Best Full Face Mountain Bike Helmet in 2021
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- Best Overall
- Bell Sanction Adult Full Face Bike Helmet
- CPSC compliant
- Comes in 4 colors
- Unisex design profile
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- Premium Choice
- POC Helmet for Downhill Mountain Biking
- Fiberglass shell
- Suitable for women
- Comes in 4 colors
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- Great Value
- O’Neal Unisex-Adult Off Road 2SERIES Helmet
- ABS construction
- DOT and ECE compliant
- Removable Plush padding
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Nowadays, it’s extremely common for bicycle riders to be completely geared up from head to toe. Gone are the days when wearing riding protection looked and felt ridiculous. These days, riding gear is a necessary evil, and they look damn good, too.
This includes wearing the best full-face mountain bike helmet that feels comfortable, is convenient to wear, and looks amazing, not to mention, of course, providing you with the right level of protection that such a demanding activity needs.
And, to help you find the best helmet for your ride, here’s a review of the top ten brands we’ve found, coupled with a helpful buying guide that lists all the important considerations you need to take into account in order to make sure that the helmet you buy is the perfect one for you.
Contents
Top 10 Full Face Mountain Bike Helmets
After going through dozens of different full face biking helmets, we finally came up with this list of the top ten helmets that are sure to give you the best in terms of protection and comfort no matter how and where you ride.
Bell Sanction Adult Full Face Bike Helmet
Our ultimate favorite is the Bell Sanction adult full-face bike helmet, a lightweight gear in a small profile that offers superior comfort and protection for BMX, dirt, and off-road riders so you can fully enjoy the adventure ahead.
This full-face mtb helmet is packed with lots of unique features such as an ABS hard plastic shell construction, an adjustable visor, and an overall lithe low profile that is sure to serve you well as you ride.
Moreover, it boasts of fifteen separate vents to allow for good airflow while keeping you cool. And with four stunning designs to choose from, you are sure to find a Bell full-face helmet that matches your personality, so you can confidently ride in style.
- Comes in 4 colors and 4 sizes
- Unisex design profile
- CPSC bicycle compliant
- 15 vents for maximum airflow
- ABS shell construction
POC Coron Air Spin Helmet for Downhill Mountain Biking
We also really like the POC Coron Air Spin helmet, a full-face downhill helmet made for women and perfect for mountain biking and beyond. It gives you an ideal mix of protection, performance, comfort, and ventilation as you tackle the road and trail all day long.
One great thing about POC bike helmets is that they are developed in a collaboration with renowned athletes and riding legends, so you can be sure that they meet the demands of a road rider, and are even suitable for competition. It’s also perfect for enduro racing.
Moreover, it’s made with superior materials that provide high impact durability and performance, including a multi-impact liner and a lightweight fiberglass material. It also makes use of a unique rotational impact protection system to better shield your head and brain from trauma. This, coupled with lots of other excellent features, make it a great pro women’s mountain bike helmet.
- Comes in 4 colors and 3 sizes
- Suitable for women
- Solid build that inspires confidence
- Fiberglass shell with EPP liner
- Advanced ventilation system
- Removable cheek pads
O’Neal Unisex-Adult Off Road 2SERIES Helmet
Another amazing helmet that caught our eye is the O’Neal off-road 2Series Helmet, which is guaranteed to give you superior comfort, protection, security, and quality for every ride. In fact, O’Neal is a trusted brand in terms of all these things and more.
This helmet, for one thing, is made with all the best materials, such as an ABS hard plastic shell, an ultra-plush padded liner that’s removable and washable, multiple air vents that allow for generous airflow and cooling, a double D release chin strap, an adjustable visor, and more.
To top it all off, it’s all lightweight and looks amazing with its sleek style that’s inspired by the racing world. All of these and more make this helmet an excellent addition to your kit, giving you both style and security while you take on the world one pedal at a time.
- Comes in 3 colors and 5 sizes
- Unisex design profile
- ABS hard plastic shell construction
- Removable and washable plush padding
- Nose guard (rubber roost)
- DOT and ECE compliant
Bell Servo Adult BMX Helmet
If you love the Bell brand but are looking for something more suited for younger riders, the Bell Servo adult BMX helmet is a great choice for a kid’s full-face helmet, since it’s designed with full-coverage interior padding that’s luxuriously plush, and offers additional protection no matter where and how you ride, whether it’s on the trail or along the city streets.
It even comes with a comfortable neck roll that makes for enhanced protection and padding, a couple of cheek pads that you can remove and wash, and an integrated ventilation system that is sure to keep you cool.
