Developed for commuters, the Hudson is one of Bern’s safest helmets. It’s also recently won the 2021 outdoor retailer innovation award thanks to its sleek urban design, functionality and safety ratings. The urban styling and fabric bill looks sleek around town while the MIPS liner and in-mold construction ensure safety. E-Bike riders will also be excited with the NTA-8776 certification which means the helmet has also been tested in higher speed impacts. The Bern Hudson is available in six different matte colors with a competitive retail price of only $119.99. Similar to Bern’s winter sports helmets, the Hudson has a commuter style profile with extended rear portion and 13 strategically placed vents.
The Bern Hudson is a sleek award winning commuter style helmet that features urban styling, an integrated taillight, MIPS and NTA-8776 certification.
| Rating | 8.8/10 |
| Retail Price | $119.99 |
| Measured weight (in g) | 370 (medium) |
| Likes | + Competitively priced + MIPS liner and NTA-8776 certification + Premium looking removable fabric bill |
| Dislikes | – Lacks reflective elements – No Helmet storage bag – Color selection is limited to solid matte options |
| Where to Buy (US) | Bern |
UNBOXING
We receive the Hudson in a standard cardboard helmet box with minimal branding. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Hudson helmet w/ bill installed
- Additional front pad to swap with bill
- Bern stickers + MIPS informational tags
FIT & FINISH
Designed with urban cyclists or bike commuters, the Bern Hudson has a traditional urban helmet design which means it has a dome shape with an extended rear profile for additional protection. Visually, the helmet looks similar to Bern’s snowboarding or skiing helmets with conservative styling and 13 smaller vents. Unlike road cycling helmets that look more like swiss cheese, the Hudson has the vents strategically placed along the front and sides of the helmet. With the matte white color scheme we have, the helmet looks sleek with complementary gray straps and fabric bill. Bern also offers the helmet in five other matte finishes with complementary accent colors that help give the Hudson a more premium appearance.
We were also impressed with the fabric bill that has an extended design for excellent protection from the sun. The bill is removable and integrates with the front inner pads with velcro attachments. Bern includes an extra front pad that can be swapped in place of the bill if desired. Compared to the plastic bills of other commuter helmets such as the Thousand Heritage, the fabric design is a nice addition that can even be flipped upward when not needed. The helmet can also be locked to a bike using the reinforced side vents which is a clever detail and easy to use as you can slide even large U-locks through either of the two side vents.
TAILLIGHT
The Hudson comes with an integrated micro-USB rechargeable LED taillight for additional safety and visibility. It’s a simple four LED design arranged horizontally with a maximum of 6.6 lumen output. If that doesn’t sound very bright, that’s because it isn’t. Instead the wide protruding lens design helps with side visibility and works well to improve visibility when combined with a traditional taillight mounted on a seatpost or saddlebag. The integrated design fits securely into a rear air vent with two plastic tabs and the entire lens serving as a power button. A double press turns the light on while a single press will cycle through the three modes – steady, flash and pulse. We prefer this simple tab design over the more difficult to remove Lazer Urbanize’s integrated taillight.
COMFORT
The Hudson helmet has Bern’s Compass Fit system which is a wrap-around cradle system, the design similar to other helmets, and features a dual direction dial to adjust the fit. Combined with the soft nylon straps, we found it easy to dial in the helmet for a snug but comfortable fit. The helmet’s 13 strategically placed vents also provide decent air ventilation to help stay cool when riding. It’s not as ventilated as road cycling helmets but for most commuters or E-bike riders, we found it was more than sufficient. In terms of sizing, our Medium sized helmet felt similar to other Medium helmets we’ve reviewed with enough adjustment to loosen it to accommodate cold weather gear.
THE VERDICT
Overall we found the Bern Hudson to be a well designed and comfortable commuter helmet. Despite having both a MIPS liner and NTA-8776 certification, the helmet is still relatively light. The plush inner padding and dial retention system make it easy to adjust the fit. We found the Medium size felt similar to other commuter helmets we’ve reviewed and comfortable for short or long rides. Although the helmet lacks smart features like the Coros SafeSound, Bern has incorporated many commuter-friendly features including a soft bill, integrated taillight and reinforced vents for locking the helmet. The Hudson is also a good looking helmet with its matte finish and details like the color matched Bern logo and straps. If you’re an E-bike rider or commuter looking for a premium looking helmet at a reasonable price the Hudson is a competitive option.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Bern. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.