20 Minutes ReadAll riding families can agree that getting the youngest riders to wear their helmets is one of the toughest and most mentally-challenging tasks. Finding the best kids’ helmets is also a separate challenging affair. But as parents, we always keep trying, no matter what!
Although easy, if you force your child to wear a helmet, they might end up throwing a temper tantrum, and who knows, they may altogether start resenting the whole concept of riding a bike.
So be careful with both your choice of a helmet and approach to getting them to wear it, dear parent. The last thing you want to do is to force the ‘hard shell” on your kid’s head or worse yet; choose a boring black one for your child to wear.
To motivate kids to wear helmets, you need to go for cool, fun, and up-to-task kids’ helmets. That alone automatically appeals to their appetite to be on bikes.
Even though looks matter, it will please you to know that all of the helmets we have assembled for you have more to them than what meets the eye!
Every one of them meets all the requirements for high quality and up-to-task helmet in terms of protection, coverage, adjustability, user-friendliness, and superior comfort!
If your question if what are the best helmets for kids? Be our guest!
What are you waiting for? Let’s jump straight into it.
Salient Features and Review
Giro does it again with a helmet that has just about every feature in an adult helmet, except it is packaged in a smaller child’s size.
This company never fails!
The Giro Scamp is exceptionally built with an in-mold polycarbonate shell with EPS liner. The fusion of the inner and outer shell allows better ventilation and results in a lighter helmet, which is precisely what the Giro Scamp offers kids.
The helmet is further tailored to suit kids and especially girls whose ponytails can fit in with the slight curvature in the helmet’s back. That means that you don’t have to worry about changing Little Maggie or Sandy’s hairstyle when going out for a ride. Convenient, aye?
Plus, with the Roc Loc Jr. Fit system, the helmet can be adjusted with a dial, so it fits the child’s head even as they grow! And all this with a buckle that ensures no pinching of the wearer’s chin as the buckle snaps into place.
Lastly, the helmet further embodies convenience as they come in 13 fancy and exciting colors for each child to select their favorite from!
Salient Features
Medium 56 – 60 cm
Large 60 – 64 cm
The in-mold construction of this helmet is one of many things that make it such a great option for kids!
The durable, injection-molded ABS shell with protective Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam works well to offer superior protection in case of a fall or crash.
Furthermore, the spin dial featured ensures a perfect fit and works together with three extra sets of foam pads with 3mm, 6mm, 9mm thickness that is interchangeable to achieve a more tailored fit.
Another winner is the signature magnetic buckle that ensures no more neck-pinching for the child. Requiring one-handed operation, fastening and loosening the helmet is such a breeze!
Additionally, not only does the 360-degree reflectivity of this helmet look cool but it also protects them from other road users by enhancing their visibility.
Lastly, the nutcase street helmet also makes a name for itself for being one of the few dual certified helmets. With a dual safety certification by CPSC and ASTM, that means that the helmet is constructed in such a way that it can offer superior protection in the event of a bike accident or the multiple falls and impacts that skaters are prone to.
Salient Features and Review
Available sizes: 50 – 55 cm
Within minutes of owning the Uvex Quatro Junior helmet, you can tell that much time went into its creation
The helmet features a unique “monomatic” ratcheting buckle that entails slower buckling and securing with a locking slider located below the ear. This means that not only is it essentially easier for kids to use, but it also protects them from pinching themselves.
With the turn of a dial, the helmet can be modified to suits a child’s head. It is worth noting that the Uvex Quatro is, however, created for kids with smaller-sized heads as it suits their heads but also has a much narrower fit range (4cm in comparison to the standard 7), which locks out kids with wider heads.
To shield the child’s eyes from the sun’s rays, it sports a removable snap-fit visor, and to block the entry of insects; it features insect shields.
Not to mention that its in-mold construction offers ultimate impact-resistance and durability of the helmet.
Although not as many as the other contenders in our review, the 9 vents in this helmet do a superb job of allowing air circulation above the child’s neck.
Salient Features and Review
Small/Medium (52 – 56 cm)
We have no qualms about a helmet that goes the extra mile to protect a child’s noggin.
And that is precisely what the Joovy Noodle helmet does.
The helmet offers superior protection from the elements, bugs, and the impact of a crush!
Most parents are pleased that the helmet is embellished with sufficient vents (14 if you are counting) to ensure that the child’s head remains cools during hot summer rides.
Plus, the front vents are embellished with an integrated bug mesh, so not only will the child remain cool, but they will also be protected from bugs especially when riding in nature.