We say that it’s an ideal youth full-face mountain bike helmet because not only does it come in smaller sizes, it also provides full coverage by shielding the head, chin, and jaw. It even looks stunningly stylish with a timeless and classic look, so everyone’s sure to love it.
- Available in matte black
- Lightweight and comfortable to wear
- Great value for money
- CPSC bike compliant
- Suitable for kids and adults age 14+
Troy Lee Designs Stage Full Face Mountain Bike Helmet
Taking the fifth spot is the Troy Lee Designs stage full face BMX helmet, one of the most stylish and perfectly fitting mountain bike helmets you’ll ever find. For one thing, this helmet boasts of a polylite shell construction coupled with fiber reinforcement for your maximum protection.
It even features co-molded dual-density EPS and EPP to keep you safe from both low and high-speed impact. Meanwhile, the chin bar makes use of an EXOskeleton made with polyacrylate, and everything is integrated with plastic breakaway hardware along with anodized aluminum.
Furthermore, this helmet features lots of air intakes and exhaust ports, a magnetic buckle system, pure comfort liners that are made with moisture-wicking and odor protection properties, low profile cheek pads with an ultra-soft interior, an EPP lined chin bar, and an adjustable visor.
- Comes in 12+ colors and 9 sizes
- Customized fit with plenty of padding
- Liners with odor protection and moisture wicking
- Wide range adjustable visor
- Excellent ventilation
- Polylite shell with fiber
DEMON UNITED Podium Full Face Mountain Bike Helmet
In sixth place is the Demon United Podium lightweight full-face mountain bike helmet, an excellent low profile helmet that’s durable and lightweight. It’s perfectly tough and safe with a polycarbonate shell construction that meets bicycle safety standards.
It also comes in nine stylish designs and features more than a dozen vents that regulate air circulation and keep the cool air in while letting the warm air out. This way, you can look, feel, and stay cool throughout your ride.
Plus, it’s made with a removable liner that offers added protection and can be cleaned easily. You might even be able to get it with added MIPS brain protection if you prefer. With all these tough materials, amazing designs, and reliable protection, what more can you ask for?
- Comes in 9 colors and 4 sizes
- Lightweight with superior ventilation
- Unisex design profile
- Polycarbonate shell
- CPSC bike compliant
GLX Unisex-Adult GX23 Dirt Bike Off Road Helmet
You might also want to check out the GLX GX23 dirt bike off-road helmet, which is an impenetrable enduro MTB helmet when it comes to safety and protection, thanks to its premium quality EPS lining that offers optimum impact absorption.
This multi-density liner material extends throughout the chin bar and is complemented by an aerodynamic shell that is designed with an advanced cooling system with more than a dozen intake and exhaust vents, ensuring ample airflow and consistent cooling.
Moreover, this enduro helmet also features an adjustable visor that’s shatter-resistant and is secured with high-grade screws to ensure proper mounting and an ideal rooster tail protection, not to mention let you enjoy a peripheral and cosmic field of vision.
- Comes in 3 colors and 4 sizes
- Lightweight and comfortable to use
- Great value for money
- Helmet bag included
- DOT certified
Troy Lee Designs D3 Fiberlite US Helmet
Another excellent choice form Troy Lee Designs is the D3 Fiberlite US helmet, a full-face bike helmet that gives you premium features with a great price tag. In fact, it’s jam-packed with an assortment of must-have features that you’ve come to expect on an MTB bike helmet.
First, it boasts of a fiberglass shell construction that’s ridiculously lightweight while being highly durable and impact resistant. It also features efficient aerodynamics thanks to several wind tunnel tests. This is only the beginning.
This helmet is also designed with 20 high flow vents for intake and exhaust so you’ll never have any problems with staying cool even when you ride under the blazing sun. plus, it comes with a full spectrum visor that’s fully adjustable and is secured with innovative breakaway screws. There are even 3D contoured cheek pads that offer a custom fit and are easy to remove.
- Comes in 9 colors and 8 sizes
- Unisex design profile
- Fiberglass shell construction
- Adjustable full spectrum visor
- CPSC bike compliant
Fox Racing Rampage Comp Helmet
No bike gear list will be complete without at least one product from Fox Racing. When it comes to black full-face helmets, out of the dozens of Fox helmets on the market, what we really like is the Fox Racing Rampage Comp helmet, and here’s why.
It’s a full-face helmet that gives you the best of both worlds in terms of premium custom fit and lightweight yet reliable protection. This is because it’s made with an ultralight fiberglass shell, as well as three-dimension channeled EPS that guarantees an improved airflow.
