The Best Ski Helmets of 2025, As Recommended By Our Testers

Yes, there are a few ultralight helmets that technically conform to some certifications and have been marketed as appropriate for ski touring and climbing–but they still do not offer the same protection as a dedicated ski helmet for resort use.

Think about it this way: Would you wear a road bike helmet on a motorcycle?

A Short Helmet Tech Glossary

MIPS: Stands for Multi-Directional Impact Protection System. MIPS is a technology that most helmets use to manage rotational and angular impacts to the head. It allows the helmet to shift slightly when hit at an angle (which is likely during a tumbling fall when skiing) and better absorb impact forces. There are similar technologies from other brands like Wavecel, POC’s SPIN, Atomic’s AMID, and Shred’s Rotational Energy System.

In-Mold Construction: This type of helmet construction shaves weight by molding the interior foam with a very thin outer layer of plastic. While offering similar protection against big impacts, these are typically less durable than injection molded helmets because they lack a hard plastic outer shell. This type of construction is common for all-mountain, freeride, and backcountry-focused models.

Injection Mold Construction: Similar to a construction hardhat, this type of helmet construction features a durable hard plastic outer shell (typically ABS plastic) bonded to foam inner layer (typically EPS or EPP foam). They tend to be a bit heavier than in-mold helmets, but offer better durability and are less prone to damage from small knocks and falls–like absentmindedly tossing them in the back of your car. These are a great option for park skiers, ski racers, and anyone who’s routinely hard on their gear.

EPP vs EPS Foam: EPP (or expanded polypropylene) foam is a type of foam used in helmet construction that feels “spongy” and softer. After it distributes and absorbs impact forces, it typically returns to its original shape. EPS (or expanded polystyrene) is a much harder and more brittle foam that absorbs energy by cracking and has been used in helmets for a long time.

When To Replace A Ski Helmet

Helmets don’t last forever. If you take a hard crash and your helmet is visibly damaged, even if you feel ok otherwise, it’s done its job and it needs to be replaced. Helmets work by cracking and deforming to absorb the impact of a crash, so once it takes a hard impact, it can no longer do its job. EPP foam tends to last a bit longer than EPS foam, which is much more brittle and will crack on impact. Generally EPP helmets can take a few small to medium hits before needing replacement. Those cracks and deformations can be tiny and hard to find, so take the time to inspect your helmet if you take a tumble–if in doubt, take it to your local ski shop for a second opinion.

We subject our ski helmets to harsh mountain environments, huge temperature swings, and lots of sunlight. Because of that, the foam, plastic, and other materials inside a helmet degrade over time and lose their effectiveness. Even without a crash, most brands recommend replacing a helmet no later than every five years. If you ski 20+ days a year, we’d recommend replacing yours every three years.

About Powder’s Best Ofs

Our Best Of lists are collections of the skis, boots, outerwear, and other gear that stood out to us while testing. If you want to learn more about how reviews work at Powder, we’re very transparent about our process. These lists are constantly growing and evolving as we try new gear. If you’ve got a favorite piece of equipment that you think we should write about, let us know here. And, if you represent a brand or company and think your gear deserves a writeup, we’d love to get in touch.

Smith Rodeo MIPS

New this year, Smith’s Rodeo MIPS helmet is designed with all the latest safety standards and a modern, freestyle-inspired fit. The tried-and-true injection mold design features a hard ABS plastic outer shell for increased durability. The Rodeo MIPS is designed to take extra abuse, perfect for day in day out resort skiing, especially for those of us who are extra hard on our gear. The fit runs very true to size. The helmet comes in seven color options, has a micro-adjust dial, easily removable ear pads and goggle clip, and features compatibility with the Aleck wireless audio system. It’s comfortable to wear with goggles over or under the helmet (looking at you, park rats). As a bonus, it's one of the most affordable MIPS-equipped helmets on the market today.

Smith Method Pro MIPS

Also new for 2025, Smith’s Method Pro MIPS is a minimalist freeride helmet that takes advantage of Smith’s Koroyd honeycomb construction and ultralight in-mold EPS foam construction for protection. With plenty of venting and a slightly larger-than-stated fit, the Method Pro is a good option to wear with a beanie or hat underneath. Goggles can comfortably go over or under the helmet. The magnetic chin strap buckle is a nice touch, making for fuss-free clipping especially when wearing gloves. This is as comfy and stylish as it gets from Smith, but the lightweight construction means this one isn’t quite as durable as the Rodeo.

