The Best Ski Helmets of 2024-2025

From the bunny slope to the backcountry, a helmet is an essential part of every skier’s kit. Nowadays, ski and snowboard helmets on the ski slopes have become nearly universal — and for good reason.

Modern ski and snowboard helmets are lighter, safer, and more comfortable than ever. And if you can protect your precious noggin, why not? Brain trauma is no joke. Progressive ski helmets like the Smith Nexus MIPS are decked out with 24 adjustable vents plus additional layers of protective material including MIPS and Koroyd. Other designs like the Pret Women’s Corona X and Pret Men’s Cirque X feature odor-resistance, antimicrobial EPS foam to keep the funk at bay, but still integrate MIPS and sports multiple safety certfications.

As always, the best ski helmet is the one on your head (as long as it properly fits). But not all snow helmets are created equal, and it’s worthwhile to find the best one.

Our team has scoured the market to identify a shortlist of the best ski and snowboard helmets in the game for the season. At the end of our list,, scroll through our Buyer’s Guide tips or jump to the Price & Value summary. You can also consult the Comparison Chart to help steer your decision process. Otherwise, read our full gear guide and check out our awarded picks.

Editor’s Note: We updated our Ski Helmets guide on October 18, 2024, to include the Pret Lyric X2, Giro Owen Spherical, and Anon Merak WaveCel, as well as the award-winning Smith Method MIPS.

The Best Ski Helmets of 2024-2025

• Best Overall Ski Helmet: Smith Nexus MIPS
• Best Budget Ski Helmet: Giro Ratio MIPS Helmet
• Most Comfortable & Odor-free Liner: Pret Women’s Corona X & Pret Men’s Cirque X
• Best Ski Helmet With Integrated Ski Goggles: Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo MIPS
• Best Low-Profile Backcountry Ski Helmet: Smith Summit MIPS
• Most Backcountry-Specific Ski Helmet: POC Obex BC MIPS
• Best Lightweight Ski Helmet: Smith Method MIPS

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Ski Helmet Comparison Chart

Scroll right to view all of the columns: Price, Weight, Fill, Protection Technology, Number of Vents.

Ski Helmet	Price	Weight	Protection Technology	Number of Vents
Smith Nexus MIPS Helmet	$330	23 oz	MIPS, Koroyod	24 adjustable
Giro Ratio MIPS Helmet	$120	20 oz.	MIPS	10 adjustable
Smith Men’s Vantage & Women’s Vantage	$270	17.6 oz.	MIPS, Zonal Koroyd	21 adjustable
Oakley Mod5 MIPS	$270	32 oz.	MIPS	4 adjustable
Anon Merak	$320	16.9 oz.	WaveCell	19 total; 8 adjustable
Pret Women’s Corona X & Men’s Cirque X	$270	15.3 oz.	MIPS	10 adjustable
Sweet Protection Switcher	$270	20.1 oz.	MIPS	24 adjustable
Giro Owen Spherical	$240	15.9 oz.	MIPS	8; four adjustable on back
Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo MIPS	$450	27 oz.	MIPS, EPS4D	Dozens of miniature ports
Smith Summit MIPS	$138	16	MIPS, Koroyd	33
Bern Watts 2.0	$170	12.3 oz.	MIPS	11 fixed
Pret Lyric X2	$160	15.8 oz.	MIPS	12 fixed
POC Obex BC MIPS	$270	18 oz	MIPS, NFC Medical ID Chip, RECCO Avalanche rescue reflector	9
Smith Method MIPS	$140	14.1 oz.	Koroyod and MIPS	8 fixed
Scott Symbol 2 Plus Helmet	$200	20 oz.	MIPS, D30	8 vents, 36 miniports

How We Tested the Best Ski Helmets

Full transparency: We aren’t actually trying to crash and get a head injury while wearing helmets. But sometimes we tomahawk. Occasionally, we break a helmet. Regardless, we have a huge checklist of qualifications for helmets.

Our Expert Testers

Our ski and snowboard crew of GearJunkie gear testers includes expert skiers and riders, certified backcountry travelers, and skimo racers testing gear to help find the best of the best.

