We can debate all day whether or not, given proper infrastructure, bike helmets are necessary. Regardless, in America, the infrastructure isn't there, which makes helmets something everyone should wear. But we don't, for a variety of reasons: because they're bulky to lug around all day, because bike sharing programs like CitiBike don't offer them, or because we're thoughtless assholes with a god complex.
If you fall into the latter category, the Fuga Helmet by Closca probably isn't going to change your mind about bike helmets, but for the rest of us, it makes the prospect of carrying one with us at all times a lot more palatable. Featuring a contemporary design that comes in black or white, the Fuga can collapse down to less than 50% of its normal size when not in use, making it small enough to slide into a briefcase, purse, or backpack.
Although some portable helmets manage to achieve a smaller form factor by cutting down on the internal foam padding—thus leaving your skull more vulnerable to trauma in case of a crash—the Fuga actually has a similar foam volume compared to regular helmets, good enough for a Consumer Product Safety Commission certificate. It also managed to garner a 2015 Red Dot Award for design ingenuity.
The Closca Fuga helmet is now available for preorder in black or white for $100 here. It might not have the same cutting-edge features as some of the other helmets we've featured here on Co.Design, but it's small enough it'll be with you when you need it, which is, at the end of the day, the only thing that counts.