s strongest point lies in its ability to fold. If you see a distinct need for this, then there’s only the Pango. No other helmet folds like the Pango.