Which helmet should I get?

It is tempting to just pick the helmet which looks the coolest. And though aesthetics certainly play a role in our biking (you wouldn't buy a good machine that you find hideous, would you?), there are some more practical considerations to choosing something you might be wearing for several hours at a time. Since we're all about the touring, we're going to focus primarily on the type of helmet you'd be taking on a long ride. So let's break down these considerations, then explore them individually:
  1. Safety
  2. Shape & Size
  3. Weight
  4. Durability (add links to navigate down the page after each)
(You can also explore the different helmets we offer here.)


Safety

There are still many debates about what constitutes a safe helmet, and different manufacturers have different ideas about this. The guiding principle for all helmets is that they're supposed to break instead of your head your. This explains why you unfortunately have to replace the helmet after you've dropped it on a solid surface - it may look fine on the outside, but the inner part's already smashed up.

Now, there's a ton of manufacturers out there. Some of the major players are Arai,Shoei,Bell, Nolan, HJC, Shark, Zeus, Scorpion - and the list goes on. Generally speaking, a very expensive helmet will also be safe, but a helmet that is twice as expensive is usually not twice as safe. The one thing a helmet should feinitely be, is DOT (Department of Transport) rated. This implies that the helmet has passed a series of standardised tests, and provides at least a certain level of safety. Some carry a Snell rating as well, which is a separate, non-governmental test. It doesn't mean it is necessarily safer than one that
is just DOT-rated, but I suppose the extra insurance doesn't hurt

 Shape & Size

Not all helmets will fit all people. If you look at people's heads (especially if you have some friends with shaved heads), you'll see quite an array of shapes and sizes. Different helmets cater to different shapes. Roughly, your head can be described as either round or oval shaped. Get someone to to look at the top of your head for you - this is tricky to do yourself! This is a relatively complex issue, and is fully addresed in another article. Personally, we tend to think that this is especially important for motorcycle tourers - whether it's purely road or adventure touring. Since we often encounter delays while touring, and days can run much longer than expected, you want to remain as alert and comfortable as possible.


Weight

This is something that definitely varies with price. Although you should never compromise safety in a crash for weight, you need to keep in mind that weight does also play a role in safety. Being tired is a major risk, just as it is in driving. The biker has more to deal with, as well - the constant wind, a heavy lid on your head, more physical involvment in steering and controlling the vehicle...A helmet that is a little lighter in the shop can turn out to be a lot lighter after 7 hours on the road.


Durability

This one is quite difficult to spot in the store and will usually only be known after you've worn it for a while.  Most of the wear will be on the inner part of the helmet - sweat and body heat affect the integrity of the material, and you'll notice the fit getting less snug as time goes on. This means that the damping and impact distribution effects of the inner part is decreased, which is really all helmets are designed to do.

Conclusions

We've identified some of the pertinent issues regarding your choice of touring helmet. This is an intricate topic, and more pages will be devoted to the issue, since this is the single most important part of your biking gear. Just be aware that there are several factors that affect not only your comfort, but your safety as well. We recommended that you read product reviews when purchasing one, and would very much appreciate your input as the search for the perfect helmet continues!