The most important bicycle safety item for your kid is a helmet and there are lot of options out there to make buying one confusing. Of course when it comes to mountain biking, there are even more options to consider. For most cycling, and even some cross country type mountain biking, an open face (aka half shell) helmet is preferred by many to keep things cooler and lighter. But crashing is a part of mountain biking and my preference is to get kids a full face helmet no matter the type of mountain bike riding so best to protect their face as well as their noggin at such an early age, especially as they are starting out, but also as they progress to more advanced riding.
There are a lot of things to consider like safety, fit, comfort, features, weight, price, and of course, style. For safety there are mainly two standards in the US; CPSC and ASTM F1952 DH certification. Any helmet sold in the US must meet the CPSC standard as a minimum. The ASTM F1952 DH standard is for a more downhill specific helmet where speeds will be higher and they are much more stringent with the testing. Helmet companies can claim their helmets surpass these safety standards but you have to rely on their word about it. The downhill helmets, while offering more protection, they also will usually be heavier, have less ventilation, and cost more. For general mountain bike riding these can be overkill, but you will have to make a judgement call depending on the kind of riding you do, for example you will definitely want a downhill helmet if you are going to a downhill bike park, or if you are doing a lot more technical downhill trail riding with your kids. You can find some more info on the standards here https://helmets.org/f1952standard.htm
Another thing to consider for safety is if the helmet has MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System). MIPS is a low friction layer in the helmet that allows the helmet to slide a little on the head and help reduce the sharp rotational motion that may be transferred to the brain. There are some who question whether MIPS works or not and if it is needed. It also tends to be found on pricier helmets. Here is a good article on MIPS https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/what-is-mips
Fit is where it really gets tricky because there seems to be no standardization of sizing between manufacturers. Some companies offer kids sizes, some only offer extra small, small and medium adult sizes that will fit kids (your kids head may be bigger than you think too). And then, there are variations between brands on how they measure the sizes. It can become an exercise in trial and error, so once I found one that we liked, I tend to stick with the brand when buying future helmets. The companies should offer a size chart to at least give you some idea on how to order.
Comfort and features can be things like padding, how many and how big the air vents are, removable chin bar (converts helmet into an open face for hot days and/or light trail riding), adjustable fit dial on the back of the helmet, MIPS magnetic straps, camera mounting, visor, etc.. Weight can be a big issue for kids, lighter the better. More weight makes for fatigue and whining.
Price and style, the more expensive the helmet doesn’t necessarily mean more safety, as noted all the helmets have to meet one or both government safety requirements. Typically, you get more features, and lighter weight with the higher priced helmets. And of course there is the cool factor, the more the helmet looks cool, the more the kid will be stoked to wear it.
Below is a list of nine helmets ranging from low to high on the price and feature scale for you to consider. Make sure you check out the manufacturer websites for other color/design options they may have. Prices listed are MSRP
1. Seven iDP M1 Helmet -Youth Medium - Lightweight ABS Shell $109.99
13 Vents provide cool air intake and heat exhaust
Large eye port for greater field of vision and improved goggle fit
Complies to CPSC Standards
Weight: 900g (size M)
Notes: Tight fit on our 9yo tester, double loop strap is a bit fiddly. A bit heavy. Vents are small so limited cooling capability. Not downhill rated. Comes in Youth Medium and Youth Large + Adult sizes and 5 colorways
2. Bell Sanction 2 Size XS/S $119.95
ABS Shell
14 vents
Adjustable flying bridge visor
CPSC and ASTM F1952 DH certification
1040g
Notes: Heavy. Good fit on our tester. Vents are small, limited cooling ability. Downhill rated for budget price. Maybe too heavy and hot for general trail riding. Swappable cheek pad sizes. Comes in XXS, XS/S, M, L
3. Kali Protectives Zoka Youth Size Y/M $130.00
ABS Shell
Adjustable Visor
QuadCore Low Density Layer
Adjustable, Moto-Style Visor
Removable/Washable, Anti-Microbial Pads
CPSC and ASTM F1952 DH certification
980g
Notes: Comfortable Fit for our tester. Lacking in ventilation so can be an issue on hot days. Downhill rated at lower price point. Comes in Y/M and Y/L and adult sizes
4. 100 Percent Status Size S $175.00
Active cooling system maximizes airflow offering maximum ventilation while riding and also while rider is stationary
Ultra-light design featuring fiberglass shell
Engineered with 2 shell sizes and 2 EPS sizes to achieve the perfect fit
Compatible with inflatable emergency helmet release systems
Padded PU chin bar interior for enhanced impact protection
CPSC and ASTM F1952 DH certification
951g
Notes: Fit our tester well. Limited and small vents but with claimed active cooling (was not able to test this feature). Downhill rated. Traditional double loop strap finicky for kids. Helmet is heavy and looks a little bulky because of shape but some stylish colorways and graphics stands out. Comes in XS, S, M,L,XL, XXL
5. Bell Super 3R MIPS Size S $239.95
MIPS
Polycarbonate shell
Removable chin guard
Float Fit
GoPro mount
CPSC certified
784g
Notes: Great general trail and mild downhill riding (not proper downhill certified) helmet. Lot of ventilation and no tool removable chin bar for the lighter or hot rides. Comes with MIPS. Rear “float fit” system snugs helmet down to head for better fit and less movement. Lightweight makes it easier on kids. Adult size small is a comfortable fit for our tester. Getting up there in price, but a lot of features and flexibility.
6. Seven iDP Project 23 Fiberglass - Size XS $259.99
23 big bore vents for no compromise airflow
E.R.T system reduces impacts causing C.T.E
Fiberglass shell offering shock absorbency and incredible value for the money
CRV (Crash Release Visor) system allows the visor to release on impact to help reduce rotational forces
Injection-molded branded trim to protect fiberglass helmet shell
Fidlock magnetic closure
Meets CE, CPSC, AS, ASTM F1952-15 standards
Weight 1069g +/-10g)
Notes: Not a fan of magnetic strap closure. Nice big vents at top, but not much on the sides. Only two color options. Downhill rated. Heavy. Available budget ABS version as well as fancy pants expensive carbon version to save some weight. Comes in XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
7. Fox Youth Proframe - only one size $279.95
Mips® equipped
3-position adjustable visor
Under-visor GoPro mount included
Increased ventilation
CPSC and ASTM-F1952 Downhill MTB certification standard
680g
Notes: Comfortable fit on our tester. Lightest helmet in test and lots of big open vents makes it a good option for long days and all kinds of riding. Downhill rated. Lots of color choices as long as it’s black. Only one size.
8. Troy Lee Design Stage $319.99
MIPS
Dual Density EPS co-molded with EPP
EPP lined chinbar
CPSC and ASTM F1952 DH certification
690g
Notes: Only comes in adult sizes but XS/SM should fit kids pretty well. Good ventilation, downhill rated, very light, options for customization. Expensive. Comes in XS/SM MD/LG XL/2X
9. Bell Super DH Spherical $349.95
MIPS
Polycarbonate shell
Removable Chin Guard
Float Fit
Removable GoPro mount
CPSC and ASTM F1952 DH certification
860g
Notes: Like the Above Bell Super 3R but rated for downhill. Adult Size Small fits our tester comfortably. Removable Chin guard gives helmet more flexibility for other ride uses. Lots of big vents for more cooling. Swappable cheek pad sizes. Rear “float fit” system snugs helmet down to head for better fit and less movement. Reasonable weight for DH rating and features. Tester not a fan of the magnetic strap closure as it was finicky to line up at times. Expensive. Comes in S, M, L and 10 different colorways.
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