Best Winter Bike Helmets (Keep Your Head Safe and Warm)
Temperatures can get very low during winter and riding your bike in a normal helmet can make you feel uncomfortable. Your ears are the most affected and that’s why you need a helmet made for winter riding. It helps cover your face and ears to keep you warm as you ride. The rest of your body can generate heat as you peddle and keep you warm throughout your journey. If you are preparing to enjoy winter bike rides, shop for the best winter helmet.
Why do you need a winter bike helmet?
Wearing a helmet when riding keeps you safe from injury if you fall or collide with something. Normally, the helmets have vents to allow air to pass through and thereby keep your head cool. During winter, everything changes and temperatures sometimes reach freezing point.
Vents in your helmet can no longer keep your head cool, but instead, it will be too cold. A winter helmet is specifically made to help keep your head warm throughout your ride.
How to choose the best winter helmet?
The primary purpose of wearing a winter helmet is to protect you from cold and therefore its inner lining must serve that purpose perfectly. The market has availed winter helmets of all sizes and you will be more comfortable if you choose a helmet that fits into your head well.
An oversize winter helmet might turn into a nightmare as you try to keep it from flying off your head while on the road. A tiny one will not keep your face and ears warm. Winter helmets also come in many choices of colors. Some are brightly colored, others are very dull and still, others have mild colors.
Wintertime can limit visibility and you want motorists to see you clearly lest they knock you off the road. Get yourself a winter helmet that is brightly colored especially on the backside. Quality is an important factor because a helmet is all about your safety. A weak helmet will crush the moment you fall leaving you at a greater risk of injury. Make sure the helmet is hard enough and the material will not break easily.
The market has cheaper winter helmet qualities and also the most expensive qualities. You are free to choose one that is within your budget. A high-quality winter helmet might be worth saving money to buy one. If you are still not sure how to choose the best winter helmet, read on because our reviews of the best winter helmet might help you.
Best winter bike helmet reviews
Winter weather is not very welcoming to many bike riders because most of them would rather choose to commute in cars or public transport than brace the cold on a bike. However, some are daring and wouldn’t mind riding their bike when the ground is white with snow.
If you are one of those daredevils, winter riding requires extra protection. You need warm clothing, hand gloves, and above all a comfortable and quality winter helmet. We have reviewed the best five and hope you will find the reviews useful.
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Lazer Dissent
If you are looking for a warm, decent and cheap winter helmet, Lazer Dissent might be a good choice for you. The helmet is light even with its several additions to help you keep warm during your ride. The good news is that you can remove the additions if you feel you are okay riding without them but if you want to stay warm, keep the additions and hit the road for an enjoyable ride.
Considering that the helmet is one of the cheapest in the market, it doesn’t lack some shortcomings though. It’s not perfectly smooth and you might not fall in love with the shape but it serves its purpose well.
You have a choice of several colors from the darkest to the brightest just to make sure your ride gives you the greatest experience. Long-distance riders and mountain bike riders might find this helmet good because it’s heavy-duty and fits well in the head.
- Features 13 adapt vents with the IN/OUT design for airflow when it's hot and the ability to shut the...
- Magic magnetic buckle closure is easy to use even with gloves
- Rollsys retention system for a quick, easy and comfortable fit
Pros
- Heady duty
- Most affordable
- Fairy warm
- A choice from several colors
Cons
- Doesn’t have a perfect shape
Bern Bandito Snow Helmet
For those kids who don’t mind cruising in snow and display their best maneuvers, a high-quality kids winter helmet will be useful and Bern Bandito Snow Helmet makes a wonderful choice.
The manufacturer gave different names to the kids' helmets and called the one for boys Bandito and the one for girls Bandita. Any kid from the age of 8 years to high school boys and girls will love this helmet.
The most noticeable features are the detachable ear lining, and the slim shell made of ABS material for the best protection. When winter is over, your kid will not demand you buy a summer helmet because the Bern Bandito Snow Helmet can be used perfectly in all seasons.
Having 8 vents, the helmet is highly breathable to keep your child’s head fresh in summer and when winter strikes, all that the child needs to do is to rotate the inner lining to seal off the vents and the child stays warm.
- Style - The Bandito uses Bern’s original visor shape and styling to create the coolest look for...
- Comfort - The Bandito helmet is designed for pre-teens with noggins too big for a kids helmet, yet...
