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Student Designer
University Product Description and Principal Function(s) Ripcurl Headstrong is a protective hood that surfers wear in the ocean to protect themselves from the elements, including rocks, reef, the seabed, rogue surfboards, water pressure, UV rays and the cold. The product aims to create a cultural shift in the sport of surfing and make an impact on surfing safety. The modular design allows the user to alter the appearance of the product and replace individual parts if damaged.Why does the product represent design excellence and why do you believe it deserves an Australian Design Award? For twenty years protective headgear for surfing has existed. However associations between the use of protective headgear and unfashionable surfer subgroups, including "old men", "grommets", and the inexperienced, created a cultural difference in the sport that needed to be abolished. There seemed to be an immediate trend throughout all findings that surfers did not want to wear head protection for a number of reasons including, appearance, discomfort, claustrophobia, and effects upon the senses and balance.The aim was not to redesign a traditional surfing helmet, but shift the direction into designing a new product, being the protective hood. Therefore the product is not a separate layer that is disconnected from everything else, but it becomes an extension, that adapts to whatever the user is already wearing, whether it be a wetsuit in Winter or boardshorts in Summer. With this new innovation, surfers of all ages and experience can wear head protection in the water that is comfortable without having to worry about being judged, therefore being able to focus more on the next wave. The protective hood is made up of two major sections, one being the hood and rashvest, and the second being the hard shells. The rashvest, which is made of a blend of bamboo fibres, recycled polyester and spandex, protecting the user from UV rays, the cold water and wind-chill. The hood, which is connected to the rashvest, is made of neoprene Velcro (loop), and this also protects the user from the cold water and wind chill. The hard shells, which are made from high impact injection molded ABS and EVA foam, have Velcro (hook) lined on the inside which attaches to the hood. The hard shells protect the user from superficial injuries from the ocean's elements. There are four hard shell components which the user attaches to the hood individually. The benefits of the modularity include customization, and if the surfer happens to have an accident and damage one of the shells, that single shell can be replaced as opposed to replacing the whole product. The product is stored in an easy to carry zip-up neoprene bag. Once at the beach the user takes the product out of the bag, places the hood and rashvest on, which already has three of the four hard-shells already attached, then attaches the one remaining hard shell component on the back of the head. The designs aesthetics retain the 'stealth' look that surfers prefer, however it gives the ability to customize the product allowing the user to personalize and create their own identity, much like the way surfers do with their own surfboards. Currently, there are no official standards for surfing head protection. The current surfing helmets on the market have their own in-house manufacturing standards. The Ripcurl Headstrong Protective Hood uses similar material properties and manufacturing techniques to current products. The Ripcurl Headstrong Protective Hood would cost approximately $200, which is competitive to current surfing head protection, and offers more for the user. Ripcurl Headstrong-the future for surfing head protection. |
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