Gath Water Helmets 2026 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Water Helmets 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Gath
Interviewee: Federico Infantino — Marketing & Team Manager

How was the water helmets business in 2025?
Without a doubt, the helmets business reached an entirely new level in 2025. Since Gath Sports introduced the world’s first surfing helmet in 1989, we haven’t just manufactured certified helmets, we’ve helped create the market itself. From day one, our focus has been on real safety and educating water users that helmets are a critical protective tool, not just another accessory. Over the years, Gath made helmets not only functional but desirable, working with top athletes worldwide to shift the perception from “helmets aren’t cool” to “helmets are part of your gear.” Of course, this success attracted competitors, which has actually helped grow the whole market: more players mean more helmets in the water and, most importantly, more heads protected, exactly as our founder Ric Gath always said. Even when some competitors claimed they would “carry on the work of Gath,” our team continues to push future safety innovations rather than rest on a legacy.

Which are the leading watersports as far as helmet use? Any movement within the distinct disciplines?
Surfing is still one of the leading watersports for helmet use, especially in reef and high-risk breaks. From 2023, we’ve seen wing foiling and foiling disciplines grow rapidly, and with that growth has come a significant rise in safety awareness — riders are choosing helmets much more consistently than before. We’ve taken this opportunity to educate the community on choosing multi-impact certified helmets designed specifically for water, not just borrowing gear from other action sports. Increasingly, athletes across surfing, wing foiling, and other dynamic water sports recognize that proper certification and fit are essential for real protection.

Do you have any data regarding the user demographics, and especially their age groups?
The European market, including hotspots like the Canary Islands, remains one of the largest hubs of helmet adoption worldwide. What we see consistently is that older generations, who have experienced the risks firsthand, are wise advocates for wearing helmets. Parents are becoming more educated about safety, and we’re now seeing a noticeable increase in children wearing helmets as standard gear. Critically, the 16–35 age group, historically the most reluctant due to “style concerns,” is now embracing helmets more than ever, proving that the culture around helmet use is shifting for the better.

Are you favoring multi-purpose helmet designs or models intended for a single sport?
Making one helmet that truly suits every watersport isn’t straightforward, because different activities have distinct impact profiles and environmental demands (e.g., hard reef vs. foil edges). However:
All helmets in the Gath collection are water-certified for use in wind sports, surfing, paddling, life‑saving, and more. We do have different designs tailored for specific use cases, from surfing and wipeouts to foiling and rescue operations, while maintaining strict multi-impact safety certification across the range. Additionally, we’re innovating to make certain helmets multi-sport certified (e.g., concrete + water helmets like the new RGM), proving that multifunction performance is possible with the right engineering and testing.

Please take us through your water helmet range.
Here’s a snapshot of our current water helmet lineup:

Neo Hat & EVA Hat — Designed for sports in the water like surfing and bodyboarding. They’re engineered to withstand wipeouts, minimizing water “bucket” effects, offering full coverage, and ensuring low drag performance. The Neo Hat uses a neoprene headband for an adaptive snug fit, while the EVA Hat adds enhanced protection with an EVA foam band.
Surf Convertible (SFC) — Built for sports on the water and versatile enough for surfing too. It’s a favourite for juniors down to XS size and includes removable ear pockets for adaptability in warm or cold conditions. Best seller also for windsurfing, sailing, and wakeboarding.
GEDI — Our high-impact model for foiling, rescue services, and professionals. It offers some of the highest certified protection levels, comes in sizes up to XXXL, and adapts for use in demanding conditions, including water photography and rescue teams.
RGM — The latest addition to the Gath collection, it’s one of the few helmets in the world with dual certification for both concrete and water sports, a truly rare achievement that redefines multi-sport protection. It meets key concrete impact standards (ASTM F1492‑22 and EN1078) as well as the EN1385 water sports standard, making it suitable for activities such as skateboarding, biking, rollerblading, surfing, Kite surfing, kayaking, wing foiling and more. The RGM has also been independently tested and awarded a 5-star rating by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, confirming its high level of impact performance in both environments. At just 278 g and equipped with Gath’s innovative Technology Roller Size Adjuster plus interchangeable comfort liners, it delivers a lightweight, adjustable, all-in-one solution for riders of all ages and sport types.

– Kayak Cross Kit – built for the high-speed, high-contact demands of kayak cross. It features the highestlevel of impact-resistant protand a 4 mm titanium faceguard for protection against paddles, boats, and rocks. With a comfortable liner and roller size-adjuster for a secure fit, it has been tested and approved by Olympic gold medalists and the Olympic safety team and commission, certified to EN1385 whitewater standards, and approved by the International Canoe Federation for competition. Across our range, we regularly update materials and liner technologies — typically on a ~2-year cycle — to incorporate safer, lighter, and more comfortable innovations as technology evolves.

What are the specific tech requirements for waterhelmets compared to other action sports ones (drainage and drying, impact protection, comfort, styling…)
Water helmets face unique demands compared to land-based sports helmets. In addition to impact protection, we must consider:

Water dynamics — duck dives, reef or board impacts, unpredictable currents.
Drainage and drying — water can fill a helmet and increase strain on the neck (“bucket effect”) if poorly designed.
Comfort & retention — the helmet must stay secure in turbulent water but still allow hearing and comfort.
Material durability — saltwater, UV exposure, and temperature changes are harsher conditions than most land helmets see.

At Gath, safety is paramount and we never compromise it for style. We work closely with engineers and research partners to optimise drainage, impact resistance, weight, and comfort, rejecting vague “marketing claims” in favour of real certified design and construction. People should always choose helmets with recognised water-specific certifications rather than generic, untested products.

Key Products:

Neo Hat:

Neo hat Yellow 1

RGM:

GEDI Black 1

SFC:

SFC Red 4