9 Best Ski Helmets (Review) in 2020

The Vantage from Smith Optics has an excellent reputation as an all-round helmet, ideal for a wide range of snowsports. Designed with a low profile, it wraps neatly around the head thanks to a Boa 360-degree fit system. Constructed utilizing the brands pioneering AirVav technology of goggle integration, it delivers a modern and stylish aesthetic and comes in a wide range of colors. 

Smith has spent some time focused on improving this helmet, especially when it comes to impact absorption and protection. They’ve utilized a material called Koroyd, which can absorb 30% more energy on impact than other foam materials. This makes it one of the safest ski helmets around. It may be lightweight and low profile, but it offers excellent levels of damage control and impact resistance. Koroyd is also fully breathable and the open cell construction allows fresh air in while expelling hot air and preventing overheating. The Aerocore ventilation system provides constant airflow with 21 different vents in total which can each be adjusted according to temperature conditions. If you are looking for the perfect blend of style and technology in an all-weather ski helmet, then the Smith Vantage is an excellent choice. 

Oakley is right up there when it comes to popular and technically advanced brands dominating the snowsports market. They’re always at the forefront of innovation and their Mod5 helmet is no exception. Originally designed as a responsive race helmet, not only does the Mod5 come in three different sizes (small, medium and large) but you also get to choose from two different sized brims. There’s also extensive choice when it comes to colors and patterns. In case you were wondering, Mod stands for Modular Brim System. What that means is that this helmet should fit any size and shape of head and work perfectly well with your goggle system too.

Besides that significant competitive advantage, this Oakley helmet also features removable ear pads that are comfortably cupped and conveniently fit over your headphones. Who doesn’t love listening to their favorite tunes while enjoying an afternoon on the mountain slopes? Featuring a flexible and adjustable BOA fit system, you can also customize the final fit of this helmet to ensure that it’s snug and remains solidly in place. It also features MIPS technology for your added safety, effectively preventing your head from rotating if you have a nasty fall to the ground. With magnetic straps adding to the already impressive list of features, this Oakley helmet is a real contender for best ski helmet. 

The Wildhorn Drift ski and snowboard helmet have been exceptionally designed to offer the highest levels of comfort and protection. This helmet is ergonomically designed and is both incredibly lightweight while at the same time providing plenty of protection. With its premium construction, it’s up to 25% lighter than the average ski helmets available. The brand behind the Drift, Wildhorn Outfitters, also happens to be providers of equipment to the US ski team.

This helmet is all about advanced manufacturing techniques, providing it with a sharp performance edge. It meets ASTM F2040 safety standards and uses composite foam technology to be comfortable and plush. The interior lining offers extra insulation. It’s also an excellent choice if you want to limit head sweat. The Drift has a patented system, known as VNT, which enables adjustable temperature control of the helmet’s advanced ventilation system. The fully vented system combines both direct and indirect airflow. Simple slide open or close the vents according to your preferences. The Drift is also audio compatible featuring ear pads and overall features a fine-tune adjustment system known as FTA, which can be micro-adjusted for the ultimate fit and feel. 

If safety and style are both equally as important to you, then you will love this Outdoor Master ski helmet, which fuses all those qualities along with an advanced airflow evacuation system for the ultimate in comfort. Stay warm and comfortable all day long thanks to soft ear pads and an inner fleece lining, which can even be removed and washed. There’s plenty of plush padding providing an extra comfortable boost and overall the lightweight construction won’t cause any pain or discomfort. The helmet has also been designed with 14 individual vents for complete ventilation, no matter how many hours you’re out on the slopes for.

Safety-wise, it also ticks all the boxes and is ASTM certified. It’s constructed from a reinforced ABS shell, which is available in a choice of nine different sleek matte color combinations. The interior features a shock-absorbing EPS core for both your comfort and protection. Three sizes are available; small, medium and large, all of which can be further adjusted for a better fit, securing with the adjustable chin strap. Stay safe and look good wearing your Kelvin ski helmet.