GearJunkie tester Mattie Schuler has snowboarded for more than 20 years and is quite picky about helmet features and ease of use. She’d rather spend her time focusing on riding than on how her helmet feels.

Leading the gear testing, SnowSports Senior Editor Morgan Tilton has been skiing since 1994 and snowboarding since 2002. Over the past few decades, Tilton has hit her head in a few hard crashes, but the worst was while snowboarding in icy conditions, in 2003. She was found knocked out with a Grade II concussion and broken nose. Thankfully, she was wearing a helmet. She lives in Gunnison Valley, one of the coldest, snowiest places in North America.

GearJunkie tester Kylie Mohr has been skiing with a ski helmet on since she was a toddler, more than two decades ago, and enjoyed putting helmets to the test at Montana’s resorts and on backcountry faces. Contributor Austin Beck-Doss has also tested helmets.

Our Testing Grounds

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.

The GearJunkie team meets for an annual on-snow test week to grind out turns and swap notes, including two previous gatherings at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, which is known for its expert terrain.

Our Testing Process

While testing our ski and snowboard helmets, we consider overall fit, comfort, impact protection, warmth, size adjustability, goggle integration, ventilation, ergonomics, chin strap, anti-odor treatment, padding, and style. We consider 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

Buying a ski and snowboard helmet is an important decision when outfitting yourself for the slopes. We look for a variety of factors. Comfort and fit are extra important — if a helmet doesn’t fit your head or your purpose, you’re less likely to wear that shield. Protection and safety components, like systems and technologies designed to absorb impact, are also crucial. 

Additional factors like ventilation, adjustability, and goggle compatibility all help you customize your helmet to your needs. Will you be uphilling in your helmet? On a regular basis, do you tend to get cold while skiing laps? What kind of goggles do you own and what size? These are all questions to consider when purchasing a new ski helmet. Read on for more detailed step-by-step on what to consider when you are buying a ski and snowboard helmet. 

Ski Helmet 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.

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, utilize this type of construction. 

Backcountry Specific Ski Helmets 

If you tend to tour in the backcountry more than heading to the resorts, a backcountry-speciifc helmet might be your best (and lightest) option.
Helmets that are made for touring days, like the POC Obex BC MIPS and the Smith Summit MIPS Backcountry, are often very lightweight and extremely breathable, so that you aren’t carrying any extra weight as you work up that sweat going up hill.

The POC Obex also boasts unique protection elements that may come in handy in the backcountry, where accidents can be fatal, and emergency response may take longer to arrive. A RECCO reflector makes the helmet searchable for rescuers with the appropriate technology. And medical ID chip is programmable with health information and emergency contacts. Other features for a backcountry-specific helmet can include an integrated headlamp strap route that keeps it in place, like on the Smith Summit MIPS helmet.

Comfort & Fit

Because ski and snowboard 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 with no pinch points or pain, so that 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 Giro Owen Spherical 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, hardy 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.

Safety Certifications for Ski Helmets

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 European 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.

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.

Crashes: MIPS & Impact-Absorbing Systems

Nearly all of the ski helmets on our list have 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. This is found on many adult helmets, but not so much on kids’ helmets. Thankfully, the kid’s Giro Crue MIPS does use this safety technoolgy, which makes it such a stand out helmet for the younger crowd. MIPS also has a slightly more advanced version of their protection system with MIPS Spherical, which is exclusive to Giro and Bell. With MIPS Spherical, the internal rotation element is integrated into the structure of the helmet, rather than an add-on like with traditional MIPS.

Another impact-absorbing technology is Koroyd, which features welded tubes that crumple upon impact to take the force and transfer energy. The technology is extremely lightweight and allows airflow, too. Among our top products here, all of the Smith helmets, including the Smith Nexus MIPS, have Koroyd.

There’s more. Scott’s D3O shock-absorbing technology is a spongy material that specifically protects against low-energy impacts and is featured in the Scott Symbol 2 Plus. Then, the Anon Merak uses WaveCel, a protection system that aims to reduce impact and help divert rotational forces. WaveCel is comprised of interconnected shock absorbers, which you can see inside the helmet in a very wavy pattern. The goal of these is to lessen the impact of crashes, regardless of the direction of that impact.

