Atlas Neck Brace design Atlas Neck Brace design

DESIGN (WHY)

The path to injury reduction

Reducing injuries starts with reducing & mitigating impact forces
Every feature is meticulously engineered for this purpose

Atlas Brace how to prevent injury with motion and time

Motion + Time

Sudden stops - like hitting the ground - spike impact forces over a short time (milliseconds) - often leading to injury. Extending motion over a greater amount of time can help lower the total forces, which is necessary to reduce injuries

Atlas Brace flexibility feature

Flexibility

Flexibility manipulates both motion and time by slowing and controlling a continued motion of the head and neck over a longer period of time when compared to a sudden stop

Atlas Air Lite on rider

Going Beyond

Our goal is to save your neck, without causing other issues in the process. Every design choice is based on avoiding secondary injury. Transferring energy around your delicate spine & sternum, for example

Rigid vs Flexible

Which should you choose?

How a rigid neck brace works

Rigid - 2 Step System

- Used by competitors -

IMPACT - Helmet contacts the brace (sudden stop)
DISTRIBUTE - Full forces transferred to the upper body
with select failure points at high force load

A rigid system reduces forces to the neck, potentially at the expense of the body. Engineered failure may compromise safety in a multi-crash scenario

Result: Intended for one time use

How a flexible Atlas neck brace works

Flexible - 3 Step System

- Innovated by Atlas -

IMPACT - Helmet contacts the brace (controlled motion)
ABSORB - Energy dispersion through flexible construction
DISTRIBUTE - Remaining reduced forces transferred to the upper body

A flexible system reduces forces to the neck while reducing the secondary burden on the body - using flexibility instead of engineered failure

Result: Suitable for multiple impacts

Multi-crash scenarios are common in racing & extreme sports
We believe flexibility is the only way for a neck brace to function across multiple impacts

ALWAYS
INNOVATING

The Atlas Brace™ user experience is second to none
Our Patented category leading innovations provide unmatched mobility, comfort and safety-first features built into every detail - Features only available from Atlas

Atlas Brace Flexibility feature
Atlas Brace Mimic feature
Atlas Brace chest suspension feature
Atlas Brace Spine & Sternum Free Feature
Atlas Brace Multi-Impact feature

Lesser-known Atlas Brace™ features

For the process(es)

The secondary benefit of the Split-Frame is preventing contact with the delicate Spinous Process - the thin part that protrudes rearward from each vertebra (you can feel them against your skin)

In an accident the brace may get pushed into your neck, and we want to avoid contact with these to avoid a potential fracture

Tether

Splitting the frame added many benefits, but also left the possibility a brace could get pulled in opposite directions - something the tether solves. Our tethers not only keep the two sides of the brace in control, they also act as the axle nuts for the back supports

Hook Dilemma

Often overlooked, these seemingly simple clips solve a complex problem. You cannot build a strap hook upwards or outwards as they will catch on the helmet. You cannot build downwards in a rigid manor, or they could puncture your shoulder. To solve this, we developed a live-hinged clip that auto-rotates during an impact, avoiding bodily harm without impeding the helmet

Independent Function

Chest suspension operates independently on each side, automatically adapting to the body in a crash - An Atlas exclusive

Length Matters

Atlas back supports are significantly shorter than the competition, to avoid digging into your mid-back (thoracic spine) during an certain impact scenarios

Since there are 2 of them, surface area touching your body is still greater than the competition, which spreads impact forces over a wider area so you feel less of them

We've come a long way

Atlas Original Brace 2012
Atlas Air Lite Brace 2024

2012 vs 2024

950g (2.1 lbs) vs 550g (1.2 lbs)

Design (Why)

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Testing (How)

In the lab, and real world

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Myths (Busted)

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