If you’re on the hunt for a convertible style helmet that will serve you just as well on your mountain bike as it will your snowboard, then this Traverse H1 safety certified helmet from Retrospec is an excellent recommendation. There’s no need to purchase two separate helmets and no special steps required to transform your helmet so that it delivers appropriate protection for your chosen outdoor activity. It also comes in a wide range of contemporary color choices.

The helmet itself features a durable and supportive ABS shell combined with a shock-absorbing EPS interiors. There’s also a removable fleece lining and plush earmuffs which provide additional warmth and protection as well as being washable. Fitted with 10 vents, you are in complete control of your own temperature environment and can adjust accordingly. There’s also a goggle clip that keeps your chosen eyewear securely in place plus an adjustable ergoknob dial, which can be operated single-handedly to change the framework of the helmet for a fully customized and comfortable fit.

From Demon United, this Phantom helmet comes completed with integrated audio so that you can listen to your favorite tunes while taking to the slopes. All you need to do is plug in your phone to the Brainteaser audio system and enjoy the high-quality audio experience from the built-in earbuds. There’s no need to worry about taking headphones along with you. The Phantom also looks stylish and comes in a range of attractive and contemporary color choices. 

Protection wise, the outer is made from durable ABS while inside it’s fitted with a comfortable and protective EPS foam lining. It’s CE and ASTM certified and also features a couple of other handy features, including an adjustable chin strap so that the fit can be customized plus a padded neck area for extra comfort and security. If you don’t yet own a pair of ski goggles, the brand has you covered on that score too. Your purchase includes a pair of Supra UV protection and anti-fog goggles, complete with their own protective case. 

First up is one of the top ski helmets out there, the Smith Optics Vantage. The Vantage has been around for a few years and has gained a reputation as a great all-around helmet for both skiing and snowboarding. It’s super lightweight, which is important for skiers that care about their performance, and it fits great on any head shape due to the fact that the helmet wraps all the way around your head.

Smith has focused on improving the impact absorption by using a material called Koyroyd. That means that this helmet can absorb 30% more energy on impact than any foam or other materials. So, if you are unlucky enough to hit your head, you are much less likely to get knocked out or suffer from a concussion, which makes this one of the safest ski helmets. 

The Giro Nine has been around for more than a decade. It’s one of the most popular snow helmets available and is a staple of snow sports enthusiasts around the world. It’s an in-mold helmet which means it has an EPS liner on the inside of the helmet that absorbs the impact as well as a tough polycarbonate outer shell. This makes the helmet lighter and cooler than traditional helmets, perfect for those long days on the slopes.

MIPS stands for multi-directional impact protection system. That means that the helmet protects against angled impacts where the head could roll around. These sorts of impacts are common in snow sports, so this technology is something to look out for. It’s fully adjustable to fit any sized head and can be moved to make way for big goggles or sunglasses for skiing or a big collar on the back of your coat. Plus, it has lots of ventilation that can be opened or shut depending on the conditions.

If you’re looking for something towards the cheaper end of the ski helmet spectrum, the Zionor Lagopus is a great option. You get pretty much all the features and protection you would get from a more expensive lid, but without paying the premium price. Zionor is still a recognized brand in the skiing world. They’ve been around the block and have proved themselves as an innovative mid-range maker of ski gear.

The first thing to look at is always the protection. The Lagopus helmet combines ABS and EPS materials to provide double protection. Its reinforced construction means it will handle impact as well as any helmet in this price range. The helmet is easily adjustable to hug your head even if you have a ski mask on and the chin strap is sweat-absorbent, which is great for those hot days up on the mountain or a big ski resort. The breathable lining is perfect for adapting to the weather, keeping you warm when you need to be and letting air in when the sun is shining.

Smith is one of the original ski brands. Dr. Bob Smith invented the first sealed thermal lens goggles in 1965 because he wanted to get in a few more powder runs when the weather wasn’t great. If it wasn’t for his love of skiing, we might still be skiing in sunglasses and having to wait for good weather. The company has been making high-quality ski gear for over 50 years. Smith helmets are some of the top-rated ski helmets out there and they make everything from beginners to professional lids. So, no matter the price, you know you are buying quality.

