The Best Bike Helmets for Comfortable, Breezy Protection

Although I've never worn this helmet, I know several collegiate triathletes who swear by it. The Echelon is just two steps down from Specialized’s highest-end helmets, and it’s a third of the price of the new, top-spec Prevail 3. A whopping 27 thin vents keep your head cool as can be, the helmet’s Tri-fix web splitters keep the straps away from your ears, and it even has a mount for Specialized’s ANGi crash sensor, which notifies an emergency contact when you’ve hit your head.

The Isode MIPS was my primary recommendation for customers who came into the bike shop and told me they were just starting to ride. It has everything a beginner on the road needs, and nothing they don’t. The helmet is at least as safe as even the most expensive models I recommend here, and the competitively lightweight design still has an impressive number of vents.

Some people might tell you that you don’t need a high-quality helmet for commuting, but I beg to differ: You’re getting much more daily use out of it, realistically subjecting it to more torture, and (hopefully) rocking it with your workday getup without looking like an astronaut. The new Caden MIPS II meets all of these needs with flying colors. Thoughtful details like reflective hits and a port for a U-lock make this an indispensable asset of rush-hour warriors. Giro also offers this lid without MIPS and with a removable rear light to boost your visibility. The modern, more ventilated take on a skate-style design keeps you feeling cool by both definitions.

Trying to gather the equipment for three different sports can get costly quickly, especially with all the bike accessories. Thankfully, a good portion of Lazer’s product line has a unique trick for helping you get two helmets in one: The Aeroshell, sold separately from the Sphere, is a molded cover that snaps seamlessly onto the outside of this helmet to make it significantly more aerodynamic. That way, you can have a well-ventilated helmet for your everyday training, and you only have to spend an extra 20 bucks to be ready to cut through the wind on race day.

For a helmet that can go miles in any condition, consider the Omne Air Spin. It’s ventilated enough to pull its weight on a long, hot day, but not so much that it can’t be an effective, good-looking helmet for year-round commuters. Instead of MIPS, POC uses its similar proprietary technology called SPIN. Whether you’re rocking a skinsuit or business casual, you won’t look out of place with this POC piece on your noggin.

When it comes to aero helmets, it can get pretty tricky to find a model that is less than $300. Although, to some extent, this is a natural limitation of a design with so much engineering behind it, Abus knew it could shave something off that price tag while still producing a professional-grade race helmet. The GameChanger cuts through the wind in all directions thanks to its rounder shape (as opposed to long-tailed time trial helmets), and it still vents well enough to keep you from steaming up as the mercury rises.

When the Prevail II Vent first made its way into the bike shop where I worked, I surprised as many people as possible with how light it is—all it took was to hand it to them. This helmet feels like it shouldn’t be real, let alone protective, but Specialized worked its magic on the original Prevail II. The company removed every gram of foam that it could deem structurally unnecessary, and there are several areas where the helmet’s raw carbon skeleton is peeking out. It costs an arm and a leg at full price, but it’s a helmet that you can truly forget you’re wearing.

I don’t have one definitive favorite feature of the Source; it’s truly the synthesis of everything that pushes me to recommend it as my favorite trail helmet. It’s well-ventilated, it has impressive temple and back-of-head coverage, and it’s adjustable far beyond many people’s practical needs. The inner lining cradles my head quite comfortably, and I can even adjust the angle of the visor for varying conditions and light levels. There’s a women’s option available as well, but as far as I can tell, it’s functionally the same, just with a different run of colors and sizes.

Recently, I got into a bit of a snag during a shift at the bike shop because I accidentally labeled a pallet of Specialized Cambers as their much more expensive cousin, the Ambush 2. The reason? They’re nearly identical. They feature similar visor designs, vent counts, safety features, and adjustability; the only notable differences are in weight and how much of your head they cover (the Ambush 2 goes a little lower past the temples and the back of your head). The Camber is designed for mountain bikers of all ages, sizes, and skill levels, and it does so with the prowess of a helmet twice its price.

Finding a smaller-sized helmet with a MIPS liner is no easy task sometimes, and the fact that Giro has one in an affordable package built for kids is a stellar achievement. Even better, the Scamp is still fully adjustable, able to fit a head as little as 45 centimeters in circumference, and light enough to remain manageable for toddlers with yet-to-be-developed balance.