Fitting and Selecting a Helmet

1) Decide how much money you want to spend on a helmet and what type of riding you will be doing wearing it. 2) Try on several models in your price range - it may surprise you that one model from company X feels great, while another from the same company fits quite differently. 3) The brim of the helmet should be horizontal - the helmet should not be tipping up or down when viewed from the side - and it must be snug enough (without putting pressure in a particular area) that your eyebrows move when you gently wiggle the brim up and down with your hand. 4) Wear your hair as you will when riding. If you show with your hair up, but want to school with it down, you may need two different helmets in order for them to fit correctly and safely. 5) Wear the helmet around the store for a few minutes - it should get more comfortable/less noticeable if it is a really a good fit.

When Do I Need a New Helmet?

1) When you first begin riding. You may borrow a helmet to determine if riding is what you want to continue to do, but after that it is important to have your own well-fitting certified helmet for the purpose of safety, comfort, and hygiene. 2) After a fall in which you hit your head. Even if there is no apparent damage to the helmet, it should probably be inspected by the manufacturer - many companies will offer a lower price to replace a helmet damaged in a fall. Similarly, if you notice a soft spot or dent in your helmet, you should get it looked at. 3) The fit of the helmet is no longer snug or when it becomes uncomfortable. As children grow, and adults lose or gain weight - or even significantly change their hair style - helmets should always fit correctly. Sometimes the addition of a bit of foam padding inside the helmet can be a temporary fix, but it should be viewed as just that - temporary. 4) Every 2-5 years. Regardless of whether you have fallen or not, sweat, dirt, heat and rain can all affect the integrity of the harness connections, if nothing else. Also, standards are frequently upgraded and helmets improved in their safety levels, appearance, and comfort.

Helmet Reviews

One K

"I love my two One Ks! I had a Charles Owen JR8 which was comfortable but the One Ks are awesome! Removable liner clinched the sale for me as we all know how gross helmets get! Plus with the liners (XS-XL) being universal for the shell (which comes in XS-M and L-XXL) you can really customize what combination of shell and liner makes it fit most comfortably. If you can get to a store to try them and find the right combination, that would be easiest but otherwise I find they fit very true to size."  (E. Rich)

"The helmet is built with the same shell as a Samshield. They are manufactured in the same factory in Korea. The fit is quite round, so if you have an oval shaped head it will gap on the sides. The nicest feature is the removable interior liner. You can purchase a liner that has more padding in order to make the helmet a size smaller. This is handy if you want to wear the helmet for schooling but need a slightly larger helmet to accommodate your hair up when showing."  (COTH)

"They really are a nice quality helmet, super comfortable on & the removable liner is a huge plus. I have an oval head..I normally wear a Charles Owen J3 and I didn't find the fit to be "too round" but interestingly enough, I'm normally a Medium in helmets (sz 7 1/8) and the Large in this helmet fit me quite nicely..so it's possible that's partly the round vs oval issue, but I simply can't wear a GPA or Troxel (round) no matter what the size."  (COTH)

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