The extended visor offers ultimate protection from the sun’s rays while the pinch guard chin strap secures easily with no pinch to the child’s chin.
To fine-tune the fit for ultimate protection, the helmet uses an adjustable fit dial, which can be modified throughout the growth spurts of the child.
The list of merits is endless for this one; the helmet offers great head coverage, and being incredibly light, the weight of it won’t be a pressure to the noggin.
The Joovy noodle kid’s helmet truly is the ideal mid-range helmet. It offers excellent features at a price that won’t break your bank.
Salient Features and Review
Popular for their expertise in bike helmets, Razor continues to show the reason for the brand’s acclaimed position with the Razor V-17!
The Razor V-17 youth multi-sport helmet promises a mere between state-of-the-art design and top-shelf quality without affecting its ability to offer superior protection, and there is nothing more that could please both parent and child.
If there’s something that this helmet has done exceptionally right is that it is generously padded! What it lacks in terms of a dial-adjust fit system, it makes up for with an extra set of pads. So, in addition to dense padding within, the helmet comes with additional pads to guarantee a tailored fit for each rider.
Rather than releasing and fastening at the chin, the helmet is secured to the child’s noggin with a side release buckle on the chin strap. The buckle reeks of absolute convenience.
It fastens quickly, is extremely easy to adjust, and stays on even when riding roughly.
In the event of an accident, the hard exterior and ergonomic interior padding do a great job of keeping the child’s head away from harm.
Moreover, it has 17 vents that are well-positioned at the top, side, and rear of the helmet, so the rider’s head remains cool on the go.
Like we said, getting a child to put a helmet on ranks up there with getting them to eat their vegetables. That is why it is extremely pleasing to know that the Razor V-17 is available in 13 vibrant colors from which any child can have their pick!
Whether they are riding or skating, this is just the right partner for their endeavors.
Salient Features and Review
We can all agree that helmets don’t have to be bland to fulfill their function.
So how about the fact that Raskullz was among the first companies to ever use 3D technology on their products?
The Raskullz Mohawk is part of the Mohawk series that incorporates 3D bendable Mohawk
And it works! This series has caught the eyes of thousands of children who relish their neighborhood rides even more as they get to show off their rad look.
And the helmet balances the 3D technology with even more superior safety technology.
The EPS inner shell, for instance, absorbs impact from a fall regally.
Also, the helmet is ventilated with aerodynamic cooling vents that allow comfortable airflow throughout the helmet.
The package further entails removable pads and adjustable straps for a more tailored fit.
With such a helmet, it comes as no surprise to us that the company has survived in the global market for over 60 years.
Salient Features and Review
If there’s ever a rider that finds the constant adjustment of the chin strap annoying, confusing, or just downright exhausting then the Bell Richter is the perfect helmet for them.
In addition to superior quality that adds to the durability, the helmet’s well-thought features add a welcoming touch to the comfort and security of the noggin.
However, the most thought-out feature of this helmet is the incorporated TrueFit one-step adjustment system. As the name suggests, it only requires a single adjustment for that correct fit!
The self-adjusting fit straps are fast, super-easy, and get the job done!
In addition to that, the helmet boasts of reflective features on its rear end to guarantee safety on the trails by making the rider more conspicuous.
As if that wasn’t enough, the helmet further sports a detachable visor for protection from the elements.
Salient Features and Review
Youngbloods and old-timers alike have a liking for Giro helmets. Reason being that the helmets produced all have a superior fit, exemplary quality, ultimate comfort and let’s not forget the great fancy designs all in one.
Even more impressive is that their helmets take pride in the fact that they usually come in half the weight of traditional helmets, perfect for kids' heads if you ask me.
Every little detail of this helmet is deliberate.
For starters, the helmet’s 20 vents are a winner in our books as they guarantee that no matter how hot it gets, the child’s head will remain cool. Plus, the vents are protected with a built-in bug net, which keeps bugs at bay.
The helmet further integrates a visor that serves a protective role against the sun and rain. Besides, the Mini-Loc fit system which warrants a secure no-pinch fit when adjusted.
To ensure the two-wheeling tot remains comfortable, the helmet’s interior is lined with soft padding making this helmet the perfect embodiment of helmet and security.
The Raskullz Unicorn helmet is another display of how clever one has to be in order to get children excited to wear their helmets.
This helmet will definitely have heads turning in the biking streets with the 3-D unicorn ears, horn, and snout.
The TPR material used to make the exterior is high-quality, durable, non-toxic, safe to the touch. Underneath it is a hard exterior and EPS shell that lines the interior of the helmet; both of which do a great job at shock absorbency.
