Why You Should Trust Us

Our ski and snowboard crew of GearJunkie gear testers includes a range of experience levels from intermediate to expert skiers and riders. We also have backcountry splitboarders and snowmobilers, certified backcountry travelers, and skimo racers testing gear to help find the best of the best. At our annual gear testing week, we swap notes, including a recent ski week at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, which is known for its extremely steep terrain.

Leading the gear testing, Snowsports Senior Editor Morgan Tilton has been skiing since 1994 and snowboarding since 2002. Over the past few decades, Morgan has hit her head on a few hard crashes, but the worst was while snowboarding in icy conditions in 2003.

She was found knocked out with a grade 2 concussion and broken nose and woke with complete memory loss — an experience that included a rescue toboggan and ambulance ride. The wreck ravaged her goggles and helmet. Fortunately, she’d started wearing a helmet the season prior and has worn one ever since. Today, she lives in Gunnison Valley, which tends to be one of the coldest, snowiest places in North America.

We’ve tested ski and snowboard helmets in a range of conditions from California to the Colorado Rockies and in high alpine environments. We’ve worn helmets through the glades and while ripping steep groomers at the resort. Our helmets have been on during whiteout blizzards, when descending routes in the backcountry, riding snowmobiles at highway speeds, and while doing skimo workouts.

While testing our ski and snowboard helmets, we consider overall fit, comfort, impact protection, warmth, size adjustability, goggle integration, ventilation, ergonomics, and style. We also take into consideration the most innovative, novel, sport-specific, popular, highly rated, and legacy products across a range of price points.

Our list of ski and snowboard helmets represents a range of options for various objectives, climates, conditions, athletes, and budgets.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Ski Helmet

Comfort & Fit

Because ski helmets are often worn all day long, you’ll want yours to feel comfortable and to have a correct fit. Pressure points can cause unnecessary headaches. The best helmets are the ones that fit perfectly so you can focus on enjoying your day on the snow.

Overall comfort is the result of many different components working together, including padding, weight, shape, earpieces, and adjustment system as well as overall fit and the correct size.

Every skier and rider has a different head shape, so we always recommend trying helmets on before purchase to ensure fit and comfort. On this list, the Wildhorn Highline and the Sweet Protection Switcher are noteworthy for their exceptional comfort.

Protection & Safety

Above all else, your helmet should provide reliable protection. Quality ski helmets are made with durable impact-absorbing foam, durable shells, rear and lateral protection, and rotational impact systems. All of the helmets on this list offer top-tier protection and should help you feel confident and prepared on the mountain.

If you’re looking for a multisport helmet, be sure the design has been certified by a governing body in the United States or Europe for the sport. For instance, the Bern Watts 2.0 is capable of protecting your head during a fall while skiing or snowboarding as well as skateboarding, cycling, or roller skating.

On our list, nearly all of the helmets we’ve included come with rotational impact systems. These lightweight components are designed to reduce the rotational forces on the head and brain and help prevent brain injury.

Most of the listed models use MIPS, which stands for multidirectional impact system. MIPS uses a slip plate to allow the helmet to rotate independently of the head during impact.

Other technologies are available in addition to the shell and included in some ski and snowboard helmets for extra protection.

One technology is Koroyd, which features welded tubes that crumple upon impact to absorb force and energy transfer. The technology is extremely lightweight and allows airflow, too. Among our top products here, the Smith Vantage has Koroyd.

Another option is Scott’s D3O shock-absorbing technology, which is a spongy material that specifically protects against low-energy impacts and is featured in the Scott Symbol 2 Plus.

Furthermore, Pret’s Corona X and Cirque X have antimicrobial EPS foam to prevent bacterial growth. The helmet shells are also reinforced with polycarbonate plates in areas where skull impact would be critical, effectively doubling the thickness where needed and upping the protection.

Scott also offers a technology called 360-degree Pure Sound earpieces, which are designed to improve sound clarity and the wearer’s ability to hear, which in turn may help to prevent collisions and other incidents. The Pure Sound is included in the Scott Symbol 2 Plus.

Value & Price

In our guide, the top ski and snowboard helmets range in price from $80 to $300.

Generally, higher-end ski helmets that offer elite protection or customizable features cost more than lower-quality options. Sought-after features including earbud compatibility, MIPS, and adjustable ventilation will come with a higher price tag than minimalist models.

Still, there are some excellent budget options that don’t require you to compromise safety or protection. On this list, we’ve selected the Giro Ratio MIPS as our pick for the ski helmet offering the best value.

The Bern Watts 2.0 is likewise on the lower end of the price spectrum but doesn’t provide as much warmth as other helmets with no closable vents.

Ventilation & Temperature Regulation

As skiers and riders know, conditions in the mountains vary wildly from freezing and frigid to sweaty and sweltering. Because you want a helmet that’s comfortable in all conditions, it’s important to seek a model with good temperature control options.

Helmets with the best temperature control capability come with adjustable vents. On warm days, open vents provide cooling airflow. On cold days, closed vents seal in body heat and protect the head from wind chill.

Good ventilation is the key to effective temperature regulation. These days, well-designed ski helmets have ventilation systems that effectively channel air through the helmet as you ski or ride.

One of the first ventilation features to consider is the overall number of vents and where they are placed on your helmet. Typically, more vents equal a pricier helmet. But if you ski often, that tradeoff can be worth it.

We also highly recommend adjustable vents, which can be opened or closed in an instant without removing the helmet or your gloves. On this list, our favorite ventilation systems are found on the Scott Symbol 2 Plus and the Sweet Protection Switcher.

Additionally, a plush pair of removable ear flaps are essential to a good modular helmet that can be customized as the weather changes. When it’s cold, ear flaps should hug the head and prevent cold air from making contact with the vulnerable ears. When it’s warm, we recommend removing the earflaps to increase airflow and prevent overheating.