Scott Flow Pro MIPS

Scott makes pretty much everything when it comes to gravity-fed mountain sports these days, from skis, to bikes, to backpacks, to helmets and goggles (and much more). The Scott Flow Pro MIPS is a low-profile freeride helmet that showcases Scott’s best helmet tech features in a sleek, stylish package. The helmet features a RECCO reflector, adjustable vents, temperature-regulating interior padding, a magnetic buckle, and a very effective micro adjust system that integrates into the MIPS layer to wrap around your entire head. Testers noted that the Flow Pro fits true to size.

SHRED. Totality

Despite featuring a hardshell injection molded design, Shred’s Totality helmet feels much more like a lighter-weight in-mold helmet. Taking its DNA from Shred’s ski racing line, the Totality utilizes Shred’s proprietary Rotational Energy System (their version of a MIPS-like system) and NoShock foam construction to increase safety. The low-profile helmet features plenty of vents, a magnetic buckle, removable ear pads, and a micro-adjust wheel. Testers report that it runs slightly small.

Dakine Charger MIPS

Entirely new to the helmet game, Dakine came out swinging with the new Dakine Charger MIPS helmet for 2025. It seems that Dakine did their homework, because this helmet features all the bells and whistles, plus all the safety features we expect from a high-end ABS hardshell helmet, and comes in at a very competitive pricepoint. That includes a MIPS liner, lots of recycled plastic and foam in the construction, a magnetic buckle, and plenty of vents for airflow throughout. Testers found this one to fit slightly larger than most, making it a good helmet to wear with a beanie or hat, and comfortably wear your goggles over or under the helmet.

Giro Taggert MIPS

Giro’s new flagship freeride lid, the Taggert, is a sleek and stylish no-nonsense helmet that’s shockingly lightweight. The clean lines of the in-mold construction hide an innovative integrated fit system and passive venting, plus there’s built-in MIPS protection. Testers note that the fit on the Taggert is very round, and found it runs slightly large.

POC Obex MIPS

POC’s Obex MIPS has been a very popular choice among skiers for years now, and for good reason. It combines both hardshell and in-mold construction (a hard top, with lighter weight sides) to create a stylish helmet that offers durability, the highest levels of crash protection, and a reasonable weight. The most current version of the helmet now uses a MIPS liner and features an ingeniously simple adjustable venting system. Additional tech features include a built-in RECCO reflector, and the Obex BC version features an additional NFC chip that first responders can scan to pull pertinent medical information you store on it via an app. POC’s sizing breaks for the Obex seem to fall in between where other brands’ do, so this is a good option to look into if you’re having trouble fitting other helmets.

Atomic Four Amid Pro Helmet

A few years ago, Atomic entered the helmet market with a pretty sweet freeride lid, and the current Four Amid Pro helmet is the most recent iteration of it. Featuring Atomic’s take on the multi-directional impact system, called AMID (Atomic Multi Directional Impact Deflector), the Four helmet is a high-end helmet with understated minimalist looks that would make an equally appropriate resort and backcountry-use helmet. The fit is a bit more oval than other helmets, but it runs true to size. Read more in our deep-dive review on the Atomic Four Amid Pro Helmet here.

Smith Summit MIPS

Despite being around for a few years already, as Smith’s first helmet designed specifically for backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering, the Summit MIPS is still a minimalist’s dream. It uses ultralight Koroyd construction, and features some non-standard features for a ski helmet, including extra vents, integrated headlamp clips, pack attachment tethers, no ear pads, and a very clever folding BOA fit adjustment dial. The Summit MIPS is triple-certified for ski standards and mountaineering helmet standards. We did a deep dive on the Cody-Townsend designed helmet, take a look at it here.

Check out our other Best Ofs Here:

Best Powder Skis

Best All-Mountain Skis

Best Backcountry Touring Skis

Best Crossover Boots

Best BOA Boots

Best Accessories For Skiers

Best Goggles