The POC Obex BC MIPS boasts unique protection elements that may come in handy in the backcountry, where accidents can be fatal and emergency response may take longer to arrive. A RECCO reflector makes the helmet searchable for rescuers with the appropriate technology. And the helmet’s integrated medical ID chip is programmable with health information and emergency contacts.

Here are the safety layers on our favorite ski helmets:

• Smith Nexus — MIPS, Koroyd
• Giro Ratio — MIPS
• Pret Women’s Corona X and Men’s Cirque X — MIPS
• Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo — MIPS
• Smith Summit — MIPS, Koroyd
• Giro Crue — MIPS
• Smith Vantage — MIPS, Koroyd
• Oakley Mod5 — MIPS 
• Sweet Protection Switcher — MIPS
• Bern Watts 2.0 — MIPS 
• POC Obex — MIPS Evolve
• POC Obex BC — MIPS Evolve 
• Scott Symbol 2 Plus — MIPS 
• Bern Carbon Watts — Carbon Fiber construction
• Pret Lyric 2 — MIPS
• Anon Merak — WaveCel
• Giro Owen Spherical — MIPS Spherical

Extra Health & Safety Technologies

Other health and safety technologies are available in addition to impact materials. Extra tenacious, we’ve seen some shells use carbon fiber that’s many times stronger than traditional helmet materials. 

Inside the Pret Women’s Corona X and Pret Men’s Cirque X, there’s an antimicrobial EPS foam to help prevent bacterial growth. The helmet shell is 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.

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. These days, well-designed ski helmets have ventilation systems that effectively channel air through the helmet as you ski or ride.

Adjustable Vents & Fit

Consider 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. The Smith Summit MIPS, made especially for backcountry skiing and touring, has a whopping 33 vents. We also highly recommend adjustable vents, typically using a slider on the exterior shell, 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, the Obex MIPS, and the Sweet Protection Switcher.

Furthermore, having a ski and snowboard 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.

Ear Pads

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. We found the Pret Lyric X and Oakley Mod5 MIPS struck a good balance between keeping our ears warm and still allowing us to hear what was happening around us on the slopes. When it’s warm, we recommend removing the earflaps to increase airflow and prevent overheating.

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 super minimalist helmets.

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 and the Anon Merak.

Goggle Compatibility & Goggle Clip

Some ski and snowboard 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. For instance, the Smith Nexus MIPS Helmet is integrated seamlessly with our pair of Smith goggles. Other ski 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, check out 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 on the rear of the helmet is compatible with the width of your goggle strap. Want to skip a step? The Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo MIPS comes as an integrated goggle-and-helmet setup with the two accessories attached.

Traditional goggle attachments on helmets are often a simple durable clip on the back or a stretchy band that holds goggles in place with a snap or a hook. Ideally, these are easy to operate with gloves on and can be helpful if you take your goggles on and off often, especially while riding a ski lift.

Ski Helmet Weight

Though ski and snowboard 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 Giro Owen Spherical, include many luxury features without weighing too much. Usually, though, the lighter helmets are minimalist options that sacrifice features in favor of simplicity. The POC Obex BC MIPS strikes the balance between lightweight and protective, ideal for traveling out-of-bounds. If you’re going to be carrying your helmet into the backcountry, check out our Ski Backpacks guide, too, and pay attention to the helmet-carry designs. 

On our list, the lightest helmets are the Pret Women’s Corona X and Men’s Cirque X at 15.3 ounces, the Pret Lyric X2 at 15.8 ounces, and the Owen Spherical at 15.9 ounces. For comparison, a box of butter with four sticks is about 16 ounces, and a bunch of four or five bananas weighs about 20 ounces. 

