The Best Ski Helmets of 2026, According to Avid Skiers

Ski helmets weren’t a thing when I graduated from ski school 30 years ago. But these days? My helmet is the first thing I pack, whether I’m skiing at my home ski resort in Montana or traveling to the Dolomites to carve fresh tracks in the Alps. Ski helmets, or as I call them, “brain buckets,” protect our most important organ.

They also keep your head warm. Finally, they’re a fashion statement. There are hundreds to choose from, all packed with different features. As a lifelong skier and gear tester of 10 years, I’m here to help you shop for this essential accessory, including several options I use myself. Though we didn’t test these formally, Travel + Leisure editors and avid skiers share their favorite brands and models, too. Additionally, we chatted with Corey Popp, an alpine ski racing coach at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon, to get even more tips and tricks for buying a helmet. Whether you’re hitting the slopes at Aspen Snowmass or indoors at Ski Dubai, here are the best ski helmets from top brands for fit and quality.

Best Smith Helmets

Smith Optics was founded by an entrepreneurial optometrist who spent most of his free time skiing. While the Idaho-based brand is best known for its goggles—introducing the world’s first sealed thermal lens and breathable vent foam in 1969—it’s been making helmets for two decades. Today, Smith’s four snow helmet collections offer three fits, eight different technologies, and nearly 50 helmets to choose from. They range in price from the budget-friendly Holt helmet to the Icon helmet, a popular choice among alpine racers.

My first Smith ski helmet was the Nexus Mips, which is a must for anyone with a season pass, in my opinion. It boasts an antimicrobial lining that keeps odor-causing bacteria at bay and features an adjustable 24-vent system for maximum airflow. Smith’s best-selling helmet, however, is the Vantage Mips. It also has a patented Koroyd technology that is designed to absorb energy upon impact. It’s available in more fits, and the price point is slightly lower, especially if you don’t need the Mips technology (see below for more info on Mips).

Color and comfort-wise, you can’t go wrong with the Liberty Mips. It’s available in more colors, like purple and pink, and features removable ear pads. Whichever helmet you choose, I like Smith because if you’re in a crash, the brand offers a 30 percent discount for replacements.

Best Giro Helmets

Giro makes it easy to shop for helmets thanks to their comprehensive guide for finding the right fit, and you can easily learn about how they test helmets. I first became a fan of Giro helmets (albeit cycling) when I moved to Thailand in 2016 with my boyfriend, who is a professional cyclist. Giro was one of the first brands to offer Asian-fit helmets, which are slightly wider to accommodate more diverse head shapes.

Personally, I own the Taggert Mips Snow Helmet, which has “passive-aggressive venting,” as they call it. Somehow, this helmet knows if I’m riding a chairlift or the tree trails and adjusts airflow and interior temperature accordingly. It’s an entry-level Mips helmet that checks all the right boxes for beginner and intermediate skiers.

If you want even more bells and whistles, I recommend the Tor Spherical Mips. Although a bit more of a splurge, you’ll enjoy a magnetic buckle closure, compatibility with more goggle styles, and a potentially life-saving ball-and-socket design (Mips Spherical) that can handle a wider array of impacts. If you fall a lot and do so at different speeds, this helmet will be your new best friend. Normally, helmets with Mips just feature a liner, but the Tor Spherical has the technology integrated into the helmet itself.

Best POC Helmets

POC, which rumor has it stands for “piece of cake,” makes Popp’s go-to helmets. The relatively young brand was founded in Sweden in 2004 and is best known for its ski racing helmets used by Olympians like Bode Miller and Marco Odermatt. Style-wise, POC helmets tend to be more streamlined: think of the minimalistic approach Scandinavia is synonymous with. The Obex BC Mips is designed for the backcountry, but Popp uses it for resort skiing, too. Some of the best features are the vents (POC calls them “goggle chimneys”) strategically located at the front of the helmet to prevent your goggles from fogging up.

For skiers looking to venture into more technologically advanced helmets, POCs newest helmet, the Obex Connect, is worth the splurge. The helmet has a built-in headset from Harman Kardon, allowing Bluetooth connectivity to up to eight other skiers with the same helmet, or you can connect your phone for calls and listening to music. This feature is particularly helpful for those skiing in the backcountry or with big groups. In addition to the smeat features, it also has a Recco Avalanche Rescuer Reflector and the NFC Medical ID from Twiceme. All you have to do is download an app that stores your important medical information on a chip hidden inside the helmet that first responders, or anyone with the app, can access with the tap of their phone. No internet connection or cell phone service is required.

Best Bern Helmets

Bern was born in a barn in rural Massachusetts when its founder, and former Squaw Valley ski instructor, Dennis Leedom, set out to make ski helmets as fashionable as they were functional. Today, the brand is well-known for its signature brim-style helmets beloved by snowboarders around the world, including Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott.

