K12 is a proud sponsor of the Rippin’ Rider Kids Testing Team. K12's mission is to provide any child the curriculum and tools to maximize success in life, regardless of geographic, financial, or demographic circumstance. For more on K12 see their website at
K12.com.
Rippin’ Rider Review:
Burton Buzz Cap
Our
tester, Blake from Southern California, couldn’t wait to test out his Burton Buzz
Cap. Blake, age 9, wrote in his Rippin’ Rider application, “I almost fell off
the lift last year so I need a helmet. I am a shredder and love vert.” Well we
sent Blake a Burton Buzz Cap helmet and here’s his report.
Blake rides at Southern
California resorts. This report came from a day he spent at Mountain High in Wrightwood,
California, then from discussions with his Dad, Jerry.
Functionality
of Product: It works as intended and is easy to put on and buckle
while wearing gloves. However, the goggle-strap holder in the back could be better
designed; it now requires the goggle-strap be removed from one side of the goggles
in order to be threaded through the holder. The vents are a unique feature, but
don’t appear to be very effective. No difference was noticed whether they were
open or closed. The color (light blue) made it easy to spot in a crowded area.
How
it is made: The helmet appears to be sturdy and able to handle the
abuse that a child would inflict on it, although it was never involved in a crash
(yet) or dropped (as kids do). It would seem to be able to last many seasons,
being passed down to younger kids as older kids grew out of it.
Use:
The product was first used at Mountain High for a day of snowboarding on
man-made snow. However, 
when
it arrived at our house, it could have been used to sleep in, if allowed, because
of the excitement that it caused. Especially after personalizing it and covering
it with stickers. Mountain High is special to us because it is the first place
that the kids ever snowboarded and it is historically the first local resort to
open each year because of their extensive snowmaking capabilities. It was enjoyable
to use for the protection, warmth, and cool-factor that it provided. And it didn’t
even itch!
Performance:
The helmet helped performance because it instilled more confidence that protection
would be provided in the event of a crash.
Cool
Factor: The helmet is a cool thing and makes friends want one too.
It could be improved by making it in mixed colors (black/silver, yellow/red, or
blue/gold (same as the St. Louis Rams) and/or with lightening bolt and flame
stickers.
For more info on the Buzz
Cap see our Rippin’ Rider Preview here.