Here’s a comparative list of the weights of our favorite ski helmets from lightest to heaviest:

• Pret Women’s Corona X and Men’s Cirque X — 15.3 ounces
• Pret Lyric X2 — 15.8 ounces
• Giro Owen Spherical — 15.9 ounces
• Smith Summit — 16 ounces
• Anon Merak — 16.9 ounces
• Smith Vantage — 17.6 ounces
• POC Obex — 17.6 ounces
• Giro Crue — 18 ounces
• Bern Carbon Watts — 18.5 ounces
• POC Obex BC — 19.4 ounces
• Scott Symbol 2 Plus — 20 ounces
• Sweet Protection Switcher — 20.1 ounces
• Giro Ratio — 21.5 ounces
• Smith Nexus — 23 ounces
• Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo — 27 ounces
• Oakley Mod5 — 32 ounces

Antimicrobial Foam & Liners

Helmet liners provide a thin layer between your scalp and your helmet. Even though it’s cold, your head can still sweat while wearing a ski or snowboard helmet. That’s why liner material can be an important consideration, especially if you tend to overheat. No one wants a stinky helmet. 

One example of this technology can be found in the Pret Women’s Corona X, Pret Men’s Cirque X, and Pret Lyric X2 helmets. These helmets have antimicrobial EPS foam that prevents bacterial growth, making them last longer and reducing unwanted odors. Smith helmets, like the Smith Nexus MIPS Helmet, also come with an antimicrobial liner.

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. Some helmet companies make helmet-compatible headphones including the Alta Wireless Headphones for making hands-free calls.

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. If communication is important, look for models with microphones.

Many helmets including the Smith Vantage, Bern Watts 2.0, and Sweet Protection Switcher MIPS have ear pads made for inserts. Smith makes its own brand of wireless helmet audio kits, such as the Aleck 006. It’s worth noting that helmet audio kits — which are when two compact, streamlined speakers are inserted into the ear pads — can change the way helmet ear pads fit and might make them uncomfortable. Finding the right integrated system for you can also mean no more wires and no more fears of dropping your phone, especially on the ski lift.

Many skiers also use their regular earbuds. There are pros and cons: Cords can be annoying, but Bluetooth pods can fall out if you crash. 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. Chin straps with a magnetic clip closure are easier to use while wearing mittens or gloves.

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.

Sustainability 

Helmets aren’t always the most ecological products due to the use of certain foams and plastics. They aren’t a continuously reusable product, because of the limited lifespan in addition to the nature of the material being compromised by a crash or simply being dropped out of the passenger side door. Some brands are trying to increase the sustainability of helmets, especially due to these pigeonholed factors.

Liners

Ski helmet liners are an ingredient that brands can update for more sustainability. Smith’s Ionic+ antimicrobial liner meets the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 accreditation: There are no harmful substances introduced in the manufacturing process. All Smith helmets are also packaged in post-consumer recycled cardboard.

Sweet Protection’s liners are made from traceable wool certified by international wool standards, and collected in a way that’s kinder to sheep.

Reducing Packaging Waste

The Norwegian company Sweet Protection also touts its environmental responsibility measures, like reducing plastic in packaging. Check out the Sweet Protection Switcher for these commitments in practice.

Another company that is putting sustainability at the forefront is Bollé. Last fall, Bollé launched the widest range of eco-designed winter sports products available on the market as part of the next phase in Bollé’s “React for Good” campaign. You can find helmets and goggles that use recycled materials or can be fully recycled.

Recycling

Unfortunately, there are not many places where ski helmets can be recycled. Old ski helmets can theoretically be recycled for their components, and some recycled shells can even be used as an amendment in soil. Check your local recycling center or ski or outdoor shop for helmet recycling programs—they’re pretty rare due to the time and cost involved. Bern has a comprehensive guide on how to take apart your helmet and where to recycle specific parts.

Warranties

There’s nothing worse than spending money on new gear, just to have that equipment fail or go through an unforeseen ringer. Many brands have warranties for defects on their helmets, while others go above and beyond, even if the cause of impact is due to a ski crash. 

All Smith helmets are covered by a limited lifetime warranty for three years from the date of purchase. That policy includes any manufacturer’s defects. Furthermore, Smith offers a 30% discount for crash replacement helmets. For instance, the Smith Vantage has the same limited lifetime warranty and crash replacement deal as other Smith helmets, like the Smith Nexus MIPS.

The Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo MIPS, like most Salomon products, features a two-year warranty.  

