Red Dot Design Award 2024: Six winners from the sports sector

Every year: The Red Dot Design Award is one of the largest design competitions in the world and is awarded in the areas of product and communication design as well as design concepts. Malicious tongues claim that there is now hardly a product that will not be "honoured" with the red dot sooner or later.

This year, the international jury once again awarded thousands of products with the red dot in three categories, six of them in the Outdoor, Sport und Freizeit. In the subcategory "Red Dot: Best of the Best". It will be interesting to see whether the "Red Dot: Best of the Best" category will be added next year. Be that as it may. Here are the best of the best of 2024.

Inmotion Challenger Unicycle: powerhouse that pushes the boundaries

According to the expert jury, individual electric mobility is becoming increasingly popular, especially in urban areas, with many people seeing it as a useful addition to cars and public transport or using it in their free time. While e-bikes and electric scooters are now quite common, electrified unicycles are still causing a stir and the "Inmotion Challenger" is doing this in several ways. With a high-performance motor and a top speed of up to 90 km/h, the focus was clearly on power and speed when developing the product, according to the jury.

The Challenger is designed for adrenaline enthusiasts who want to test the limits of their physical abilities. However, those who appreciate high-speed driving and extreme experiences need to be able to rely all the more on the safety of their vehicle. The Challenger therefore has various features that make it safe to use, such as a low centre of gravity, wide tyres and a motor that generates a continuous output of up to 10,000 watts, the jury continued.

Red deer R.R275 X: everything in the frame

"Due to high ergonomic requirements, bicycle design always follows a complex geometric specification. This severely limits the creative scope for creating a new type of appearance." With these words, Tomas Fiegl, lead designer of the design team responsible for the "Rotwild R.R275 X", describes the initial situation he was confronted with when tackling the design of an e-gravel bike for the Rotwild brand.

The Red Dot Jury writes: "The overall design with its harmonious frame proportions and the execution of the carbon construction through to the detailed elaboration of the lines and the controls is convincing."

But above all, riding the "Rotwild R.R275 X" is pure pleasure. According to the jury, this riding experience is due to the interplay between the bicycle architecture, the equipment with the 250 watt TQ mid-motor HPR50, twelve selectable electronically shifted gears and a weight of 12.8 kg.

Stromer ST5 Pinion: the motorbike among the e-bikes

Last year, the "Stromer ST7", the first speed pedelec from the Swiss e-bike manufacturer to be equipped with an electronic gearbox from the automotive industry, was honoured with a Red Dot Award. Just one year later, another Stromer model, the "Stromer ST5 Pinion", was honoured with the competition's highest award. While the architecture of the aluminium frame with its angular tubes and battery integration in the more voluminous down tube has essentially remained the same, according to the jury, the e-bike features a number of innovations.

The jury writes: "This e-bike optimises every aspect of traditional city bikes - from performance and range to the gears and the clear, integrated design through to the mudguard and brakes. The "ST5 Pinion" thus achieves a quality that almost establishes a new category of e-bikes that are increasingly moving towards motorbikes in terms of range, performance and riding experience."

Yoshino Solid-State Portable Power Stations: Energy in series

According to the jury, the solid-state batteries in the power stations from Yoshino provide energy independence in a robust and aesthetic housing. Whether on a family outing, on construction sites or in emergency situations. In addition to the safety aspect, the advantages of these solid-state batteries include a higher energy density and therefore a lower weight.

"We found the uniform design language within the product family absolutely convincing. On closer inspection, we were completely impressed by the high-quality choice of materials, the well thought-out ergonomics and, of course, the user-friendly interface design," said the jury, explaining their choice.

Sea to Summit Detour Range: compact comfort

"The "Detour Range" is an incredibly flexible system that can be stowed away amazingly compactly for travelling. When the products are unfolded, a full set of high-quality cookware is available. In addition, the system is very consistent, all parts fit together perfectly from an aesthetic point of view and in terms of their design," said the judges, who were impressed.

As is so often the case, the jury said that practical use reveals just how carefully all the details have been developed. For example, the curves of the bowl are precisely matched to the shape of the spoon. And the advantages of the magnetic cutlery parts are only really appreciated when nothing rattles in the camping kitchen when travelling over hill and dale.

Head Cinema: Looking good with confidence

According to the Red Dot Jury, winter sports enthusiasts are increasingly replacing the usual combination of helmet and removable ski goggles with helmets with an integrated visor. They are more comfortable to wear for spectacle wearers as the goggles and visor do not come into contact with each other. However, visor helmets are generally becoming increasingly popular across all age and consumer groups because they are practical, the field of vision is larger and the visors generally don't fog up as quickly.

The jury writes: "The "Cinema" visor helmet from Head was developed for style-conscious winter sports enthusiasts who value functionality and aesthetics. The unusually narrow profile makes the "Cinema" look stylish and understated. The mechanism for operating the visor is concealed inside, making the helmet appear as if it has been cast from a single mould and no buttons or levers detract from the look."

Our purchasing department will clarify whether and when we will have the products in our range. If possible, we will test the technologies and report on them.