Mountain bike helmet may look so simple. But they do a job that regular caps truly never can. Like the best bike lights, these helmets are a must-have because they help to keep you safe. At the very least, a mountain bike helmet can save your life in the event of an accident.
To be clear, you may never know when you really need this stuff. So it’s important to wear one before you hit the trail in twos. But if you haven’t bought one yet, here are some recommendations of the best mountain bike helmets that you should consider.
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Top Rated Mountain Bicycles Helmets Comparison & Rating Chart
Preview | Product Name | Vents | Size | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Universal Fit Size: 21.25” - 24” / 54 - 61cm | 600g | ||
| 14 | Universal Fit Size: 54 - 65cm | 14.5 oz, 410g, size Large | ||
| 21 | S: 20 - 21.75" M: 21.75 - 23.25" L: 23.25 - 24.75" XL: 24 - 25.55" | 304g | ||
| 21 | S: 52 - 56 cm M/L: 51 - 67 cm | 0.6 - 0.63lbs | ||
| 13 | One Size: 22.0 - 24.4" | 361g | ||
| 13 | S-XL | 2lb | ||
| 18 | 22.5 to 24.5" | 6oz | ||
| 20 | Universal Fit Size: 51 - 63cm | 242g | ||
| 22 | Size: 57cm-62cm/22.44’’-24.41’ | 270g/0.59lbs. |
Best MTB Helmets Reviews - We picked Top, Affordable & Cheap MTN Bicycle Helmets for you.
1. Giro Fixture MIPS Bike Helmet
Giro Fixture is a truly sturdy bike helmet that offers the best possible head protection to even the most notorious cyclist. With good ratings for comfort and weight, this iconic head fixture promises to keep you safe, even in the most unfriendly trails. And if you’re on a tight budget, this is the helmet to buy and wear to your next cycling adventure.
Giro’s Multi-Directional Impact Protection System isn’t something you may need. After all, you aren’t planning to fall off your bike in your cycling adventure. But the unexpected can happen.
And when it does, MIPS can make a very big difference by absorbing impact from all direction, keeping your heads safe in the event that you hit the ground hard.
At 1.5 pounds, you aren’t wearing too much weight. So even for a long ride, the 600 grams should be something your head can easily handle. Fixture also features 18 vents, which provide sufficient airflow to keep your head cool throughout your cycling session.
You’ll love this helmet because it it’s a universal fit. So if the size of your head is between 21.5 and 24 inches, this helmet is for you. And if you’re a rider to whom color also matters, this pick is available in five options so you can choose what best suits you.
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2. Giro Chronicle MIPS MTB Helmet
Giro Chronicle falls in the same price range as Giro Fixture. It’s a solid model to consider if you’re on a budget, or if you just need an affordable mountain bike helmet.
While priced lower than many models in the market, Chronicle can provide just enough protection to keep your head safe in case of an accident.
The construction features a combination of synthetic fiber and polycarbonate shell with EPS liner. The inner section feels soft and comfortable, thanks to the Coolmax padding.
The back and sides extend and the inner part is a little deeper than many models in the same price range.
Giro adds a Multi-Directional Impact Protection System to this helmet. So it can absorb impact from all around your head in case you get a bike accident and fall. Chronicle also features an adjustable Roc Loc 5 harness, which you can use to fix the helmet in position so that it doesn’t fall, especially when you’re riding your bike fast.
Giro Chronicle has 14 vents for airflow, 4 vents less what you get from the Fixture model in the brand’s bike helmet series. And if you look closely, you’ll notice they aren’t as large. Still, they are breathable. And together with the EPS foam, it ensures sufficient airflow to keep your head cool, particularly in very hot days.
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3. Giro Hex Mountain Bike Helmet
Hex is another top model in Giro’s mountain bike helmets. Like Chronicle and Fixture, it features a solid construction, making it one of the most durable item in its class. Inexpensive like its budget brothers, Hex is the helmet to choose if you’re on a budget.
