How To Choose A Climbing Helmet

Climbing is not a kids’ game. It’s a challenging thing where anything can happen without any warnings. Here, danger waits in every step, even though you are mounting your most favorite terrain.

So, why should you take risks?

Taking necessary precautions before starting a journey is mandatory and wearing a perfect helmet is the most important part of any expedition. Climbing helmets are intended to guard you against serious conditions like rocks falling on your head, accidentally hit your head on a wall or falling from a high place.

Therefore, you need to have a climbing helmet if you want to explore hilly mountains safely. And, the good news is that here I will discuss how to choose a climbing helmet.

Expert Tips On How To Choose A Climbing Helmet

Although this is not an arborist helmet guide, this article will definitely help you to get a good arborist helmet. However, you need to select a climbing helmet considering some important factors. Let’s discuss them deeply so that you get a clear understanding…

Helmet type

There are three types of climbing helmet you will find in the marketplace. They are foam, hybrid and hard shell. Don’t worry, I will provide sufficient information about all of them so that you can make your choice according to your requirements.

Foam Helmet

If you want a lightweight helmet, you should get a foam helmet. Most of these helmets weight less than 300 gm. So, you will forget that you are wearing a helmet. Amazing, isn’t it?

As the name suggests, these foam helmets are made of high-quality EPS foam. This EPS foam helps them to deal with heavy blow while the polycarbonate layer will shield your head against minor bumps.

Additionally, Foam helmet has large ventilation ports. They will ensure fine airflow at scorching summer seasons. If you are a sport climber then the side protection feature of this helmet will help you deal with regular falls.

Hard Shell Helmet

This type of helmet is very popular among climbers because of its traditional look and solid structure. It also has a functional suspension system that works efficiently in minimizing the impact of a powerful knock to your head.

Moreover, hard shell helmets are very heavy-duty and comfortable. On the other hand, these helmets lack proper ventilation. But, in case of safety, they are the best in the business.

Hybrid Helmet

A hybrid helmet is a combination of a hard shell and a foam helmet. It is made of thick ABS plastic with some EPS foam. The glad tiding is that you can have both lightweight and robust features at a reasonable price. Moreover, these helmets are pretty tough and well-vented too. As a result, you can also use them comfortably on a hot and humid day.

However, you must remember that these helmets are not as sturdy as hardshell helmets and as lightweight as foam helmets. That’s the reason why some professional climbers don’t like these helmets.

Climbing type

You should pick a helmet depending on the type of your climbing. As we all know, different types of terrain require different kinds of helmets for ensuring a comfortable expedition for a climber.

Climbing Icy track

In this kind of surface, you need a hard shell helmet as you don’t need a big ventilation area in freezing cold temperatures. Moreover, thick plastic material will keep your head warm during climbing.

Mountaineering & multi-pitch climbing

These types of journeys take huge time to complete and you need to carry lots of things with you. So, a lightweight foam or hybrid helmet can make your climbing more enjoyable and comfortable. Also, buy a vivid helmet so that your teammates can easily spot you.

Summer sport climbing

Summer days are very hot and you may become exhausted quickly. So, you should buy a helmet with proper aeration. Foam helmet could be a great choice for this type of task.

Indoor climbing

In indoor games, there is no chance of rockfall and other hazards. So, you can use a low priced foam helmet.

Check Helmet fitting

No matter how good and durable a helmet is, it won’t suit you well if it doesn’t fit you. Moreover, an unfit helmet can cause many problems during a tricky climbing scenario.

First of all, you should test the front side of the helmet. It should cover the forehead resting just above the eyebrows. Avoid the ones that only cover your hair or hairline because they can’t save your forehead from any unfortunate events.

Next thing you should check is the buckle of the helmet. A sturdy plastic buckle is lightweight and user friendly. They do not put any poke mark on your face like metal buckle. Also, ensure that they are flexible and easy to handle.

You can check the helmet to find out if it is comfy or not by simply spinning your head right to left and up & down. If the helmet does not come out or fall down without fastening the chin strap, you can select this. Furthermore, ensure that the helmet doesn’t push or press the backside of your neck when looking up.

Finally, you should properly check the interior and exterior part of the helmet. Look for any major or minor fault on the surface and other accessories attached to it. You must ensure that the thing you are going to buy will do its best to prevent your head from any unwanted situation.

But, if you are buying it from any online marketplace then you must read the buyer reviews to get better understanding about any particular helmet.

Final Verdict

A fantastic helmet not only provides you great protection but also makes your climbing more flexible and tension-free. However, if you don’t consider the above-mentioned factors while buying your helmet, you may get a cheaper one but it will create many problems for you.

So, you should have proper knowledge about how to choose a climbing helmet before adding one to your tally.

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