Helmets - What should i be looking for ??

Heading to NZ this season for a few weeks and want to start learning a heap more park riding.
So being a a fair novice in the park I want to buy a helmet before i go but i have no idea what I’m lookin for…
Any Advice ???

Light, comfortable, good venting system, compatible with your goggles. Personally I really like the Red Hifi - the lightest helmet on the market. I’ve owned a couple in the past and have been very happy with them. The best thing to do is go to your local store and try on a bunch of different helmets. All the top brands make good helmets, it’s just a matter of going with what feels the most comfortable and what style you like. The Giro G10 is also one of the best sellers on the market.

I like the Hifi too but the reason I replaced it is its lack of a way to close the vents. It’s warm enough to wear without a balaclava or anything under, until you get on a windy lift and you freeze. At my local (small) resort, wind isn’t a factor and it’s fine, but at bigger resorts i need to wear a balaclava under it, which is annoying.

Yeah I always used to wear a skullcap underneath, which worked well.

i was really disappointed when I bought the Red Theory because it didn’t fit with my anon figments (even though it came with a sticker that said ‘designed for anon goggles’). There’s major gaper gap so i have to use the goggle gasket.
Also the ear pieces aren’t as big as the hifi’s which means wind gets in and freezes my ears.
I’ve ordered a mutiny which I’m hoping will do the trick

It is very important to bring in your goggles when trying on a helmet. if it doesnt fit well together, then you’ll hate the purchase.
Make sure it fits together and shake your head around to make sure the fit is right.

Most companies have little accessories that you can fine tune your fit with.

I think that RED / Burton makes great helmets. but Giro and ov are good companies too. Smith goggle and helmet is a good combination. Ovo is a bit more skier focused though.

Hemlets are pretty much all certified by ASTM (American standard) or CE (European standard).
One focuses more on blunt impact strength, and the other on sharp object impact.
But I dont remember which one. Either certification is a good one, of course.
and there’s no rule that I’ve ever heard of that any resort demands that you have. but any decent company will comply by one or both of these standards.

Just make sure it is comfortable and fits well with your goggles that’s a big part of it all. because if you’re uncomfortable or think it looks silly, you’ll never wear it, and it’ll be a waste of $.

Comfy with a good fit is key. Because it’s comfy perched on the back of your head like the trendy Tahoe kids in the shred vids doesn’t mean it fits right and will work at all.

I have a Bern Baker, which works really well for me. I bought it when I didn’t realise it was just a hard hat (i.e. not official certified by whatever mystical body certifies helmets for snow crashes). The next one I buy will be the same thing but with EPS foam that is certified. The Baker is light, basic and comfy. My goggles fit well both under and over (advantage of under is you can ragdoll for aaaaaages and know that your goggles aren’t going anywhere!)

I’d go to a shop and try on as many as you can. Narrow it down to the few that fit best, and from there choose the one you like.

The General is back… good to see you again.