If you're like Jona and occasionally crash, a helmet is more than a legal necessity, it's a life-saving one.
The number one rule with bike helmets is that once it's broken, it's done. Jona cracked four helmets in less than two years. This is not common perhaps, but shows how important it is to immediately replace a damaged helmet because you never know when your head might need protecting from the ground again.
Like bikes, helmets come if different sizes. Normally just small medium and large. There is some variation between brands, be aware if buying online.
Be cautions buying used. Helmet foam deteriorates over the years. There has also been improvements in safety technology in recent years.
Jona's current helmet is the Giro Aires. We chose this one because it was the safest helmet in the Virginia Tech helmet safety ratings list. Highly recommend you consider that list before buying! It's also a light and aerodynamic helmet that's used by the top pro cycling team.
It's not the cheapest helmet out there. It helped us that it was on sale when we needed it. Another recommending factor is that Giro have a replacement discount programme if you wrote-off the helmet in the first year or two. His previously helmet, a Lazer Strada, lasted only a couple of months before getting written off in a tangle with a car, and there was no offer of a discounted replacement - $190 down the drain. The NZ distributor for Giro is Worralls, a family owned business who are active in the local cycling scene, something that adds added confidence.
For downhill mountain biking, Jona has a Bell Transfer 9 full face helmet. It's a little older but extremely sturdy.
At some stage we will get a helmet for other mountain biking disciplines, something like the Specialized Tactic 4 (also highly rated by Virginia Tech). Jona likes the Poc Kortal but his manager wants to see a safety review, and a price drop!
When Jona gets a bit bigger and faster, he'll be wanting an aero helmet like the Kask Minstral for time trials and track racing. He'll also want sponsorship so we can pay the $639 it currently retail for.