And since it’s flexible, you can bring it with you to the mountains, wear it to a marathon, or use it for head protection on rugged trails.
The outer body features a synthetic polycarbonate construction for strength and durability. So even in the event of an impact, this helmet can handle the force, protect your head from damage, and keep working just fine.
The inner build features an EPS foam, an in-mold technology that offers additional impact resistance to keep you safe.
Giro also adds the Roc Loc 5 fit system to the Hex. This is going to be useful in instances where you ride your bike at top speed. The system lets you wear the helmet tightly by fastening the adjustable strap under your chin. Once fixed, the helmet won’t wobble and fall, no matter how fast you ride your mountain bike.
With 21 wind-scooping vents, Hex provides more airflow than Chronicle and Fixture. For the price range, you get sufficient air circulation to keep your head cool and sweat free, especially in hot weather – or when you’re riding your bike fast.
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4. Team Obsidian Airflow Bike Helmet
Airflow bike helmet by Team Obsidian is one of the well-made models currently in the market. It doesn’t come in multiple color options like Giro’s series. But the black and white matte finish can still make you look cool on the trail.
And while it’s not cheap like Base Cam Neo, it’s not costly either.
One thing that differentiates Airflow from other bike helmets is the size options.The models above have only one size fit.
Airflow, however, comes in two distinct sizes. The small size is for head circumferences between 52 and 56 centimeters.
The large size is for head circumferences between 56 and 61 centimeters.
The variation in size means that Airflow is a versatile, universal fit helmet. Whether you’re a budding mountain biker, a street rider who loves to commute on two wheels, or you have a kid whom you’d rather have wearing a helmet when cycling, Team Obsidian Airflow is a decent buy to consider.
Airflow offers a higher level of breathability than many helmets in the same price range thanks to its 22 vents. The airflow is steady because the vents are big enough to let cool air in and hot air out of the helmet. At the very least, your head remain cool and dry, even when riding in extremely hot weather.
You will love Airflow because it’s not heavy. Weighing just 0.6 pounds for the small size and 0.63 pounds for the large size, this bike helmet is one of the lightweight options on this list. The adjustable visor is easy to remove, so you might want to take it off if you believe you won’t need. With this out of the helmet, expect the weight to go even lower.
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5. Lixada Mountain Bike Helmet
Lixada is the bike helmet that fits and fits right. It’s neither too big not too small, so it’s a perfect fit for many riders. It’s easy to adjust to a level that best suits your taste. Once you wear it, it’ll stay in position throughout your cycling spree, no matter how fast your ride is.
Made of integrated in-mold polycarbonate shell, the Lixada is a strong and durable mountain bike helmet, an option you can rely on for high-level protection. Inside this multi-dimensional cone-like bike helmet is an ESP foam lining, which offers an additional layer comfort when cycling and protection from impact in case of an accident.
Lixada adds 13 vents to this helmet to make sure it’s as breathable as possible. While this isn’t a lot compared to what you get from Giro Hex, it’s still good enough to keep your head cool and dry in all weather conditions.
This helmet comes in only one size, which is suitable for persons with head circumference between 56 and 62 centimeters. One of the things you’ll love about this helmet is how easy it is to adjust. All you have to do is to fasten or loosen the strap until you achieve a level that’s comfortable enough for you. Just make sure it isn’t too loose or too tight.
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6. Demon United Podium Full Face MTN Bike Helmet
Known for its full-face design, Demon United Podium helmet is the ideal option for a rider who would rather have their head and face fully covered. At its best, this kind of design is suitable for protecting your head, face, and chin just in case you fall from your bike.
Demon United doesn’t mention the material they use to design this helmet. But whatever it is the brand uses, it’s strong enough to earn this full-face model a higher durability score. Even better, the material helps to provide serious head protection by absorbing as much impact as possible in the event of a crash.
You will love Diamond United Podium because its padding is thick enough to protect your head from minor injuries, severe falls, and serious car crash. The EPS foam liner doesn’t just align with the shape of your head. It also provides an added layer of comfort to help with impact management in the event of a crash.