Furthermore, having a helmet with fit adjustability will allow you to add layers beneath your helmet if more warmth and protection from the elements is needed like a headband or balaclava.

Fit Adjustability

Many helmets on this list come with a built-in adjustable harness that can customize the fit on the fly. Adjustment systems do add a bit of weight and aren’t found in minimalist helmets like the Smith Maze.

However, we recommend seeking out a good adjustment system, especially if you plan to use your helmet both with and without a beanie, headband, or balaclava underneath. Wearing a hat under a helmet can affect the fit and integrity of a helmet, so be wary of thicker fabrics. A thin skull cap or headband is usually fine, as long as the helmet still encases from the bottom of your skull bones up to the top of your forehead.

Most modern adjustment systems use a real dial you can easily access while wearing gloves. On this list, we particularly like the adjustment dial system on the Sweet Protection Switcher.

Goggle Compatibility

Some helmets are smartly designed to work in seamless tandem with goggles. While certain helmet manufacturers like Smith tend to work best with their own in-house goggles, other helmets manage to work with a wide variety of goggle brands and styles. For a full rundown on choosing goggles to go with your helmet, see our Ski Goggles Buyer’s Guide.

While skiing or riding, it’s nice to have minimal gaps between your helmet and goggles. Also, it’s important to ensure that the goggle attachment point of the rear of the helmet is compatible with the width of your goggle strap.

Goggle attachments are often a simple durable clip, which is generally easy to operate with gloves on and some are wider and longer than others. Or the goggle-secure strap is secured by a snap.

Weight

Though skiing helmets vary by weight, the styles featured on our list are all within a few ounces of each other. Extra ounces can be noticeable when wearing a helmet all day, and we recommend seeking out a lightweight helmet.

Some helmets, like the Scott Symbol 2 Plus, manage to include lots of luxury features without racking up too much total weight. Usually, though, the lighter helmets are the minimalist options that sacrifice features in favor of simplicity.

On our list, the Backcountry Access BC Air Helmet is the lightest at less than 12 ounces, and the Smith Maze hovers near 12 ounces, too.

Construction

There are three types of helmet constructions: ABS, in-mold and hybrid in-mold.

ABS is a type of plastic material that’s most commonly used for a variety of helmets, including ski, bicycle, skateboard and safety helmets. It’s known for its strength, toughness and impact resistance. This construction looks like a hard plastic shell with a foam liner on the inside. ABS helmets can feel bulkier and less breathable than in-mold or hybrid options, but are a great budget-friendly option — especially for beginners. One of our favorites, the Giro Ratio MIPS Helmet, is an example of ABS. 

In-mold and hybrid-in mold helmets mold together a shin shell with an EPS foam liner. Integrating the two layers shaves ounces. The Smith Maze MIPS is an example of an in-mold helmet. 

But In-mold helmets don’t earn the best marks for durability. Enter, the hybrid! Hybrids add a hard shell layer on top for more durability and aesthetic resistance to scrapes and dings. Hybrid designs are often the most expensive of the pack. Some of our top picks, like the Smith Vantage, utilizes this type of construction. 

Safety Certifications

Helmets often have stickers with safety certification letters and numbers on them. What do they mean?

ASTM F2040: The most common certification for snow helmets. This is a U.S. standard that covers non-motorized snow sports like skiing and snowboarding. All helmets sold in stores like REI have this certification.

CE EN1077: A European standard for skiing and snowboarding. Some helmets meet both American and U.S. standards, while some meet one but not the other. 

EN 12492: A climbing certification. This means a helmet offers more protection from objects falling from above, namely, rocks, as well as the usual side/front/rear protection of a ski or snowboard helmet. Backcountry skiers and mountaineers might want this certification for additional safety.

Audio Systems

If you love rocking out on the mountain, plan to spend a bit extra on helmet-compatible headphones or audio-compatible ear pads that are integrated into the helmet. Many helmets are also designed with ear pad pockets that work with headphones, specifically, Outdoor Tech’s Chip System.

The most advanced audio systems are ones that are integrated into the helmet and Bluetooth-compatible, so they can link to music, make phone calls, and even offer an intercom system to communicate with others wearing one, too.

Other helmets have an integrated speaker in the ear pads, and the wearer simply plugs in an auxiliary cord to listen to music on their phone.

Many skiers also use their regular earbuds. Whatever you choose, just remember to keep the volume low, keep only one earbud in, or consider a pair of bone conduction headphones. Especially when skiing in-bounds, it’s important to maintain situational awareness so you can stay safe.

Chin Straps

Many helmets now offer a magnetic clip closure on the chin strap while other ski helmets have a traditional buckle.

The length of the straps is typically adjustable though are easier to lengthen or shorten before you head out for the day than on-the-fly or with gloves on. If the temps drop and you plan on using an extra bulky neck warmer, be sure to readjust your chin strap ahead of time.

Extra Features

On top of the above safety and comfort factors, there are a variety of extra features worth considering. These include things like the ability to mount an action camera.

You can mount an action camera on almost any helmet, thanks to the camera’s sticky mounting system. Some helmets go a step further and actually include a built-in mount. If this is important to you, it’s worth considering this feature.

Another nice feature to have is a goggle retainer clip: A stretchy band on the back of many helmets that holds goggles in place with a snap or hook. It’s a useful component if you find yourself taking on and off your goggles, especially while riding a ski lift.

Some helmets have a bit of a brim, which is stylish and also helps to divert snow and rain (more than sunshine) away from our goggles and face.

If you would like to use a hood over your helmet from time to time, choose a ski or snowboard jacket with a helmet-compatible hood so they fit together and you still have the ability to turn your head with both your helmet and hood on.

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