Find the right helmet
Choosing a helmet may seem trivial, but choosing the right type of helmet for the type of bike you do is important. We will not choose the same helmet to do XC and DH.
The first question to ask is, what type of ride are you going to use it for? XC, enduro, DH, gravel bike?
What type of helmet?
-For Gravel bike and XC we will recommend a more breathable helmet, therefore an "open face" will be less hot during our ride. Smith Forefront 2
-For enduro the choice can be a little more difficult, because we want a breathable helmet during our climbs, but which protects us well during the descents. There are some "full face" which are more breathable like the FOX Proframe since there are several ventilation holes. Otherwise there are “hybrid” helmets with the chinbar that can be removed as needed which can be a good option.
-For DH, we want to have a full face, mainly because they are made more solid and we have a good overall protection. If you are at competitive levels, it will be important to have a DH certified helmet. 100% Status
Then, we will often ask ourselves the question whether MIPS or Smartshock are necessary?
Honestly, no it's not mandatory, but if you crash your brain will thank you for picking up an helmet with MIPS or Smartshock technology. Why? Simply because with these two technologies during the impact the shock will be distributed and will absorb a portion of the shock by allowing continuity in the movement of the head. Which is not the case with regular helmets.
MIPS:
Smartshock:
Choose the right size
Having a helmet with the right size is important, since if it's too large it will move and not protect you properly during a fall. On the other hand, a helmet that is too small will not be comfortable and you will probably not want to wear it anymore. So, to have a helmet with the good size, it will not have to move when you turn your head from left to right. To help you, it is also possible to measure the circumference of your head, which will already give you a good idea. To do this, take a ribbon and go around your head, placing it above the ears and passing through the middle of the forehead.
If you need a full face, it will be necessary that the cushions at the level of the cheeks crush you a little to ensure a good protection.
Comfort before looks!
Once we have determined the type of helmet and its size, we have to choose which helmet we want! Obviously we always want to have a nice look, but still prioritize comfort before the beauty of the helmet. Think that you are going to have it on your head for several hours during your rides. If already after a few minutes you feel some discomfort, imagine after several hours how you will feel!
