Now that there are tons of rad looking helmets to help improve your steeze out on the market, you should be riding with one. Snowboarder, Skier or Saucer Boy (R.I.P.) it’s all the same. A helmet will help prevent brain injuries due to falling down cliff faces, hitting trees, catching edges or missing the transition on the Bollywood Booter in the park. Check out some of my favorites below and add a comment with something that I missed and why you dig on it.
K2 Rant
The K2 Rant is the coolest looking freeride helmet K2 makes. Most of their gear seems oriented towards a different crowd, but the Rant fits right in on a deep day at Kirkwood or Alpine Meadows. Wear the helmet over you beanie or put the pads in and where it without. The low profile fit is a sweet skate / bmx style. Shane McConkey represented this helmet.
Smith Troy Lee Full Face Helmet
Smith Optics has been on the Helmet scene for a few years now. Some of the best goggles on the market now have a helmet that fits right along with them. The most EPIC helmet that Smith offers is the Smith X Troy Lee Designs D2 Full Face. The D2 features flow-through ventilation, an interchangeable & washable padded liner, bag and a fit kit. The helmet retails for $295, which is steep, but you gotta pay for EPICness.
Maze Smith Helmet Audio
Smith also offers some nice audio helmets. I love having some bumping reggae running through my helmet as I schralp the gnar and slash every fresh pow turn possible. The Maze Audio Helmet is a stylee addition to this years Smith lineup.
Bern Watts Helmet
Bern came out with the Bern Baker a couple years back, setting the standard for lower profile brimmed helmets. They did it right. The Baker has the style for both Big Mountain and Park riders. Bern also offers an audio set up for their helmets, but I hear it’s junk. The Bern Watts is a better choice than the Baker. The main reason is the venting. Your head holds a lot of heat. Especially when you stick that chairline 40 footer. So go with the Watts and enjoy a little cooling as you rip into the lift line.
Giro Shiv Audio Helmet
The Giro Shiv Audio is a sweet low profile audio helmet and Giro’s audio is good. The Shiv offers Super Cool Vents and the Fit Kit Pad System to dial in the helmet to your bean.
POC Tanner Hall Pro Model Helmet
Tanner Hall has recently signed with POC. The Tanner Hall Pro Modelis the Receptor BUG helmet. The patented system with double overlapping shells lets air in and heat out and protects from sharp objects. Ventilation can be closed for cold days. An advanced outer shell makes for a tough and durable construction and provides excellent protection with help from the in-mold liner in polycarbonate and EPS. Tanner is sick, and if you have this helmet you will be more like him.
There are many, many helmets out on the market. The best thing to do is to grab your goggles and go down to your local ski or board shop and try them all on. Every helmet fits differently. Some of the brim helmets fit to low for small foreheads, while large foreheads will gain gaper gap. Take your time, spend your money wisely. Your mom will love you for it.
VN:F [1.7.7_1013]
or iPhone (ATT)
for music and calls
– GO SHANE!
session of the summer and I guess I choose to ignore the fact that the temperature changes drastically when the sun goes down. In fact I didn’t even leave until around 3:30pm, so you would think I would have realzied wearing my wetsuit booties at the very least would be sensible for a trip out on the lake in October.
