UNIT 1 SPARKY Kids’ Helmet Review | Safety and fun for young cyclists

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Finding a helmet that offers all the safety features you’d want for your child, that they actually want to wear, can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

So when UNIT 1 released the SPARKY helmet, which promises to do just that, we were intrigued.

With its tap-controlled lights, fun swappable inserts, and integrated safety technology, SPARKY aims to make the morning “helmet battle” a thing of the past.

In this review, we find out what eight-year-old Erin and her cycling family thought of the SPARKY after putting it to the test on school runs, local rides, and family cycling adventures.

Disclosure: Cycle Sprog were sent the SPARKY helmet to review. We were not paid to write this review, and all opinions are our own. We do use affiliate links, so we may get a small commission if you choose to buy through the links on this page. This funds the website, and we thank you for your support.

SPARKY helmet scores

Quality - 5/5 - Premium quality, design and top safety spec.
Value for money - 4/5 - Clever features and design for a premium price tag, that is worth it for the right family.
Customisability - 5/5 - We love the additional silicone inserts available and clever AirTag holder (additional cost).

Final verdict - The SPARKY helmet is a clever, comfortable, and well-designed helmet that Erin genuinely enjoyed wearing. It manages to make safety fun, with its colourful lights and customisable inserts giving youngsters a sense of ownership and excitement.

Find out more about the Cycle Sprog review process

About our reviewers:

Erin has just turned eight and lives in the Lake District with her parents and older sister who are all keen cyclists. She’s no stranger to testing bikes and gear, having recently reviewed the YOMO 24 for Cycle Sprog. Erin regularly cycles to school and to swimming, and enjoys family days out exploring the Lake District and Scotland by bike.

Before trying the SPARKY, Erin had been wearing helmets from Specialized and YOMO, so she had a good sense of what a well-fitting, comfortable helmet should feel like.

UNIT 1 brand overview

UNIT 1 was founded on the belief that visibility saves lives. The brand has developed a smart ecosystem of safety gear that helps cyclists of all ages stay seen, stay safe, and ride with confidence.

Their adult helmets, the AURA, NEON and FARO, set the tone for what modern, design-led protective wear can look like. The AURA is lightweight and highly ventilated, perfect for airflow, while the FARO is their flagship commuter model that features integrated lighting, crash detection, and MIPS impact protection. The NEON is very similar to the SPARKY, just bigger and with the option of MIPS.

What makes UNIT 1 stand out is their concept of Active Safety: products designed to work before, during and after a crash. By combining smart visibility features, top-tier impact protection, and emergency alert technology (in adult models), UNIT 1 aims to make cycling safer, smarter and more fun.

First impressions of the SPARKY helmet

Straight out of the box, the SPARKY helmet feels sleek and thoughtfully designed. The magnetic Fidlock buckle is a lovely touch, which is easy for small hands to use, and feels high quality.

The integrated rear light is bright, colourful, and simple to control with a tap. Erin was instantly excited to try it out, flicking through the colour options and experimenting with the swappable silicone inserts. These are cleverly numbered for easy fitting, once an adult has spotted the numbering in the instructions!

Adjusting the straps was standard fare, slightly fiddly at first, as with any new helmet, but once set up, Erin found it comfortable and could easily fine-tune the fit herself using the dial adjuster at the back.

SPARKY helmet specifications

The SPARKY helmet is UNIT 1’s first kids’ bike helmet, designed for children aged 3 to 9, or head sizes 49–53 cm. It’s lightweight, well-balanced, and offers a generous adjustment range for a secure, comfortable fit as your child grows.

Behind its fun, playful exterior lies serious safety tech. The helmet is fully certified to EN 1078:2012+A1:2012 and CPSC 1203 standards, and features a built-in NFC chip for emergency information storage. Parents can add contact details via the UNIT 1 app, handy if the helmet is lost or if emergency services ever need to reach you.

The standout feature is the bright rear light, tap-controlled, rechargeable via USB-C, and lasting up to 25 hours on a single charge. It provides fun, multi-coloured animations that make Erin’s helmet feel special, while keeping her visible on darker rides.