After doing a deep dive into Bern’s latest collection, the sleek Hendrix Carbon Fiber Mips is a great option. Made in small batches by hand, this ultralight, scratch- and sun-resistant helmet weighs just 17.9 ounces. Take out the removable liner, and it’s even lighter. But the best part about the Hendrix is that it can also be used for biking and skateboarding.

If you’re looking for a Bern helmet at a more affordable price, the Macon 2.0 Winter Helmet has all the bells and whistles. It’s integrated with Mips for noggin protection, and it boasts a RibTech liner designed to shed extra weight to keep the helmet extremely lightweight. Best of all, it converts into a bike helmet with removable ear cuffs, so your dollar goes even further.

Best Anon Helmets

Anon’s parent company, Burton, also originated in a barn, albeit in Vermont in the late 1970s. In 2004, it acquired Anon Optics, which currently makes a large variety of snow helmets. All feature the game-changing Boa fit system, which makes adjusting the size (via an easy-to-reach dial) so simple that a four-year-old can figure it out. And like Smith, Anon will give you a discount, around 30 percent, if you crash and need a replacement.

If you’re a daredevil who likes to take risks, especially in the terrain park, I recommend the Merek WaveCel. This all-mountain helmet features Anon’s exclusive WaveCel technology, which is the first helmet technology funded in part by the U.S. National Institute of Health. WaveCel utilizes a network of cells that are designed to absorb impact. There are also a whopping 19 vents, and it’s practically weightless while still feeling durable and sturdy.

Another helmet that uses the WaveCel technology is the Oslo. It boasts excellent ventilation, and it’s lightweight. If you’re more concerned with being cold than overheating, consider the Rodan Mips since it’s lined to insulate your head and keep your ears nice and toasty.

Tips for Buying Ski Helmets

Be sure to get the right fit

One of the fastest ways to ruin a bluebird day (or any ski trip, for that matter) is to ski with an ill-fitting helmet. If it’s too tight, you’ll get a headache. If it’s too loose, you’ll feel like a bobblehead doll at best (and your safety could be at risk). “The one thing you should always do is the shake test,” advises Popp. It’s simple. After putting the helmet on and tightening the chin strap, shake your head from side to side. If the helmet moves separately from your head, it’s too big. If putting the helmet on causes discomfort because it’s too tight, and most of your forehead is showing, then it’s probably too small.

Consider design features

Ski helmets may look simple from the outside, but they can be packed with features. Generally speaking, the more features, the more expensive and comfortable the helmet. Popp recommends staying away from cheap helmets without vents. And if you want to listen to music (on the chair lift ride, not while you’re skiing), look for helmets that are audio-compatible. Some helmets have built-in Bluetooth speakers, but most have ear pads with pockets for AirPods and other earbuds.

Finally, always look at ski goggle compatibility. Brands typically design their helmets to be most compatible with their goggles. And some helmets, such as Anon, depend on size. For example, a size small and extra-large helmet won’t be as compatible with as many models of goggles as the same helmet in a size medium or large. According to Popp, the best strategy is to buy a helmet-goggle combo since everything is designed to fit together. If you can’t do that, have your goggles in hand when you try on the helmet (either at home or at the store) to confirm they fit without the dreaded goggle gap.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I replace my ski helmet?

“If you don’t crash, I would say it depends on how much you ski,” Popp added, who usually skis 50-plus times per year and replaces his helmet every two to three years. Of course, if you’re involved in a serious crash (i.e., injuries are involved and the helmet is damaged), the CDC mandates that the helmet must be replaced.

What is a Mips helmet?

Many new helmets on the market feature Mips technology, which is a section inside the helmet referred to as a “low-friction layer of protection.” When a crash happens, the layer is designed to adjust to reduce the impact on the head. It was invented by a Swedish neurosurgeon, Hans von Holst, who spent a considerable amount of time researching head and neck injuries. Mips, which stands for “multi-directional impact protection system,” is found in all kinds of helmets, from mountain biking helmets to motorcycle helmets. You can tell a helmet has Mips by the yellow logo on the back of the helmet. For even more information, you can read about the extensive history and science behind the Mips helmet technology on their website.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Katie Jackson grew up in Montana, where it’s not uncommon for it to snow in July, and ski club isn’t an extracurricular activity; it’s a lifestyle. She still lives in Big Sky Country, but in her job as a travel journalist, she has hunted for powder in Iceland (spoiler alert: it’s not there), learned about avalanche safety while backcountry skiing in Mammoth, and most recently, night skiing at Snow King Mountain. After a decade of being a Smith loyalist, Katie currently rotates between three ski helmets on this list: the Bern Hendrix, the Giro Taggert, and the Anon Prime.

For this article, T+L also chatted with an expert skier for more than 35 years and MBSEF Alpine Racing Coach, Corey Popp, to get tips and tricks for buying a ski helmet.

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