Updated November 18th, 2024
A good ski helmet can keep you safe on the mountain, keep your head warm or cool, and help keep your goggles fog free. The wrong ski helmet can make you feel uncomfortable and not provide the safety you are looking for. Ski helmets come in a wide variety of styles and prices with features such as MIPS, WaveCel, and BOA. We spend our time on the mountain putting gear to the test so we can help you find the perfect ski helmet this winter.
The 7 Best Ski Helmets
BEST OVERALL: Smith Vantage MIPS
BEST BUDGET: Outdoor Master Diamond 2 MIPS
BEST HELMET ON AMAZON: Outdoor Master Kelvin 2
BEST FOR FREESTYLE AND PARK: Smith Method MIPS
BEST VALUE: Smith Mission MIPS
Oakley MOD1
Wildhorn Drift Pro MIPS
How we test
We ski throughout the winter in a variety of conditions. We ski everything from east and midwest icy conditions to powder out west. There is no one helmet that is perfect for all conditions. We try to use everything we test and review in as many situations as we can. We considered performance, features, safety tech, and price, in our ski helmet recommendations.
1. Smith Vantage MIPS and Smith Women’s Vantage
BEST OVERALL SKI HELMET
Specifications
- Construction – Hybrid in-mold with Zonal Koroyd honeycomb
- MIPS – Yes, Optional
- Weight – 1 lbs 2 oz
- Ventilation – Adjustable, dual zone
- Goggle Defog Vents – Yes
- Audio Compatible – Yes
What we liked:
- Lightweight design
- Dual zone adjustable vents
- Goggle defog vents
- Available with MIPS
- Honeycomb construction for better energy absorption and extra ventilation
- Compatible with most goggles
- Available in regular and round head fits
- BOA adjustable fit system
What we didn’t like:
- MIPS version sizes small
- Chin could be longer
- High cost
Bottom line:
The Smith Vantage MIPS is lightweight, warm, with enough adjustable ventilation to work on any day hot or cold. It uses the latest in-mold construction combined with honeycomb energy absorber.
The Smith Vantage MIPS is a lightweight snow helmet full of advanced features. It is available in both a men’s and women’s version. It is no longer at the top of the Smith lineup with the introduction of the Quantum and now Nexus. It has almost every feature any skier could want. There is little reason to justify spending more to move up to the Nexus.
It has a modern look with lots of visible vents and a small brim on the front. It will work with both low and high profile goggles. The AirEvac defogging vents are designed to work with Smith goggles. They will improve the defog performance of almost any ski goggle.
The Vantage has 21 adjustable vents that make it work well for almost any cold or hot ski day. The vents in the front and back can be adjusted separately. It’s almost light enough to work for backcountry use at 1 lb 2 ounces. There are lighter weight helmets out there but not with all the features of the Vantage.
The fleece lining of the Vantage makes it one of the warmest helmets on cold days. There is enough fleece in the liner and chin strap to be comfortable without feeling bulky.
It is available in both MIPS and non-MIPS versions. We always recommend going with MIPS on any ski helmet. The MIPS versions of the helmet run small. If you normally need a medium ski helmet, you should look for a large. The helmet also comes in a round head fit version. If the XL size Vantage is tight or not big enough, check out the Smith Nexus. It sizes larger than the Vantage.
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2. Outdoor Master Diamond 2 MIPS
BEST BUDGET SKI HELMET
Specifications
- Construction – In-mold
- MIPS – Yes
- Weight – 15 oz
- Ventilation – Adjustable
- Goggle Defog Vents – Yes
- Audio Compatible – Yes
What we liked:
- MIPS and ASTM2040F-18 certification
- Goggle anti-fog vents
- Very comfortable to wear
- Adjustable vents
- Polycarbonate In-Mold construction
- Lightweight
- Wide ear pieces that are comfortable with speakers installed
What we didn’t like:
- No nonsense skateboard helmet styling
- No XL or Asian fit sizes are available
Bottom line:
The Outdoor Master Diamond MIPS is a great value MIPS helmet. It is very comfortable to wear and lightweight.
The Outdoor Master Diamond MIPS is a great value ski helmet. It is one of the cheaper MIPS helmets out there. Don’t let its cheapness fool you. It is a great ski helmet with a lot of great features.
It uses in-mold construction with a polycarbonate shell. It comes in at 15 ounces total weight making it a very lightweight ski helmet. It has MIPS for extra safety. It has adjustable vents. It has enough ventilation to work for anything except for backcountry skiing with a lot of hiking. It has plenty for warm or cold resort skiing days. We have tried out the goggle defog vents on a few horrible foggy wet days at Whitefish and they worked well.