The only slight disappointment is the absence of MIPS protection. It’s not a requirement for certification, but it’s something many parents look for. Even so, the SPARKY still meets all key safety standards and feels robust and well-constructed. Read more about MIPS here.

SPARKY helmet safety ID

While the NFC tag doesn’t act as a live tracker or crash alert (as seen in UNIT 1’s adult models), it’s a clever, modern feature that allows you use use a smart phone to scan the helmet, and find emergency contact details. We couldn’t help but think that a sticker with emergency details written on it inside the helmet might serve a similar purpose, especially as the NFC logo is quite small and it's not particularly obvious that the feature exists and may go unnoticed. Still, it’s a neat inclusion that doesn’t detract from the helmet’s look or feel.

The safety ID is easy to set up by downloading the UNIT 1 app.

Wearing the SPARKY helmet

Once the straps were adjusted correctly, Erin found the SPARKY helmet comfortable and secure to wear.

Compared to her previous helmet, we found the rear light far brighter and easier to use. It took her a few goes to get used to tapping it correctly while wearing it, but once mastered, it became a highlight (literally!) of her rides. She can turn the light on independently, but we anticipate that smaller children may struggle to use it independently, as it needs a good amount of pressure. We like how the light is fixed to the helmet, which saves it from coming loose or getting lost.

The helmet stays put well, even over her hair, and offers excellent rear coverage while still leaving space for a low ponytail. The internal padding feels soft yet durable, managing sweat effectively, and the overall quality gives off a premium, adult-helmet vibe.

The rear light really shines on gloomy school runs and rainy evening rides, offering that little extra peace of mind for parents. With around 25 hours of battery life, and a clear battery indicator when switching off, it’s refreshingly low-maintenance.

Fit and sizing of the SPARKY helmet

Erin’s head measures 54 cm, technically 1 cm above the stated size range, yet the helmet fits beautifully. Interestingly, Cycle Sprog initially tested it on a smaller child with a 49 cm head, who found it too large, so we’d say it runs on the larger end of the size spectrum.

This is a helmet designed for children, not toddlers. It sits low on Erin’s head, providing reassuring full coverage without feeling bulky.

It’s a shame the SPARKY comes in just one size, but the UNIT 1 NEON, which includes MIPS and crash detection, comes in a Small size, starting from 51cm, but at a much higher price (£119 without MIPS, £149.90 with).

Is the SPARKY helmet worth the money?

Short answer: for many families, yes, but it depends on what you value most. SPARKY sits at the premium end of the kids’ helmet market because it’s more than just basic foam and straps; it’s a small, integrated system of features that make children more visible to traffic in a way that’s fun to them.

The bright, built-in rear light, fidlock chin strap, premium internal padding, NFC smart chip and years of research and development from UNIT 1 result in a helmet that has a premium feel.

It is around £30 more than other kids bike helmets, including those with MIPS, but when compared to other, premium helmets that have been designed for urban cycling, like the Ozmo Sidekick, the price is very similar.

We feel the SPARKY helmet is worth the money if you value premium build quality, comfort and features like the NFC tag and bright rear light. If you don't, then one of our other recommended best kids bike helmets might be more suitable for you.

Overall verdict of the SPARKY smart helmet

The SPARKY helmet is a clever, comfortable, and well-designed helmet that Erin genuinely enjoyed wearing. It manages to make safety fun, with its colourful lights and customisable inserts giving youngsters a sense of ownership and excitement.

The rear light is the real star: bright, effective, and far superior to many built-in helmet lights we’ve seen. The NFC tag might be seen as unnecessary by some families, but it’s a thoughtful extra feature that doesn’t interfere with comfort or usability.

From a family cycling perspective, we love that UNIT 1 also make adult helmets with similar designs, perfect for parents and children who want a coordinated, “grown-up” look.

SPARKY strikes a rare balance between fun and functionality. It’s smart, sleek, and packed with features that make cycling safer and more enjoyable for kids, and less stressful for parents.

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