Podium Full Face helmet has 13 vents. That’s 9 vents less what you get from Giro Hex, but still enough to provide airflow to keep your head cool and dry. And after a long ride on the mountain and steep trails, you can take out the EPS liner, clean and dry it, and then put it back in place ready for the next cycling adventure.
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7. BASE CAMP NEO Mountain Bicycle Helmet
Base Camp Neo is one of the best mountain bike helmets that you can buy if your head size is between 57 and 62 centimeters. Going for under $50, Neo is the most affordable option on this list, an alternative to Demon United Podium, a choice for budding cyclists on a budget.
Like Giro Hex, Base Camp Neo is made of polycarbonate shell. The material is so lightweight that it doesn’t a lot of weight to your head. And it’s so sturdy and comfortable that it provide high-level of protection in the event of an impact.
The inner padding is inarguably comfortable. It provides an additional layer of comfort at all points of contact with your head, so you can ride your bike with confidence on different terrains. The EPS foam is removable and we recommend cleaning it from time to time as a maintenance practice.
This helmet has more vents than Demon United Podium. You get 18 for the price point, which is enough to allow sufficient airflow to keep your head cool and dry. With such a high degree of breathability, you don’t have to worry about sweating profusely, even when you’re riding your bike in hot weather.
One of the best things about this bike helmet is its weight. Despite the large size, Base Camp Neo weighs just 9 ounces, making it the most lightweight helmet on this list. And if you ever feel like you want to make it even lighter than 9 ounces, you can do so by re moving the adjustable visor.
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8. Giro Switchable MTB Helmet
Switchable is another model in Giro’s helmet lineup. Like the first three models that we’ve looked at in this review, Switchable seems to be a well-made option that you can use for any kind of bicycle riding. Giro doesn’t mention the material they use to design this one. But our guess is, owing to the fact that it’s as solid as its budget models, they use polycarbonate shell to give it such a strong construction.
One of the things we love about Giro is its implementation of MIPS. The system is so important that the brand includes it in most of its helmets including Switchable. The MIP system is important because it provides high-level protection to your head in the event of an accident.
So no matter the point of contact with the ground, MIPS will absorb the most impact to keep you safe.
This bike helmet is similar to Demon United Podium in that it also offers full-face protection. And it has a removable chin bar that you can take off if you don’t want to cover your entire face. We do, however, recommend have the chin bar in place, especially if you’re going to be riding your mountain bike at a very high speed.
Switchable has thick pads, which provide enough cushioning between your head and the helmet. In a way, the padding adds a layer of protection for your head by absorbing as much impact as possible in the event of a collision. The helmet also has a removable liner underneath the padding that also provides an additional layer of comfort.
Giro Switchable has 20 vents, which provides sufficient air circulation to keep your head cool and dry. Also, these vents are important because they ensure maximum breathability, hence more comfort when riding your bike in it.
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9. Basecamp Specialized Bike Helmet
Basecamp Specialized is one of the most feature-packed element. And yet it’s so expensive that you’d probably mistake it for a mediocre product.
Yet for under $50, what you really get is a high quality bike helmet that can help you to stay safe and offer you head protection when you need it the most.
One of the things that make this helmet stand out from the competition is the construction. It’s made of strong Polyvinyl chloride and polycarbonate, two tough materials that make it a durable helmet at such a lower price.
It even has an EPS foam, which adds another layer of protection to the helmet. The foam helps to lower impact in the event of a crush, thus protecting your head as much as possible.
The taillight isn’t something common with many mountain bike helmets. But that’s not say that it isn’t as significant. In fact, this taillight is one of the features that make Basecamp Specialized to stand out from the competition. At the very least, this diamond-shaped light keeps you safe when riding at night, because it helps to make you visible to other road users, especially when riding in very dark environments.
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Now that you have these recommendations, it should be easy for you to get the best helmet to use with your mountain bike.
