Will expensive helmets provide you with better protection?
Maybe.
Can cheap helmets still provide good protection?
In many cases, yes.
Decades ago, Bell ran a very successful ad.
"If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet."
It became so popular that many riders see it as an unwritten rule for buying new helmets.
Recently Bell said "This is a motto that Bell has believed
in for decades that still rings true to this day".
This is interesting as Bell now makes all of their helmets in China,
and have quite a few budget options.
Food for thought.
Especially when viewers have been sending in pics of their heavily rusted Bell helmets.
As a rough rule of thumb, you do get a better quality helmet as you spend more.
It may be better ventilated.
More comfort.
The resins, adhesives, cheekpads and inner liner may last longer.
There could be replaceable cheek pads and inner liners to extend the lifespan of the helmet.
It could be quieter and lighter.
Possibly quieter.
But the big question?
Is a more expensive helmet safer?
We do know that even cheap helmets provide good protection
if they comply with a decent helmet standard.
If your helmet complies with ECE, FIM or Snell, you will have quite good protection
even with a cheap helmet.
We don't include DOT here because so many DOT helmets have failed independent testing.
Pause to read.
We discussed this issue with leading specialists in Australia.
They were involved in helping a southeast Asian country develop
affordable helmets for families in poverty.
The result?
Helmets between $20 to $30 that were very close to the international standards.
They agree that a cheap helmet complying with a decent standard will protect your head well.
What do independent tests say?
Sharp is a British test of road helmets that found a small correlation between price and protection.
But there was a lot of variation, and sometimes the cheap helmets
had better protection.. at least with their criteria.
Another independent test in Australia assessed dirt bike helmets.
And in some cases cheap Chinese made brands
are matching the Japanese made Shoei which costs four times more.
Again though, there is a rough correlation between price and protection.
But it looks as though you can get good protection at a budget price if you do your research.
If you want more than the basic protection ensured by helmet standards, what should you look for?
Arguably the biggest advance in recent years is the variable density liner.
The foam is designed to absorb not only life threatening impacts,
but also milder ones that could still cause a brain injury.
But interestingly, even quite cheap helmets often have this feature now.
Next is protection from rotational impacts.
Sudden rotation of the head can also cause brain injuries.
So some helmets now include safety features that hopefully reduce this.
Again, this is now appearing on some cheaper helmets.
What else?
Some manufacturers are focusing on proper padding for the chinbar,
to protect your teeth and jaw in a front on impact.
Removable cheekpads can make helmet removal easier by paramedics.
And arguably anything that lessens fatigue can lead to greater safety:
good ventilation in summer, a light weight design, less wind noise.
How much extra protection can be gained by
variable density liners and innovations that reduce rotational injuries?
We can't be sure.
To date, the manufacturers are leading the way with these innovations,
and they come up with their own tests for promotional purposes.
It would be good to see independent tests by specialists
in the future to see how much difference they are making.
One thing is for sure, there's plenty of nonsense with helmet marketing.
A common trick is pretending an outer shell made from kevlar or carbon fibre is a big thing.
It might be a bit lighter, but there's nothing wrong with the traditional polycarbonate shell.
Don't fall for the media hype.
A bit of commonsense goes a long way.
And always remember, the most important thing is a good snug fit.
If your five thousand dollar helmet can get pulled off your head in a big accident,
it's not going to help at all.