The Best BMX Helmets for Riding and Racing
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The most BMX moment in Tour de France history happened in 1989: Laurent Fignon refused to wear a helmet for a time trial stage and thus lost his lead to a very aerodynamically adorned Greg LeMond. Those of us who were riding twenty-inch bikes at the time completely understood Fignon’s distaste. Fifty-two years after the first BMX race, and more than four decades since Stu Thomsen hit the Pipeline skatepark, many riders still won’t wear a lid under any circumstances. This is bad news, for obvious reasons. The good news is that today’s BMX helmets are considerably better than the options presented to riders in Laurent Fignon’s day, both in variety and in function.
Exposed Foam Need Not Apply
If you’re used to modern road bike helmets, or even to the bulk of MTB offerings, the typical BMX lid will strike you as an atavism, largely because of its hard outer shell. Compared to a roadie’s helmet, it is hot, heavy, and bulky. There’s a reason for this: In virtually every BMX discipline, crashing is an expected part of a session, not a once-in-a-season mishap. The upside: You can drop most of these helmets a little bit without needing to replace them, because the shell protects the internal foam from compression.
Full-Face Is the Exception, But It’s Also the Rule
The vast majority of BMX helmets are designed for freestyle riders and provide the same minimum coverage as a skate helmet. Racers and pumptrack riders will likely find out that they are required by the rules of their sanction to run a full-face helmet with some back-of-neck coverage. Even if it’s not a requirement, however, there are compelling reasons to run a full-face helmet—thirty-two of them, actually, located on your upper and lower jaws.
How We Selected
Most of the options on this list were nominated by our test editors who have experience with these and similar products in a variety of conditions—from skatepark to street riding to racing. The rest we’ve evaluated based on user reviews, research, discussions with riders who are using them now, and how their specs compare to similar products we’ve tested in the past.
―THE DEFAULT CHOICE, FOR A REASON―
Pro-Tec Classic Certified Skate Helmet
This is what most people think of as a “BMX helmet,” and it has been around approximately forever. Available in a bewildering array of colors and paint schemes, the Classic is relatively heavy, almost entirely devoid of venting, and noticeably absent of any kind of advanced head-protection technologies—but a lot of riders depend on it nonetheless. It’s durable and abuse-resistant. Younger riders who are worried about the optics of wearing a helmet around their friends might consider this to be the most acceptable option—and any helmet is better than none.
―BEST FOR KEEPING SWEAT OUT OF THE EYES―
Triple Eight The Certified Sweatsaver
What’s the most common skatepark helmet besides Pro-Tec? Why, it’s Triple Eight. THE Certified Sweatsaver—not to be mistaken for the company’s Roller version of the Sweatsaver, which is not intended for use as a bicycle helmet—comes installed with a removable (read: hand-washable) set of fabric-covered foam pads as well as an extra, thicker set to customize fit. Believe it or not, this is a safety feature. Why? Simple. Nothing can turn a good line through a park or street spot bad faster than losing your vision at a critical time. Triple Eight is well known for its outrageous color schemes, a tradition fully honored on THE Sweatsaver.
―A SOUND BUDGET CHOICE―
Retrospec Dakota Bike & Skate Helmet
With the Dakota, formerly called the CM-1, Retrospec offers a bare-bones helmet at a bare-bones price—but there are a few upscale touches to be had here. The snap-in strap is fundamentally identical to what you’ll find on more expensive skate helmets, and there’s also an above-average amount of ventilation available (10 large rectangular vents from front to back). Surprisingly, there’s also a good amount of coverage for the back of the head here. A solid offering.
