July 5, 2023 
Once upon a time, style, substance and affordability were mutually exclusive, at least when it came to riding helmets.
In the “days of old,” you could look every inch the Jackie Kennedy part in your velvet hunt cap—until the moment when you’d actually need it to provide an iota of brain protection.
Times have changed and there’s now plenty of options for safe headgear. But as is so often the case in equestrian sports, the more coveted the design for the show ring, the higher the price tag.
Enter EQx by Charles Owen.
From the renowned British brand built on safety and favored by Olympic icons Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), Cian O’Connor (IRL), and Boyd Martin (USA), the new EQx range offers the safety substance and striking style of Charles Owen at an affordable price tag.
Like, less than $185 USD affordable.
Think of it as the beauty of brain protection with the brawn Charles Owen’s safety repute.
The Kylo, EQx’s debut helmet, is certified to three international safety standards and features a precision dial-fit system, flexible peak, and optional MIPS (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System) technology for optimal protection. This much-touted liner system was developed by Swedish researchers to protect your head against rotational motion, or kinematics, transmitted to the brain from angled impacts to the head. Which, it turns out, is how most riders fall.
And thanks to its unique, dial-fit system, Kylo fits literally every body and can be adjusted to both round- and oval-shaped heads. Plus, it has a moisture-wicking, removable headband you can toss in the washing machine as needed (read: when stuff gets funky).
But that’s not all: The Kylo doesn’t skimp on style. Lightweight and well-ventilated, with a quick-release harness buckle and a flexible peak, the Kylo comes in four, on-trend yet individualized options.
Slip on the matte-black or -navy to go low-key in the hunter ring, get a little wild in the black gloss with rose gold accents in the jumpers, or dazzle like a Swiftie at the Eras tour during your next dressage test in the gloss-navy with shimmer top option.
The Kylo also keeps the environment in mind, with an adjustable-yet-realistic-looking faux-leather harness, and FSC sustainably sourced and recycled packing. It’s no wonder up-and-coming show jumpers Chloe Reid (USA) and Gabriela Reutter (CHI) are both campaign covergirls.
But the very best part of the EQx by Charles Owen collection? When it comes to form, function, and affordability, you don’t have to sacrifice a thing.
Learn more about and source local retailers for the Kylo at CharlesOwen.com.