The Diamond helmet is very comfortable to wear. It has enough padding in the liner to feel good. It doesn’t have any pressure points on my head in the front, back or sides. It has wider depth ear pads that work well with most Bluetooth audio speakers. It’s one of the few helmets I can wear with speakers that don’t feel like they are pressing my ears too much. The chin strap is padded and has enough adjustment to fit most head shapes.
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3. Outdoor Master Kelvin 2
BEST SKI HELMET ON AMAZON
Specifications
- Construction – ABS Hard shell
- MIPS – No
- Weight – 1 lb 3 oz
- Ventilation – Fixed
- Goggle Defog Vents – No
- Audio Compatible – Yes
What we liked:
- Very good ventilation
- Stylish appearance
- Low cost
- Many color options
- Available in a MIPS version (Amazon only)
What we didn’t like:
- Vents aren’t adjustable
- No goggle defog vents
Bottom line:
A solid basic starter ski helmet with good amounts of ventilation available in a lot of colors
Summary
The Outdoor Master Kelvin 2 helmet is one of the best cheap ski helmets available today. It improves upon the original Kelvin with larger sizing and audio compatible earpads and some other smaller changes.
The original Kelvin is one of the most popular ski and snowboard helmets on Amazon. The updated version 2 is even better. It has many features that make it a great value for its price. This helmet has a tough ABS shell and EPS foam liner with 14 vents. The ear pads are easily removable and have pockets for fitting helmet speakers.
It is ASTM 2040F certified for head protection. This helmet is available in sizes small-large. The Kelvin 2 sizes larger than the original Kelvin did and has a longer chin strap. It is much more comfortable for larger heads and using with speakers.
There is a MIPS version of the Kelvin 2 as well. The MIPS version is only available on Amazon.
Review coming soon for the Kelvin 2. In the meantime you can see our review for the orignal Kelvin below.
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Kelvin 2 MIPS
4. Smith Method MIPS
BEST SKI HELMET FOR FREESTYLE AND PARK SKIERS
Specifications
- Construction – In-Mold with Koroyd
- MIPS – Optional
- Weight – 12 oz
- Ventilation – Fixed
- Goggle Defog Vents – Yes
- Audio Compatible – Yes
What we liked:
- Very lightweight
- Available MIPS
- Low profile skater look
- Removable ear pads that are audio compatible
- Removable goggle clip
- Goggle defog vents
- Good goggle compatibility especially with Smith goggles
What we didn’t like:
- Fixed vents
- No size adjustment dial
- Not a lot of ventilation
Bottom line:
The Smith Method MIPS helmet is a lightweight freestyle helmet that offers great protection and style. It is one of the lightest helmets available and still has MIPS.
The Smith Method MIPS helmet is a lightweight freestyle ski helmet. At 13 ounces, it is one of the lightest ski helmets made. It is designed with a simple low profile skater look. It uses in-mold construction with Koroyd honeycomb energy absorber. MIPS is optional. We always recommend getting the MIPS version of a helmet. It’s worth the extra few bucks.
The Method has no dial for adjusting the size. It uses an elastic band combined with removable foam pieces to adjust the size. It works okay but the fit can’t be fine tuned as well as helmets with a dedicated size adjuster. It’s one of the items that was left off the helmet to get it as lightweight as it is.
The helmet has fixed vents. There is enough venting to work for most resort skiing. There is not as much venting as helmets with adjustable vents. Most skiers will need a thin hat for colder days.
Goggle compatibility is excellent, especially with Smith goggles. Smith Mag Squad goggles with flat lenses look great with this helmet.
The Smith Method is an update of their popular Maze design. It added Koroyd energy absorber but it is very similar otherwise. See our review of the Smith Maze to learn more.
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5. Smith Mission MIPS
BEST SKI HELMET VALUE
Specifications
- Construction – In-mold with Koroyd honeycomb
- MIPS – Available
- Weight – 1 lbs
- Ventilation – Adjustable
- Goggle Defog Vents – Yes
- Audio Compatible – Yes
Overall Score
What we liked:
- Roomy and comfortable
- Fleece lining is warm and comfortable
- Goggle defog vents
- Available MIPS
- Koroyd energy absorbing honeycomb construction
- Adjustable vents
- Lightweight at 1 lb total weight
What we didn’t like:
- Size adjuster feels a bit cheap
- Earpads are difficult to remove
Bottom line:
The Smith Mission MIPS helmet is a solid mid level ski helmet good for resort skiing. It is comfortable with MIPS and Koroyd energy absorber and goggle defog vents.
The Smith Mission MIPS is a mid-level helmet from Smith Optics. It is an excellent helmet for resort skiing with all the features most skiers will ever need. The Mission MIPS has adjustable venting, a removable fleece lining, goggle defog vents, and a size adjuster.
