A simple Skiboarding Helmet Buying Guide
For skiboarding, there are specific designed ski helmets to protect your head against the kinds of crashes most commonly experienced. We are happy to offer the helmets that meet the highest standards of safety and performance. As we live in a high tech world, we also carry full audio helmets that will connect to your smart phone, ipod, or other MP3 devices. This makes it handy to have your phone plugged in when you want to answer or talk or even find your friends or family. Just try to do it on the lift and not on your way down the mountain!!!
Helmet Fit
To ensure full protection, make sure your helmet fits correctly. Make sure to measure your head around the forehead and back of head with measuring tape just above eyebrows. Then use the sizing guide listed on the helmet page to purchase the right size helmet. The helmet should fit snug and not move when shaking your head. This will be the proper fit.
Safety Certification
CE: The European standard which all helmets must meet or exceed to be sold in the European marketplace.
ASTM: The safety standard which all helmets must meet or exceed to be sold in the United States marketplace. All helmets found in the United States will meet the ASTM standards. Some helmets will also be marked CE, meaning they meet the standards of both the ASTM and CE.
Helmet Venting Systems
Helmets tend to trap heat so they can get very warm. Most manufacturers cater to this issue by incorporating some type of venting system into the inner shells. Ventilation designs can range from the very simple to the complex, offering varying levels of comfort.
Fixed Venting: Fixed ventilation helmets provide the most basic style of venting. This system utilizes grooves or holes that are shaped into the inner shell. This will allow a small amount of heat to escape the head, but it does not offer any type of adjustability.
Plug Venting: This venting style builds on the concepts of open venting. Plug venting will typically have additional vent holes built into the inner shell. The primary difference is that the holes will have foam plugs that can be pulled individually to allow ventilation in specific areas. This offers a good amount of adjustability, but it relies on the user keeping track of the plugs. If you choose a helmet with this venting style, be sure you are aware of where your plugs are after you remove them.
Active Venting: Active venting Helmets takes venting to new heights. With the same number of holes, or possibly a few more, as plug venting, active venting incorporates a sliding mechanism to control the amount of venting that is allowed. Without having to remove anything from the ventilation holes, active venting allows users to control which vents are open, how much they are open, and allows it to be accomplished on the fly. All helmet models with this venting system will offer multiple adjustment pieces so different sections can be adjusted separately.
Additional Helmet Shell Information
In-Mold Shells: Making use of a shell design from the world of cycling, In-Molded liners use a hard plastic outer shell that is relatively thin. Inside of the shell, the design uses EPS foam inners to absorb shock. This allows for less rebound during impact because it will collapse under hard impact.
Semi-Hard Shells: This design incorporates an In-Molded design with a fully enclosed outer shell. This style is far more resistant to penetration on impact. It is combined with EPS foam inners to absorb impact.
Double Shells: A double shell uses a very tough ABS plastic outer shell, making for a viable multi-sport helmet. Inside the shell is a fully developed In-Mold design. It has an outer layer that is more protective than a semi-hard shell, offering more overall protection.
Hybrid Shells: A combination of a hard shell and an In-Mold shell. The use of an In-Mold design with added hard ABS plastics in key, high impact areas provide comfort and safety. The use of multiple styles considers both the weight and comfort so that neither is sacrificed in the construction.
Zip Mold: A zip mold is a foam injection style helmet. Once foam is injected it is fused to a polycarbonate shell. This makes for a multi-sport helmet that is seamless and extremely lightweight.