Need (want) an new helmet

[Elphaba]

I have been riding, quite safely I think, with a Bell helmet I picked up at Wal-mart. The price was right, it fit, done deal. It isn't bad looking and has protected my head from a few falling pine cones, but after seeing the pictures from a ride this weekend, it looks like a mushroom on my head! I would like something a bit aesthically pleasing. In looking around, is there really any difference between a $30/$40 helmet and at $180/$200 one?

L

[Melalvai]

16164

As far as safety, all helmets are made to the same specs. The advantage of more expensive helmets is comfort, ease of adjusting the straps (which could be a bit of a safety issue), and vanity.

I chose vanity. Yakkay.com (http://www.yakkay.com/)

[azfiddle]

Also, more expensive helmets are lighter weight and have better venting for hot weather- important consideration for me since I live in the desert. But all are equally safe.

[lor]

16164

As far as safety, all helmets are made to the same specs. The advantage of more expensive helmets is comfort, ease of adjusting the straps (which could be a bit of a safety issue), and vanity.

I chose vanity. Yakkay.com (http://www.yakkay.com/)

Oh my, that is adorable! It's 93° F right now at close to 5pm, so I'm thinking I'd be sweating buckets if I wore one of those (which is not so adorable).

[Elphaba]

Well after getting thoroughly confused at all the options out there online, I decided to go to my wonderful LBS and try to work with what they had in stock. Glad I did! Never would have guess my head was a large! And as I told my BF when he told me I could have measured my own head, even if I had done that, if I saw it was in the large range, I would have thought I did it wrong and bought a medium! Even in the large range we had problems finding one that would come down as far on my forehead as it needed to be. SO, I ended up paying a bit more than I planned (but the LBS threw in what I call a 15% suckers discount) and got the Giro Atmos. When I asked my son (23) if I looked less like a mushroom, he laughed and said no and that in fact he would buy me a red one with white spots for Christmas. (think Mario Bros).
Well, even if I still look like a shroom, I have more vents and a better fit with a lighter helmet. I got a nice neutral white so hopefully this experience can be put on the backburner for another three years.

L

[NbyNW]

16164

As far as safety, all helmets are made to the same specs. The advantage of more expensive helmets is comfort, ease of adjusting the straps (which could be a bit of a safety issue), and vanity.

I chose vanity. Yakkay.com (http://www.yakkay.com/)

Want!