Knock started with a few bad wipeouts (and knocks to the head) and a question that wouldn't go away: Why doesn't anyone make a surf helmet that actually works?
Our founder Grant spent years in action sports product development, managing downhill mountain bike projects at Specialized, working alongside engineers, testing product with professional riders. He'd seen what good protective gear could do. And after suffering serious head injuries while surfing—including one that knocked him unconscious—he knew the surf industry hadn't caught up.
Grant partnered with Koa Smith, a professional surfer who has pushed performance in some of the world’s most demanding waves. Surfing Pipeline and heavy slabs around the globe has resulted in multiple head injuries, and even one is too many. In his pursuit of both safety and performance, he has tested every surf helmet on the market. Time and again, he was left disappointed—nothing met the demands of modern high-performance surfing. His experiences in real-world, high-consequence environments became invaluable in shaping Knock’s design requirements.
The helmets on the market were uncomfortable, performed poorly in the water, and didn't inspire much confidence from a safety standpoint. So we built one from scratch.
Knock is the result: A purpose-built surf helmet designed around how waves actually work, engineered to protect you session after session, and tested in conditions that would expose any weakness.
We're a small team. We're approachable. And we stand behind this product because we use it ourselves. Drop us a line if you have a question or just want to say hi.