Other than the cute design and high-quality material; this helmet further ensures comfort through aerodynamic cooling vents that promote immense air circulation during hot summer rides
The helmet further features an adjustable nylon chin strap that ensures a comfortable and secure fit.
Comfortable, secure, shock-absorbent, and appealing to young riders, the Raskullz Unicorn helmet confidently ticks off all the right boxes for everything you could ever want in a child’s helmet.
Salient Features and Review
Another great entry from Raskullz is the Raskullz Kitty Kat helmet.
It differs from the Raskullz Mohawk and the Raskullz unicorn in that it weighs 2 pounds.
Although heavier than the other two, this helmet is still weight-optimized for a child, especially considering the fact that there are much heavier options in the market.
Here’s why every parent should get one for their child.
The helmet integrates the latest in helmet technology through 3D technology. The sculpted cat is a sure head-turner and mood booster for young riders.
Secondly, like other Raskullz helmets, the helmet features an inner EPS shell that does a great job at shock-absorbing on impact. There is no chance that the child’s head will get hurt with this gear.
Thirdly, it features aerodynamic cooling vents and an adjustable chin strap system that ensure a cool, secure, and comfortable fit!
Here are a few selections that do just as great a job at protecting little riders’ noggins as the kids’ helmets mentioned above.
The Giro Scamp Youth Bike helmet sports similar features as the aforementioned Giro Scamp, except it, is backed by Multi-directional impact system (MIPS) technology. The technology entails an additional interior layer that disperses energy in the case of a fall or crash and thereby evens out the distribution of the force of impact.
Being that the helmet is constructed with an in-mold polycarbonate shell with an EPS liner, the result is that the helmet is so lightweight and comfortable that children even forget its presence on their heads!
With eight vents, a built-in visor, a pinch-guard buckle, and a ponytail compatible back, the Giro Scamp MIPS youth helmet is a worthy investment, especially when compared to other MIPS helmets which come at a higher price tag.
This helmet is styled like an adult mountain bike helmet, and that is what wins it for us.
For starters, it is fitted with MIPS, which works to minimize injuries from impact at sharp angles. The MIPS weighs a mere one pound so you can rest assured that it won’t weigh the kid down.
It also features a fusion in-mold polycarbonate shell that creates a much safer and much sturdier fit, a snap-in visor that protects eyes and face from the sun and other debris as well as 15 vents for coolness and comfort.
Lastly, the helmet features an Ergo Fit system with no-twist tri glides that enable the helmet to adjust to size quickly and ensure that the straps remain flat and in position.
The Giro Tremor MIPS helmet is similar to the extremely popular Bell Sidetrack, except it costs 5$ more and has features that make it a better helmet.
Instilling the latest in helmet technology, this helmet entails an integrated Multi-Directional Impacts Protection System, which redirects energy and thereby offers more protection in specific impacts.
Additionally, the in-mold construction of the helmet encourages better protection, lighter weight, and enhanced durability.
With the Roc Loc Sport system, the child is guaranteed fast, easy-to-use, and secure fit adjustments
Furthermore, the helmet features18 vents for maximum airflow and a removable visor that protects from the sun’s rays making the Giro Tremor MIPS one of the best options for older kids.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Schwinn has been in existence since 1895. To date, the company invests in quality material and the most sophisticated design for their products. The Schwinn Thrasher is no exception.
Merely weighing 0.6 pounds, this helmet is the perfect fit for kids between 5 and 8 years of age with a head circumference of 50 to 54 cm.
The helmet is lightweight owing to the three-piece micro-shell that enhances durability without weighing your kid down
It further features a visor that you can easily remove or keep on to reduce the sun’s glare and 20 top air vents that provide crucial ventilation on hot summer rides.
Lastly, Schwinn 360° comfort pairs dial-adjustable fit systems with full range padding for the perfect customized, comfortable fit.
When introducing kids to the concept of riding a two-wheeler, the most important establishment that they need to be aware of is the safety precautions they should take
That said, a helmet is right on top of the safety precautions that are advised for young and old riders. Unfortunately, not many riders know the dos and don’ts of picking the right helmet for themselves; leave alone their kids.
We have taken the liberty to assemble the best kids’ helmets in the industry, so you don’t have to. From the ones that integrate MIPS technology to the lightest ones with in-mold construction and even ones with 3D technology for visual appeal, it would be hard to miss a befitting pick.
To find your match, gear your kid up and have fun hitting the trails.
Remember; safety first!
Comments