Bern has a recently updated exchange, warranty, and crash replacement policy. If you don’t like your helmet size or color, you can swap it out within 90 days, free of cost. The Bern Watts 2.0 is subject to the common three-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues. There’s a separate lifetime crash replacement policy: If a rider destroys their helmet in an accident, send in pics, a backstory, and pony up for shipping costs — you’ll get a replacement. Rad.

• Smith Nexus — limited lifetime warranty for three years; 30% off crash replacement helmets  
• Giro Ratio — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Pret Women’s Corona X and Men’s Cirque X — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo — two-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Smith Summit — limited lifetime warranty for three years; 30% off crash replacement helmets  
• Giro Crue — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Smith Vantage — limited lifetime warranty for three years; 30% off crash replacement helmets  
• Oakley Mod5 — limited lifetime warranty for defects or workmanship issues; 50 percent off a crash replacement within three years of purchase
• Sweet Protection Switcher — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Bern Watts 2.0 — exchange within 90 days; free replacement from crashes; three-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• POC Obex — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• POC Obex BC — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Scott Symbol 2 Plus — unavailable
• Bern Carbon Watts — exchange within 90 days; free replacement from crashes; three-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Pret Lyric 2 — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Anon Merak — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues
• Giro Owen Spherical — one-year warranty for defects or workmanship issues

Ski Helmets: 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.

Thanks to the camera’s sticky mounting system, you can mount an action camera on almost any helmet. 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.

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 faces. We’ve also found that goggles fit slightly better with helmets that have small brims. 

Helmet Hoods

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: you still need to be able to turn your head with both your helmet and hood on. That said, all helmet-compatible hoods are designed with a unique shape and material, even from product to product within a single brand. Depending on your helmet shape and size, the hood might be too snug to wear while descending a slope. Hoods can be restrictive, and not all hoods completely protect the front of the helmet while on, which is especially noticeable when the sky is nuking. 

We’ve found that Patagonia hoods are among the best fit for helmet compatibility, as well as winter ski jackets from Kari Traa. Read more in our Ski Jackets guide.

Another option to pop on if you need that added protection from the elements is a helmet hood, like those from Burton. Standalone hoods, like the Burke Hood, easily slip over your helmet, have drawstrings to really tighten and block out that wind, and can be worn with any helmet or goggles. The Anon MFI Hood Balaclava is one step up from just the hood; the hood has an integrated neck warmer that goes over your nose and magnets to specific goggles for full coverage. The only gripe with the MFI hoods or facemasks is that they can only be worn with MFI-compatible Anon goggles, like the Anon MFS goggles. 

Price & Value

In our guide, the top ski and snowboard helmets range in price from $120 to $450, with the latter option having integrated goggles — so, that’s a pretty good deal.

Budget

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 ($120) as our pick for the ski helmet offering the best value. The Bern Watts 2.0 ($170) and Pret Lyric X2 ($160) are likewise on the lower end of the price spectrum, arriving under $200, but don’t provide as much warmth as other helmets due to the vents not being adjustable: the vents remain open.

Mid-Tier

We are much more inclined to reach for a helmet at a moderate or high cost for the best safety materials, to which MIPS has set a broad industry benchmark. Most of our favorite well-constructed helmets fall in the $200 to $270 range. That includes the Scott Symbol 2 Plus ($200), Smith Summit MIPS ($230), the Giro Owen Spherical ($240), and the Oakley MOD 5 MIPS ($250). A fleet are tagged at $270: Pret Women’s Corona X & Pret Men’s Cirque X, Smith Vantage, Sweet Protection Switcher MIPS Helmet, and the POC Obex BC MIPS.

Premium

Generally, higher-end ski helmets offer elite protection or customizable features, so they cost more than lower-quality options. Sought-after features, including earbud compatibility, MIPS alongside other impact-absorbing materials, and adjustable ventilation, come with a higher price tag than minimalist ski helmet models. Models at or above $300 include the Anon Merak ($320), Smith Nexus MIPS Helmet ($330), and the helmet-goggle combination of the Salomon Driver Prime Sigma Photo MIPS ($450).

Frequently Asked Questions

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