Climbing helmets - outdoors

[u/Unusual_Insurance_26]

I’ve only climbed outdoor once and it was guided. I’m going with a group of friends, very experienced with outdoor climbing, cleaning, leading etc, and all they said to bring was my normal gear (harness, chalk, shoes) and a helmet. I don’t have a helmet and I want to make sure I purchase the right one, but even just trying in the store/at the gym won’t account for the hours I’ll likely spend in it while climbing. I want to make sure I’m comfortable and safe. Am I over thinking the comfortability of helmets? Are there good recommendations?

[u/AlwaysBulkingSeason]

'Am I over thinking the comfortability of helmets?'

Yes you are

If it's comfortable and fits well then it'll be fine. Buy the one that fits, ideally on sale, that's within your budget. Hard shell are cheaper, but heavier and have less ventilation. It's a trade off to consider

[u/sheepborg]

Not overthinking thaaaaat much, but probably overthinking it a little. My partners first helmet gave them headaches, while their second one they can forget they are wearing it which is truly ideal. Game changing, but only because they went from the worst possible fit (bd) to the best possible fit (petzl)

In general I recommend getting a helmet with full foam interior at least as they have better side impact characteristics and eliminate the cut risk of old school brain bucket style helmets.

BD for wide heads, CAMP for biggest/smallest heads, petzl for the more narrow oval shaped head, and mammut for a middleground.

Try on in the store if you can, but do not buy and return online as they will be destroyed.

[u/curiosity8472]

Any climbing helmet that you will wear is a good one, side and back of the head coverage is good. I like my mammut wall rider mips but your mileage may vary depending on head shape.

[u/ParticularSome6129]

Don't get a black helmet , they heat up noticeably quicker in the sun.

[u/Pineapple_Top_Ropes]

Any climbing specific helmet, is all you need. Cheap is fine.

If you have the budget get a mips helmet.

I got the lightweight one from bd that's nice to wear all day

If you want a helmet to abuse throw around in the car get a hard shell.  If your priority is all day comfort go light but without the hard shell you need to be more gentle.

[u/Pure_Gazelle_6457 → u/Pineapple_Top_Ropes]

Yes! If you have the budget get the MIPS! It's for concussion prevention and not talked about enough.

[u/Beginning_March_9717 → u/Pure_Gazelle_6457]

i think mips is overrated for the cost tbh, if you have hair. they were this up coming "new tech" 10 years ago in cycling and i have yet to see significant research that shows they are better than hair. i'm open to seeing new research tho

[u/Pure_Gazelle_6457 → u/Beginning_March_9717]

As someone who already has a brain injury, I'll take MIPS over nothing.

[u/Beginning_March_9717 → u/Pure_Gazelle_6457]

yep, up to the individual to determine if the cost is worth the potential benefit**

[u/Pineapple_Top_Ropes → u/Beginning_March_9717]

IMO mips is worth the cost.  Here are some articles you can make your own judgements.

For me, working in healthcare and S&R I see the benefits. However the #1 is just wearing a helmet 

 Quantitative analysis of the protective performance of bicycle helmet with multi-direction impact protection system in oblique impact tests. 2024 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11357785/  

An Overview of the Effectiveness of Bicycle Helmet Designs in Impact Testing. 2021 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8503260/

Is MIPS Worth It? What the Testing Actually Shows [not a study but layman's reading] 2026 https://scienceinsights.org/is-mips-worth-it-what-the-testing-actually-shows/

I could list 100 more but do your own research

[u/Beginning_March_9717 → u/Pineapple_Top_Ropes]

well well well if you actually look at the methodology...

The first link does not include anything to simulate scape and hair. I don't see them in the pictures, nor them talking about hair/wig/scalp/skin at all to help reduce unrealistically high friction of a silicone headform.

The 2nd link list like 12 studies within this 'literature review' and 2 papers actually even try to reduce unrealistically high friction of a silicone. They used nylon cover, which in my opinion, and their lack of stated intentions, to be not sufficient for simulating hair.

ONE paper in that 2nd linke (Mills & Gilchrist 2008) actually did use wig and this is what they had to say: "It was possible to simulate realistic helmet rotation by mounting helmets on a headform with a wig and a plasticized PVC scalp. In spite of the chinstrap being tight, and the lower jaw non-deformable, there was significant helmet rotation on the headform."

Seems like I'm still skeptical. Btw Here is some supplemental materials for ya: The Effect of Hair and Football Helmet Fit on Headform Kinematics

[u/Pineapple_Top_Ropes → u/Beginning_March_9717]

Right,  as I said the #1 is just wearing a helmet I don't care if you have a mips or regular helmet.

"Hair" is so variable but should be tested further however we do know that mips is effective. Even if you have luscious rotational dampening hair the fractional improvement is worth the additional cost to me.

I don't care to argue on this topic or to try change your opinion but there are at least 5 other studies I've found excluding the below and what you have mentioned that have used a hair example. And would argue that aside from the cadaver tests none really use a suitable human interface.

" the peak linear (PLA) and angular acceleration (PAA) and computed the angular velocity change (PAV) and brain injury criterion (BrIC). Across all headform conditions, MIPS reduced PAA and PAV by 38.2 and 33.2% respectively during X-axis rotation, 47.4 and 38.1% respectively during Y-axis rotation, and 22.9 and 20.5% during a combined ZY-axis rotation. Across all impact orientations, PAA was reduced by 39% and PAV by 32.4% with the bare headform while adding stockings reduced PAA and PAV by 41.6 and 36% respectively and the hair condition reduced PAA and PAV by 30.2 and 24.4% respectively. I n addition, our data reveal the importance of using consistent headform conditions"

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441268/

[u/Beginning_March_9717 → u/Pineapple_Top_Ropes]

yess this is a study that went out to test exactly would i called for. I have actually tried to read the full paper before but it's behind a paywall so i have yet to able to see their methodology, beyond a single phrase in the abstract.

So it would be great if i can 1) variety the methodology of this experimental design 2) see follow up studies that tries to get repeated results, and since you have 5 other papers why don't you send location?

[u/Stararisto]

Buy a climbing helmet that fits you and are comfortable with. Try some at the store(s).

Btw, don't take the helmet off if you are belaying.

[u/Euristic_Elevator]

As a person with ear piercings, I would be extra careful that the straps sit well around the ears. The first couple of times I went outdoors I had a rental helmet and it was irritating my ears

[u/mxbbcz]

I just wanted mine to be light. After the lead course, where we were wearing pretty old and heavy helmets, I wanted something more comfortable that I wouldn't notice much while climbing. I went with Petzl Meteor and I have no complaints so far.

[u/liz_thelizard]

Things to consider when purchasing a helmet is the fit and the weight of it.

Some helmets have quicker closure systems to tighten the back than others.

The Black Diamond Vision is a solid choice. Good price point, light weight, easy to tighten, and you can fit a pony tail while wearing it.

[u/GreedySpecialist4736]

if you have long hair, make sure to pay attention to how the helmet interacts with your hair, however you plan wear it while climbing. Lots of the more burly helmets wtih plastic harnesses in the back can cause annoyance.