Buyers Guide - Custom Fit Helmets

Two weeks ago conditions in my local resorts were incredible. We had two foot of fresh snow and enough of a base to make pretty much all of the lift accessible freeriding lines rideable, and best of all it was just myself and a lucky few free to enjoy it. In the last couple of weeks the conditions have changed dramatically. The weather went through a very warm period of around 6 degrees and then refroze to form a base of sheet ice. To add to this the groomers and park are now experiencing the busiest week of the year the lift queues make London Undergrounds Holborn Station at Rush hour feel like a walk through a country park. For the first time in a very long while I have been wearing a lid. If I’m going to get injured this season it’s not going to be because I was stupid enough to leave my Helmet at home. It would only take a small fall or some out of control lunatic to run into me to knock my brains out.

The only problem is, I’m pretty vain and when I’m snowboarding I like my gear to look sharp and if that means wearing my beanie under my helmet then that’s how I’m going to wear it. The problem is I’ve been blessed with a fairly strange shaped cranium and finding a helmet that fits comfortably and that doesn’t wobble about like a jelly on a plate is almost impossible. With this in mind I’ve conducted a little bit of research into helmets on the market where the fit is adjustable, more accurately customizable. It appears that helmet technology has moved-on leaps and bounds over the last couple of years.

Amplid Plasma

Not content with building some of the most technically advanced snowboards and skis on the market Amplid have diversified into Helmets too. Their current line consists of two models based on an identical mould the Passport and Plasma. Although both helmets offer protection of the highest order it’s the Plasma that is pushing the boundaries of technology.

Instead of the conventional low density foam cushions that you’ll find in every brand of helmet from RED to Pro-Tec, Amplid has used a self-adapting vacuum cushion, filled with expanded polypropylene balls in conjunction with a rigid shell. This VACO technology provides an “auto-fitting system, which self-adapts to the shape of your skull”, by simply putting the helmet onto your head, you automatically press out the air and evacuate the cushion. Once the helmet is fitted to your head the polypropylene ball’s flow is suddenly restricted and your helmet is moulded around your head. Amplid also claims that the VACO technology redistributes the impact from a collision around the shell of the helmet instead of onto the wearers head.

I checked out the technology at ISPO in February and I was utterly convinced after trying on the helmet and seeing the technology work myself.  Just pushing the helmet down onto my head created a perfect fit; no fiddling with the liner, no twisting dials or adjusting Velcro, just perfect from the moment it was on my head. The only problem with the Plasma as far as we can see is the price tag. At 189 Euros it’s certainly on the premium side of helmet technology, but then again what price can you put on protecting your noggin.

Salomon Ghost Custom Air

Information on the Salomon Ghost is a little on the slim side, but here is what we do know about it. The Ghost is Salomon’s top of the range freeride helmet. One of its key selling features is that instead of a standard plastic and EPS shell it uses a “bullet proof” Silvertex braided fibreglass shell, exactly what you need to deal with impacts with rocks or any other nasties you might encounter hidden under a light covering of fresh.

As well as being more rugged than most of the helmets on the market the Ghost also features Salomon’s Custom Air fitting system. Pop the helmet on your head and then pump the small blister pump at the back of the helmet to pressurise the interior padding and obtain the perfect fit. Salomon guarantees the fit will be snugger than that set of Reebok Pumps you’ve had rotting away in your loft for the last two decades. At $220/£150 it better be a good fit!

Red Theory

Like most snowboarding products, Burton has had a huge influence on the way helmet technology has developed over the last decade. Without Burton, low profile helmets and audio ear ear pads might never have been invented. Like most RED helmets, the Theory concentrates on offering lightweight protection. As well as a unique shape the Theory uses Red’s Air Band system, not worlds apart from Salomon’s Custom Air, pumping the air into the band which is situated at the occipital protuberance (the slight or pronounced bump where the back of the skull rises slightly before it ends and meets with the spine) fills the void at the back of the head for a gapless fit. At around £100/$130 the Theory is one of the least expensive helmets on the list, but with such lightweight construction ruggedness isn’t one of the Theory’s strong points, don’t be surprised if your new helmet needs replacing after a heavy slam.

Pro-Tec Vigilante

Pro-Tec has been producing protection for board sports since its classic skateboard helmet design took off in the 1970s. In Pro-Tec’s more recent past the company was bought by Vans who have made significant investment into the brand and its expansion into other board sports like snowboarding.

The Vigilante is Pro-Tec’s flagship snow sports helmet. Not too dissimilar to the original Pro-Tec skate helmet in aesthetics but a whole lot more technical under the bonnet. Vans can’t get enough of BOA technology in their boots and the technology makes an appearance in the Vigilante. Turning the dial adjusts the depth and circumference of the liner enabling you to get the perfect fit for your noggin.  To match the great fit the Vigilante also comes equipped with a removable Dri-Lex liner to keep your head dry and fresh (should you decide to wash it once in a while) and Recco Reflectors so if your head gets separated from your body in an avalanche, the emergency services can put you together for your funeral. At £100/$130 the Vigilante is priced competitively

Posted by Rich Ewbank in Features.

Next entry: Tested - 2011 Burton Sherlock 157 Previous entry: Neil McNab’s Take - Jones Hovercraft 156