The 10 Best Climbing Helmets

For climbers who want one light helmet for crag days, long routes and winter gullies, the Petzl Meteor hits a smart middle ground. A thin, hard plastic skin covers nearly all of its foam, so it shrugs off pack scrapes that would gouge bare foam. Big side vents keep it cool, and the straps adjust quickly with one hand. The magnetic chin buckle can pick up grit and needs a rinse now and then. Petzl's warranty runs three years.

A hard plastic shell over two kinds of foam makes the Petzl Boreo the one to toss in a crag pack without babying it. Petzl rates it for blows to the top and the sides, and the headband folds up inside the shell so it packs small. The trade-off is heft: you notice it by the end of a long day, and it runs warm in summer sun. It suits new climbers, gym regulars heading outside, and cavers.

OutdoorGearLab gave the Petzl Sirocco its highest overall score, mostly because you barely feel it on your head through a long day. It's mainly foam with a small hard cap on top, so air moves freely and it suits fast alpine routes. That foam dents if you sit on it or cram it under a rack, so pack it with care. The magnetic buckle can clog with dirt. It's for climbers who count every gram.

Built for big walls and all-day routes, the Mammut Wall Rider keeps weight low without giving up much toughness, since a thin hard skin covers its foam. It sits low at the back of the head for good coverage and has a sleek, trim shape. The webbing adjustment takes a few tries to get right, and each size covers a narrow range, so measure your head before you order.

If you climb chimneys, haul bags or scrape up rough cracks, the Black Diamond Capitan is built to take the abuse. Its two-piece hard shell wraps low over the sides and back, clips hold a headlamp firmly, and the pads come out for washing. It is heavy and gets warm on hot days. The fit suits some head shapes better than others, so try one on if a shop near you stocks it.

Generations of new climbers have started out in the Black Diamond Half Dome, and it is still a sensible first lid that costs little for a certified hard shell. A dial at the back snugs the fit in seconds, and low clips hold a headlamp. The padding is thin, though, and it's heavy enough to feel bulky on long routes. Its foam liner crushes to soak up a blow, so retire it after any hard knock.

Climbers with long hair are the reason the Petzl Borea exists. Its headband has a notch at the back, so a ponytail sits under it instead of pushing the helmet forward. Underneath, it's a hard plastic shell over two kinds of foam, with channels that move some air across the head. It comes in one size that suits small and medium heads, and it feels heavy on long routes.

Small heads often wobble in helmets cut for average sizes, and the Trango Halo comes in a small size that fits them well. It's light, with about 20 vents for airflow, and a magnet clasp snaps shut with one hand. That clasp can be fussy to open with cold fingers. Trango's spec page was offline when we checked, so look for the climbing certification label inside, as with any helmet.

Made for young climbers, the Petzl Picchu carries two approvals, one for climbing and one for cycling, so a single helmet covers the crag and the bike ride there. A helmet that's too big shifts in a fall, so check the size range against your child's head before buying. It comes in just one size, and it's fairly heavy for a small child to wear through a long day.

Big heads have few good options, and the Singing Rock Penta 2 comes in an extra-large size along with small and medium-large. The Czech climbing maker builds it as a hard shell over foam, with recessed clips that hold a headlamp flush. We couldn't find an outside review of this version, and the seller's page is the only source for its light weight, so treat that figure with some caution.