―BEST OVERALL PROTECTION―
Kali Protectives Shiva 2.0 Carbon Full-Face BMX Helmet
Kali is best-known to BMX riders for its open-face skate helmets, which match up closely to the offerings from Pro-Tec and Triple Eight. For older or more cautious riders, however, the company offers the carbon-fiber Shiva 2.0. It’s basically a motorcycle helmet without the motorcycle helmet weight. Ventilation was poor on our test example, but a solid 25mph hit to a concrete skatepark feature proved to be a walk-away incident. Put it this way: If you knew you would crash today, wouldn’t you want a DOT-spec helmet in full carbon fiber, snug-fitted to your head with full jaw protection? Of course you would.
―FULL PROTECTION LIKE THE KALI BUT FOR HALF THE PRICE―
FOX Proframe Full-Face BMX Helmet
Alright, so you want the protection of the Shiva 2.0, but you don’t want to spend the money or endure the considerable heat retention. The Fox Proframe will get you most of the way there. It’s designed with ventilation as a primary consideration—just look at that skeletal chin bar! And it’s no heavier than the Shiva, largely because the open-lattice structure balances out the heavier materials. Less of a full-on high-speed helmet than the Kali, this is ready for triple duty at the pump track, the skate park, and the BMX track.
―SO UNCOOL, IT’S COOL―
Pro-Tec Full Cut Certified Helmet
Pro-Tec experimented with various helmet shells over the course of the past few decades. One of its more avant-garde designs, the Full Cut, is making a reappearance on the heads of several top riders. Why? Well, it’s got that dorky ’70s-retro thing going on, which allows you to let your friends know that you don’t take this helmet business entirely seriously. Yet it’s also a safer choice, with additional head protection and a closer fit that is far less likely to come off your head on impact. If you want any more protection than this, you’ll need to go full-face, but at big-air secret parks like Cleveland’s “Brewhouse,” this is the helmet of choice.
―MIPS EQUIPPED―
Triple Eight Dual Certified MIPS Bike Helmet
MIPS is a big deal in the mountain and road bike helmet market, and for good reason— the technology attempts to reduce the rate at which your head rotates during an impact, significantly reducing your risk of a concussion. This helmet comes with two sets of Sweatsaver linings to get a better fit, which is required for MIPS to work correctly. The large helmet silhouette and lack of ventilation won’t be to everyone’s taste, but this is a solid, safety-oriented option.
―OLD-SCHOOL BUDGET CHOICE―
Retrospec CM-2 Classic Skate & Bike Helmet
This second offering from Retrospec is affordable, it has plenty of head coverage, and it comes with two sets of pads for a closer, more specific fit. The thick shell should prove resistant to abuse, making this a good choice for riders who tend to be careless with their helmets between sessions. There are a few color choices, as well.
―LIGHTWEIGHT FULL-FACE FOR LIGHT DUTY―
Bell Sanction
One of our test riders is on his fifth Bell Sanction helmet—that’s four serious crashes requiring helmet replacement, plus the current one. Why? Simple. This is an exceptionally light lid, weighing less than some traditional open-face skate helmets. The feature list is light, too: no MIPS, no adjustable pads, no magnetic visor or GoPro compatibility. Still, it’s a great way to get a rider who hates full-face helmets into a little more protection.
―THE MORE SERIOUS BELL OPTION―
Bell Full-9
Everything the lighter and cheaper Bell Sanction is not, the Full-9 is: There’s a full carbon shell, magnetic cheek pads, GoPro integration, audio speaker routing compatibility, and full ASTM downhill certification. The price? It’s more than three times the cost, and the helmet is 30 percent heavier. This is a common choice for professional BMX racers and pump track competitors, and it’s an exceptional choice for riders who want to take no additional risks beyond the ones they choose for themselves.
―HIGH-TECH CHILD-SPECIFIC LID―
POC POCito Omne Spin
Too often, bicycle helmets for children are simply cheap and nasty simplifications of adult-oriented products. POC offers a decided exception with its youth Omne helmet. Featuring the SPIN system that shears on impact to reduce head injuries, much like MIPS, this child-oriented item doesn’t skimp on safety or features. The price, of course, reflects this.
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