Four key features to look for when buying a ski helmet
Use your head and invest in a worthy lid
Once the reserve of racers, parksters and pesky Italian kids, helmets have fast made the transition from cumbersome extra to on-hill must-wear.
Rightly so – though skiing safely is the most crucial way of protecting your bonce, not even the most accomplished, risk-adverse, reactive skier on the mountain is safe from head injury. And with lids getting ever lighter, more comfortable and well-made than ever before, there’s no excuse not to keep your head protected.
But how to choose one? We asked Sally Bartlett of Ski Bartlett for the lowdown:
1. Fit
“A secure fit is the most important. A helmet should fit like a pair of shoes – snug all-round, no slippage and comfortable when you’re wearing it all day. Head shapes vary so much and with lots of different helmet fits it’s important to try different brands and styles on. Custom fits such as Salomon’s Custom Air can help with this.”
2. Protection
“To make sure your helmet offers proper protection, it must conform to certain ski safety standards – look for the following certifications: EN1077, ASTM 2040 or Snell RS-98. New developments such as MIPS, which mimics the movement of the brain, can also reduce the impact of crashes.”
3. Safety
“Brightly coloured helmets are also a good idea – they make you more noticeable to oncoming skiers and also more noticeable to your friends on a crowded slope.”
4. Comfort
“Lots of helmets have open and close venting to be able to regulate your overall body temperature. You’ll find fur linings on some models too.”