It uses in-mold construction with a polycarbonate shell and EPS foam energy absorber. It uses Koroyd plastic honeycomb in place of the EPS shell around the sides of the head. This gives it better energy absorption. It also allows venting through the honeycomb without giving up any structure. The helmet comes in at a very light 1 lb.
The helmet has audio compatible earpieces that are removable. They are not easily removable. You have to unhook the size adjuster from the helmet to remove the single piece ear pad.
The helmet feels comfortable and roomy. I have no problem fitting a small hat underneath on the MIPS version of the helmet. The size adjuster has enough range to fit people who are in between sizes.
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6. Oakley Mod1 MIPS
Specifications
- Construction – In-Mold
- MIPS – Available
- Weight – 15 oz
- Ventilation – Fixed
- Goggle Defog Vents – Yes
- Audio Compatible – No
What we liked:
- Durable tough construction
- Lightweight design
- BOA adjustable fit system
- Removable goggle clip
- Goggle defog vents
- Removable low profile ear pads
- Fidlock magnetic buckle
- Anti-microbial linings
- Available in Regular, Round Fit and Youth versions
What we didn’t like:
- Fixed vents
- Not a lot of ventilation
- Ear pads aren’t audio compatible
Bottom line:
The Oakley MOD1 MIPS is designed to be the ultimate freestyle ski helmet. It is lightweight, has thinned out ear pads, optional MIPS protection, and an aggressive skater look.
The Oakley MOD1 MIPS was designed for freestyle skiing and snowboarding. Top professionals such as Eileen Gu use it during competition along with Oakley Line Miner goggles. The Mod1 is a lightweight helmet with a simple skater look. It offers full protection on the mountain.
The MOD1 is available in regular and MIPS versions. We always recommend the MIPS version when it is available. It uses in-mold construction with low profile ear pads. The ear pads are thinner than most other helmets allowing you to easily hear around you. They don’t feel bulky or thick. They do not have pockets for placing speakers. This ski helmet uses a BOA fit system to provide a more secure fit.
The helmet weighs in at 15 ounces making it very light weight. It doesn’t have the modular brim system of the MOD3 and MOD5 helmets. It integrates very well with Oakley Goggles such as the Line Miner or Flight Deck. It has goggle defog vents to keep goggles clear.
The MOD1 has fixed vents. It doesn’t have a lot of ventilation compared to other helmets. It has enough to stay comfortable for a day in the park or any other resort skiing.
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7. Wildhorn Drift Pro MIPS
Specifications
- Construction – In-Mold
- MIPS – Yes
- Weight – 16 oz
- Ventilation – Adjustable
- Goggle Defog Vents – Yes
- Audio Compatible – Yes
What we liked:
- Very light weight
- Good ventilation with adjustable vents
- Anti-microbial helmet lining
- Magnetic buckle
- Audio compatible removable ear pads
- Overall comfortable fit and feel
- Goggle defog vents in front
- Adjustable size
- MIPS for added safety
What we didn’t like:
- No size XL or round fit available
Bottom line:
The Wildhorn Drift Pro MIPS helmet has all the features you need including MIPS safety for a very reasonable price. It has styling that looks like a much more expensive helmet.
The Wildhorn Drift Pro MIPS Ski Helmet is a great value at around $150. It has most of the features of high end ski helmets at much lower cost. It has advanced in-mold construction with MIPS Evolve technology for added safety. It weighs in at 16 oz making it one of the lighter helmets out there.
The Drift Pro has a Polycarbonate shell with in-mold EPS foam liner. They uses a 2 part mold to give it a bit more character with 2 tone appearance. It has adjustable vents with plenty of vent for anything you will do at a ski resort.
Inside the helmet is an anti-microbial fleece lining that is removable for washing. The removable ear pads are fleece lined with pockets for putting speakers. It uses a magnetic buckle for easy on and off.
Goggle compatibility is good with most ski goggles. The Wildhorn Pipeline goggles are a good affordable choice that completes the look with the Highline helmet.
There really isn’t much to dislike about the Drift Pro helmet. Our only complaint is there isn’t an XL size available for people with larger heads. There is no round head fit version either.
There is also a women’s version available with some alternate color choices in addition to the unisex Drift Pro.
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Ryan Craig
Co-Founder & Chief Editor
I am a total gear nerd and love learning how things work and thinking about how they could be improved. Nothing excites me more than trying out new gear. I’d rather spend 3 hours taking my bike apart and learning how to change something than go to a bike shop. These days, I reside in Michigan by the Great Lakes and go skiing, biking, and boating as much as possible. Visit our About Us page and learn more.
ryan@lowbudgetadventurer.com