Revolutionary Mono-Strap System Improves Innovative Industrial Helmets
December 18, 2025
By Krystie Johnston
There is something special about having a passion and putting it to work for a good reason. And that is exactly what STUDSON and HighBar are doing right now with the recent launch of their HighBar-equipped SHK-1 industrial helmet. A revolution in head safety, the concept version was introduced just last year and is now shipping out to workers in construction, forestry, oil and gas, manufacturing, utilities, industrial maintenance industries, and more across the United States and Canada.
One goal in mind
But let us back up for a moment and take a look at how they got there. Ryan Barnes founded and CEO of STUDSON started the company back in late 2019 with one goal: to develop the world’s more innovative and advanced Type II industrial safety helmet. For him, the goal began as a personal experience that developed into a lifelong passion that began years before starting the company. “I had a ski accident at 16 years old, before helmets were required,” he says. “Luckily, I fully recovered with the help of titanium plates reconstructing the right side of my face – which sparked a lifelong interest advocating for head safety.”
Barnes’ interest in head safety culminated with the launch of STUDSON’s first helmet in 2021: the SHK-1 Type II Safety Helmet, followed by the first-of-its-kind full brim version in 2023. All versions are ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014 (R2019) Type II-certified safety helmets and provide 360-degree head protection, better impact-absorbing technologies, and front, side, and rear impact protection compared to the traditional Type I hard hat. Today, STUDSON has a version that will meet both the ANSI/ISEA Type II certification in the United States and that CSA Standard Z94.1-15 (R2024) in Canada, enabling workers to use one helmet in both countries.
Andrew Herrick is the Managing Director of HighBar. He describes himself as a longtime bike and outdoor industry person who co-founded the company with a former partner in the bike company Crankbrothers. “HighBar is a company that is rethinking helmet retention – a product that has not seen marked improvements in decades or more,” he says. “We design, manufacture, and supply our HighBar system to helmet brands in the bicycle and industrial safety industries.”
Common ground
Herrick says he watched the early development of STUDSON and knew that Ryan and his team had a background in the bike and outdoor business too. They both had that in common. “We expected STUDSON to do some special things, bringing the experience and influence from bike and ski helmets into industrial safety – and we were right,” Herrick says. “We had to approach STUDSON with the idea of becoming the chartered partner in the industrial safety helmet category to go align with our previous launch in the bike category with Canyon Bicycles. We love the way that STUDSON thinks about products – we align with them. So, it was worth it for our team to put in the development time and focus on getting the first HighBar safety helmet to market with STUDSON.”
And what a helmet they brought. The HighBar-equipped STUDSON SHK-1 represents the next evolution in STUDSON’s strategy to bring the best in head protection to their customers. Barnes says chinstraps are a fairly new concept in industrial head safety – most traditional hardhats do not include a harness system, but he could see their potential. “HighBar’s unique and innovative design, we believe, can help ease that transition through its simple yet ingenious adjustment system and hygienic polymer strap material,” he says.
A natural fit
For Barnes, it was a natural fit. “The HighBar system requires minimal training, enabling active industrial workers to wear the STUDSON SHK-1 safety helmet properly, without sacrificing comfort on the job,” he says. “After all, a properly adjusted helmet is a safer helmet, increasing the odds that workers will use the harness. It is very simple to adjust with one hand – even with heavy gloves on – and it provides minimal contact with the skin for added comfort.
Herrick says it should be simple. “We want HighBar to help the helmet do its job properly – something that can only happen if the helmet is worn correctly, as it was intended,” he says. “We wanted the HighBar to be so simple that it did not require instructions for use. A nice departure from the complicated process of fitting a strap and buckle helmet for the first time and keep it adjusted properly. As everyone knows in the safety industry, workers tend to find straps to be an annoyance while working 8 to 10 hours per days, so we need it to be simple to use, simple to adjust, and simple to stow up and away during coffee breaks and lunchtime when not on the job site.
Safety in every detail
The HighBar-equipped STUDSON SHK-1 helmet makes further statements with thoughtful design elements. They come with a variety of other options and colourways as a full-brim style. Customers can also choose the non-vented Class E electrical compliance version, meaning it provides insulation up to 20,000 volts for added protection during electrical tasks. When paired with their Arc Flash Face Shield accessory from Paulson, the Class E non-Vented helmet achieved an Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) of 12 cal/cm² when tested to ASTM F2178/F2178M-23a.
Barnes explains these tests further. “The shield was evaluated under conditions replicating real-world arc flash hazards and demonstrated robust performance, with no ignition, no after flame, and no melting or dripping during testing,” he says. “Meanwhile, the Class C vented version provides superior breathability while preventing rain from seeping in – ideal for outdoor work in unpredictable weather.”
He adds that all the SHK-1 helmets feature KOROYD welded polymer tubes along the interior, designed to absorb impacts more efficiently than traditional EPS foam. “The material also enhances heat dissipation and improves ventilation due to its cellular open structure,” Barnes says. “In addition, they features embedded Twiceme Technology which gives individual workers the optional capability to upload critical health data for ease of access by first responders in an emergency with the tap of a smartphone.”
A badge of honor
Safety features and stylish design: this is one helmet anyone can be proud to wear. Herrick says that, from his experience in the bike industry, he saw helmet brands gaining in popularity by marketing similar attributes. “In order to make the rider more safe, the leading helmet brands needed to make the rider look good, sporty, and racy. This became a badge of honor, to have a nice-looking helmet to go with the rest of the gear,” he says.
“We see some similarities here – construction and industrial workers are proud, rightly so, to be who they are and to make the world a better place. We believe that STUDSON helmets are just as much a badge of honor as a cycling helmet is to a cyclist. To that end, together, STUDSON and HighBar make a great way to encourage workers to wear their helmet and make sure it fits correctly. Every time.”
At the end of the day, the importance of head safety at work and at play is undeniable. STUDSON’s goal is to develop the world’s more innovative and advanced Type II industrial safety helmet. And Herrick says that HighBar simply increases the odds that millions of safety workers will be wearing the helmet correctly on a daily basis. Barnes adds, “We believe industrial athletes across all trades deserve the best head protection to not only to return home safely every day but to maintain the best quality of life on and off the job site.”
Looking ahead
As STUDSON continues to grow rapidly, they want to offer their customers more options, including the harness system that is right for them, be it the new HighBar system or the traditional four-point buckle system, they plan to offer both options going forward.
More Information
Interested in learning more? Visit STUDSON or HighBar today.
Related Story
STUDSON Introduces HighBar-Equipped SHK-1, A New Approach to Helmet Fit
STUDSON, an above-the-neck safety innovator, has announced the general availability of the HighBar-Equipped STUDSON SHK-1 Type II safety helmet, featuring the revolutionary buckle-free HighBar safety system with a single, stowable chinstrap.
After introducing the concept version last year, the HighBar-Equipped STUDSON SHK-1 helmet is now shipping to workers in construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, utilities, and industrial maintenance industries. The system is a first for the industrial safety market, and provides a more adjustable, breathable, and hygienic fit compared to legacy designs.
