Choosing a Ski Helmets for Beginners

Skiing is one of the sports which has a lot of fans but not all of them can actually do it. People tend to think that skiing is an expensive, hard sport. The fact that we can only ski mostly on winter kind of make skiing looks more exclusive. Yet, more and more people want to learn to ski. Being a beginner in the ski world, however, is kind of scary. Not only we have to deal with all techniques of skiing, we also have to learn about buying the ski tools. The techniques can be learned along the way. But ski gear are essentials from the beginning. They are even more essentials if we are a beginner. Helmets and other protection gear are some way more important for a beginner because we, obviously, tend to fall more than the pro ones.

Ski helmets are definitely one of the most important ski gear to wear, especially for beginners. Not only they can prevent serious injuries to our head, most ski helmets nowadays are designed to be very comfortable, they can also protect us from the cold weather. Nowadays, there are three main types of ski helmets, the injection molded, the hard shell, and the soft shell.

The types of ski helmets

The injection molded is a helmet which the shell is made of a thin polycarbonate, which is a durable, high impact resistance plastic. The shell then usually filled with a tough foam called expanded polystyrene (EPS). These kinds of helmets are usually lighter, but can be molded tighter yet have more events than the hard shell ones, which make these helmets more expensive. The hard shell ones are usually less expensive, also less comfortable than the previous type. Usually called "skateboard helmet", a hard shell helmet is made of a hard acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), though the filling is the same as the injection molded one. The ABS material is what makes the shell very hard and a little heavier. The lightest type of helmet is the soft shell. Unlike the previous two, soft shell isn't made of a type of plastic. Instead, they are made of foam. The filling is still the same, but the shell is actually made from a harder foam.

There is actually another type of ski helmet. This last type is the specialized helmets. This type is usually made with either of the process above, but the end result is very different that the previous types. Unlike the two mentioned above, this type of helmet also covers some parts of the face and ears of the users. Though being the safest type, the specialized helmets are the least popular because they are extremely uncomfortable to wear.

How to choose a ski helmet

Whatever type of helmets we prefer, the most important thing is how we choose the helmet. The three main things to consider when buying a ski helmet are the size, the adjustable fit system, and the venting system.

Choosing the right size helmet is very important because a helm which is too big or too small won't be comfortable to wear, not to mention provide less protection. To choose the right size, first we need to measure our head, a little above our eyebrows and ears, and then match them to the helmet sizing. Even after the measurement, we still need to try it on. A right size helmet should snuggle our head nicely, with no excess room, yet still comfortable to wear (no pain or pressure to our head). Another way to know if they are a good fit is by doing the shake test. If they move around, then we need to find another helmet.

The adjustable system is very important because no such thing as a perfect fit helmet (well, unless you make it only for you). This system will help you to adjust the size f the helmet a little bit. Some products have some sort of button that we can just turn to adjust the strap around the helmet. Some, we have to adjust them manually by pulling the strap tighter. Others, we have to remove or add the padding. The last is the venting system. This isn't a requirement, but more of a comfortable factor actually. Skiing is still a sport which makes us sweating, even in cold weather. A good vent means less suffocation for our head. A different company makes a different type of event. A nice one is usually adjustable, in case we are too cold or too hot.

Whichever type of helmet we choose, either the mold injected one, the hard shell, the soft shell, or even the specialized one, by the end, the best ski helmets is the one we are most comfortable with. So, before buying one, better make sure we actually like the helmet we buy. Eventually, it's going to be one of our sports investments.