The 10 Best Snowboard Helmets
This wiki has been updated 21 times since it was first published in February of 2019. You don't need to sacrifice style in order to keep your head protected out on the slopes this winter. These snowboard helmets incorporate a full range of features designed to maximize your comfort and ensure your safety, including carefully placed ventilation systems, ergonomic strap adjustments, and the latest in MIPs technology. Some of them also look pretty rad, too. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Smith Optics 2019 Vantage
2. Giro Ledge
3. Giro Range
Editor's Notes
November 04, 2019:
One of the latest, and arguably most important, advancements in helmet safety in recent years is the addition of MIPS, or Multi-directional Impact Protection System. It is essentially a slim piece of plastic between the padding and the shell that is designed to reduce rotational forces, thereby decreasing the chance of injury in certain types of impacts. During this update, we removed every model that didn't feature this potentially-lifesaving technology to ensure we are only recommending the safest models around.
That being said, there is one helmet here that does not feature MIPS — the POC Obex Backcountry. However, this model features the company's proprietary SPIN technology, which does nearly the same thing according to tests, but utilizes medical-grade silicone gel pads, instead. In addition to feeling that it offers the same level of protection, we also included it because it has features that make it one of the best options for backcountry riders, specifically a passive transponder that helps search and rescue teams find you and an NFC medical ID chip.
We also wanted to make sure we were including some of the latest models from the top manufacturer's, if they met our stringent safety guidelines and user satisfaction levels, which is why we have the Smith Optics 2019 Vantage, Smith Optics 2019 Code, and Smith Optics 2019 Allure on our list.
Though there is no structural difference between men's and women's snowboard helmets, there are sometimes aesthetic differences, such as the color options. While we feel any women would be well-suited with any model on our list as long as they are also happy with the design, we did include the versions of the Pret Lyric X and Smith Optics 2019 Allure that were specifically designed with a women's sensibilities in mind.
The next time time you are loading up your snowboard car rack and grabbing your boots to head out to the slopes, make sure you have one of these awesome brain buckets ready to go, as well, to ensure you come back as happy and healthy as when you left the house.
March 12, 2019:
Comfort, style, and, of course, solid protection are the three defining features of any good snowboard helmet. With that in mind, we combed through over two dozen of the most highly-rated models on the market, which we then narrowed down to these ten. We also payed close attention to the price of each option, understanding that many winter warriors in need of headgear may be constrained by their budgets. Our top two choices ultimately reflect that -- both the Giro Ledge and the Smith Optics Holt represent what we'd argue are the best bangs for your buck of any helmets out there. Of course, if you've got a bit more cash to spend, something like the Giro Range MIPS or Oakley Mod 5 will offer even more protection and comfort.
4. POC Obex Backcountry
5. Smith Optics 2019 Code
6. Giro Crue
7. Pret Lyric X
8. Smith Optics 2019 Allure
9. Giro Fade
10. Oakley Mod 5
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.