The Smith Optics Holt is the entry-level helmet and with prices starting at $21.99, we think it’s the best value helmet on this list. For the large sizes you are looking at around $70, but you still get a lot of style and protection for your money. It’s a great looking helmet that comes in a range of colors. It has a classic style that will suit any skier. Plus, it has a lot of the technology of more expensive helmets.

You might not have heard of Demon helmets before, but that doesn’t mean this is still a strong contender to be one of the top ski helmets on this list. Having said that, it doesn’t have some of the features that we’ve seen in other helmets. For example, it isn’t really adjustable, so you need to make sure it fits your head well. It also doesn’t have adjustable ventilation, which could become a problem if you are skiing in all sorts of weather.

However, it makes up for that with its awesome Brainteaser audio system. Built into the earbuds, this high-quality system lets you listen to your tunes without the need for annoying headphones. Apart from that, it’s a nice-looking helmet that comes in a range of colors and it has all the necessary protection with its ABS outer-shell and EPS lining.

Oakley is the best when it comes to snow helmets. They have been dominating the snow sports markets for years with their constant innovation and high-quality products. You can’t really get cheap or low-quality Oakley gear, so if you are looking for the best of the best, keep reading.

The Oakley Mod5 Helmet is, without question, one of the best ski race helmets money can buy and it’s a big innovation in helmet design. The Mod part of the name stands for Modular Brim System. That means that it has two different size options for the brim of the helmet, which is something that no other helmet does. That means it can truly fit any sized head and match up perfectly with your goggles. On top of that, this black ski helmet has removable ear pads, which are cupped for extra comfort) and can fit your headphones straight in without compromising on comfort. The BOA fit system is Oakley’s way of making sure you can tighten the helmet to make it extra snug around your head.

The Giro Range MIPS is another top range ski helmet for men. It’s similar in price and quality to the Oakley Mod5 Helmet, so choosing between them is really just down to personal preference. Like the Mod5, it features MIPS technology to stop your head from rolling in a crash. It also has an advanced lining and outer shell that can protect your head as well as any helmet on this list.

The main difference is the way it looks. The Giro Range is a really cool looking lid. It comes in a huge range of matt colors, that suit the subtler ski outfits that you see on the slopes now. The chin strap also comes in different colors, making this one of the most versatile bits of ski gear you can get. It’s got fully adjustable vents and a tightening system that creates a really snug fit. Plus, it features anti-bacterial and anti-odor properties to keep it clean and smelling fresh. On the top of the helmet there’s a POV camera mount, so you can easily attach your GoPro. This is easily one of the best men’s ski helmets out there. Love this product? Check out our review of the best ski jackets for our top picks.

The POC Receptor Bug Ski Helmet is one of the only helmets out there that provides injection molding with ventilation. That means you get an extra thick ABS shell with a solid ventilation system that makes this a perfect all-weather ski helmet. It’s a lot heavier than most the helmets on this list, but that’s what you can expect with an injection-molded helmet.

It’s more rounded than some of the more streamlined helmets, but that shouldn’t slow you down unless you’re a serious downhill skier. Like the Oakley lids, the earbuds are removable, but they aren’t as comfortable as Oakley’s cupped design. You can also customize this helmet with Beats by Dre headphones which offer some of the best quality sounds. This is definitely one of the top injection-molded helmets available, so if you are into that style, it’s perfect. Find more great products like this by checking out our guide to the coolest ski gloves.

The last helmet on this list is an affordable option from Traverse. At only $39.99, it looks like a helmet that should cost 10X that amount. It is designed for versatility and safety. That’s why the earbuds can be removed to make it a perfect bike or skateboard helmet for the summer months. For winter, just lock the earbuds back on and you are ready to hit the piste in style.

The Traverse Sports Dirus has a thick ABS exterior and a soft EPS interior to give your head plenty of protection. The vents aren’t adjustable, but they work well enough without the need to change their positions. Plus, it has an adjustable chin strap to make sure it is secure on your head. It’s not the most advanced or impressive helmet on this list, but for the price, it’s one of the best men’s ski helmets out there. It also makes a great gift for skiers in your life.