Best of the Best

Selecting the right ski helmet is all about fit. Fit, of course, is critical and based upon your individual head shape. Also important is personal comfort. Some individuals like the warmer earflaps on their lids, while others prefer the “shortie” style helmet, which does not completely cover the ears.

Given the importance of fit and comfort, one of the main aspects I focused on for this review is adjustability, because any helmet that fits too loosely and cannot easily be adjusted can be highly unsafe.

Even though all helmets are (or should be) certified for safety (e.g. toughness of material), different helmets are tested by different organizations based on differing testing standards. I therefore decided to test only helmets that are made by either a well-known company with a history in safety spanning all their products, or a company that specializes manufacturing helmets.

Note: There really does not appear to be any difference between snowboard and ski helmets, except that you may find that each target market may prefer different colors and decorative designs. If you already have goggles that you like, make sure to take them with you to the store as the may or may not fit the helmet's shape.