- Protection - Utilizing the EPS Thinshell technology, the Bandito offers a lightweight yet burly...
Pros
- Its vents can be adjusted
- It’s an all-weather bike helmet
- It has a winter lining that can be removed
- It is beautifully shaped and kids easily love it
Cons
- Younger kids might find its weight unbearable
Garneau Ghost
Some riders may seek to have a bike helmet that is all season so that they save money for other uses. Garneau Ghost winter helmet is made to serve you in winter and summer. When it's winter, fit the warm add-ons and stay warm but after winter is over, remove the Add-ons and let the vents allow fresh air to circulate.
To hold the helmet nicely in your head, the manufacturer included a spider lock, and when it’s locked, you don’t feel like the helmet is too heavy on you or the straps are choking you.
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Pros
- It’s an all-season helmet
- It has a spider lock for the best safety and comfort
- It has an evacuation channel to keep the rider cool
Cons
- Not suitable for use with commuter bikes
Giro Timberwolf winter Bike Helmet
The prominent feature in the Giro Timberwolf winter Bike Helmet is a vent slider that opens or closes the vents so that when it's too cold, you can close the vents to retain heat within and it’s hot, you can open to let fresh air circulate.
The helmet is made from strong material to make it durable and interior add-ons are very warm and firm. This helmet is specifically made for winter and might not serve you in any other season. It’s brightly colored to ensure you are visible while on road and it fits well in your head.
This highly breathable helmet is lined with a heat insulation material to make sure you stay warm even when the vents are open. The ear covers are perforated to allow sound to travel through and keep your ears attentive even when you are in heavy traffic.
Some bike riders may complain the helmet feels heavy on their head but it's because the manufacturer put a lot of padding on the inside.
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Pros
- The helmet has vents that can open and close
- It can easily fit on any size of the head
- It’s very durable
Cons
- Feels heavy on the head because of extra padding
- The helmet builds heat in the inside fast making the rider uncomfortable
Specialized Centro Winter LED Helmet
Specialized Centro Winter LED Helmet might be called a vintage brand because it has been in the market for a long time. This helmet is probably one of the most preferred by winter riders mostly because of its many added features. The rider doesn’t need additional clothing to keep their head warm when on the road.
A noticeable feature in this helmet is its LED light which the rider can switch on any time it's needed. This ensures safety for the rider is prioritized at all times while on the road. More protection is enhanced by the MIPS brain protection system which ensures the rider’s skull is safe.
The Specialized Centro Winter LED Helmet tops the list of some of the lightest and warmest helmets in the market and definitely, all these features come with a cost. This helmet is one of the most expensive helmets on the market.
Why do you need to maintain your winter bike helmet?
Maybe one of the questions you would have is whether bike helmets need maintenance and why. A lengthy answer might help you understand better and possibly help you take the right action.
The helmet doesn’t have moveable parts like a bike but remember it’s always your companion whenever you are riding your bike. While on the head, the lining absorbs a lot of sweat and the helmet undergoes friction when it comes into contact with the hair or scalp.
A well-maintained bike helmet can serve you for more than 20 years, but safety specialists advise you to dispose of your bike helmet after using it for 10 years yet manufacturers say 3-5 years. Whatever number of years they are, you cannot keep using a bike helmet that is smelling sweat and you still be comfortable.
You need to remove the removable parts and clean them. Clean the rest of the helmet thoroughly to remove all sweat and dust. If the linings are too worn out, you might be more comfortable replacing the entire helmet.
In certain moments, things can go wrong and you crash. You might not get any injuries, thanks to the helmet, but it is the helmet that absorbs the impact. That means a crash shall weaken the helmet and the best option is to buy another one.
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What is the best type of winter bike helmet to wear?
The market has plenty of options and they are all good to wear but it doesn’t mean they are the best. The best winter helmet is one that gives you value for money, protects your head well, and keeps it warm. Once you decide to buy a winter bike helmet, you will most likely choose the best.
Final verdict
The market is wide and full of all manner of brands each with its unique price. From a pool of many brands, we selected 5 that we felt are the best after we thoroughly reviewed them against other great competitors.
Our aim is not to recommend a specific brand to you, but offer you a variety of choices. From the list of best 5 above, we trust you will make an informed decision and buy one that best fits your budget and needs.