For the last decades or so, TIME Magazine has created a list of Best Inventions. It is, as the name implies, a list of “products, software, and services shaping our world—from breakthroughs in science and technology to innovations that make daily life smarter, easier, and more sustainable.” And in 2025, a surf helmet made the list. Well, it made the Special Mentions list, anyway.
Not just any old surf helmet, though. Not a classic Gath helmet or a more modern Simba, but a surf helmet/bucket hat made by a company called Surf Skull.
“Surf Skull designed a lightweight, non-bulky helmet for surfers in the form of a UV-resistant, bucket hat with a hidden bump cap made from ABS and EVA plastic underneath,” TIME wrote. “The company is developing an updated version of the helmet with patent-pending technology that could reduce concussions.”
Surf helmets, thankfully, are gaining in popularity. Much like in snowboarding, helmets were thought of as pretty lame, but as time wore on and people realized that head injuries were not, in fact, for cool kids, the tide changed. Now, helmets are more common than not. In surfing, a few key people are helmet wearers, and that’s likely having an effect on the masses’ feelings.
“Head injuries are one of the most common, yet most ignored risks in surfing,” a completed Kickstarter campaign reads. “But most surfers still avoid helmets because they’re bulky, uncomfortable, and make you stand out unnecessarily. Surf Skull changes that. By making head protection feel natural, lightweight, and low-key, we’re helping more surfers stay safe without sacrificing style or comfort.”
It is a good idea, isn’t it? With surf helmets’ popularity on the rise and a bit of publicity from TIME Magazine, it’s likely that the Surf Skull people are feeling pretty good about it. And, by the way, we’ve got a list of The Inertia‘s best surf helmets right here, if you’re in the market.