More than that, this Fox full-face mountain bike helmet boasts of a poured PU chin bar that delivers added protection, as well as eleven channels and vents that allow for maximum breathability. And, it’s race-ready, too!
- Available in XL matte black
- Fiberglass shell construction
- Channeled EPS and poured PU
- Suitable for racing
- Breathable with multi-impact protection
H2 100% Aircraft Carbon MIPS Helmet
Last but not the least is the H2 100% Aircraft Carbon MIPS helmet, which is a sweet looking gear that’s sure to keep you safe as you fly down the mountain trail. The best thing about this one is that it’s made with a unique carbon and kevlar composite shell.
That alone should make you want to grab this helmet. But if you need more convincing, you’ll be glad to know it comes with lots of other features, such as 25 vents for active cooling so you’re always cool throughout your ride.
This men’s mountain bike helmet also comes with MIPS, as well as emergency release cheek pads, a D-ring buckle adjustment, an adjustable visor, EPS impact foam, and overall quality construction that’s sure to give you the best value for your money.
- Comes in 12+ colors and 5 sizes
- Suitable for men
- Carbon and kevlar construction
- EPS impact foam
- Adjustable visor
Full Face Mountain Bike Helmet Buying Guide
We all know that bike helmets are meant to protect your head in case of an impact. In fact, many places require wearing helmets in order for you to ride. These helmets must meet certain standards, but aside from that, how do you go about choosing the right helmet for you? After all, no two helmets are made the same. Some are simply better than others.
Well, there are few things you need to consider, and we’ll talk about each of them below:
What are MTB helmets?
First things first. What are MTB helmets, exactly? How do they differ from other types of helmets? To give you an idea, MTB helmets are different from road lids and high-end racing helmets in more ways than one.
These days, mountain bike helmets come in significantly more lightweight profiles while offering considerably more protection with full coverage that protects your entire face, head, and even your neck. This is important with the increasing popularity of certain riding styles such as enduro racing, trail center riding, and all-mountain riding, which all emphasize the downhill experience.
Some mountain biking helmets come with visors, although it’s more common in road racing helmets. This is helpful in protecting you against the glare as well as the outdoor elements. Most helmets, however, have bug meshes on the front vents to keep insects at bay, so these are two things you know you should look for.
Types of bike helmets
Aside from mountain bike helmets, which typically come with extended coverage at the rear as well as plenty of intake and exhaust vents, there are actually two other types of bike helmets. These are road bike helmets, which are lightweight and aerodynamic, and recreational bike helmets, which are an economical choice if you want to partake in casual riding.
What’s important here is you choose the right type of helmet depending on your style of riding so you can enjoy the right level of protection.
Fit and fit adjustment
Now, the first and most important thing you need to make sure of is whether the helmet even fits you properly, since a poor fit can severely compromise your protection in the event of a crash. Besides, an ill-fitting lid will be uncomfortable to wear after a certain period of time.
Here’s a guide on how you can find the right size of a bike helmet, which you can determine by measuring your head circumference with a simple tape measure.
- Extra small- 20in/ 51cm
- Small- 20-21.75in/ 51-55cm
- Medium- 21.75-23.25in/ 55-59cm
- Large- 23.25-24.75in/ 59-63cm
- Extra large- above 24.75in/ 63cm
Regardless of what size you opt for, make sure that the helmet can provide a more customized fit with the use of easy to adjust retention systems so you can manipulate the helmet’s circumference and tilt. Ideally, these adjusters should be made with solid and durable materials rather than cheap plastic.
Padding
The helmet should also have lots of internal cushioning to make the helmet’s fit more stable and comfortable. Depending on the material, this padding can even help with heat management by absorbing sweat and allowing for added breathability. The best paddings, therefore, are ones that are removable, washable, and come with moisture-wicking properties.
The general rule here is if you ride in a warmer climate, choose padding that’s thinner and more forgiving so it’s more comfortable against your head. On the contrary, thicker pads will offer more comfort and warmth in colder climates.
Peak
One common feature of MTB helmets is MTB peaks, which are excellent in keeping sunlight, crud, and mud out of your eyes. That said, there are a few important things you need to remember. One, the peak should be stable, adjustable for tilt, and rattle-free.
Two, if it comes with a visor, this should be made with breakaway fixtures and flexible materials to make sure that it’s safe to ride with, and won’t cause neck injury in case you get into an accident.
Ventilation
A helmet is a pretty enclosed gear, which is great for protection, but bad for breathing, considering that you’re wearing it over your face. As such, it’s a must that the helmet has lots of ports and vents to facilitate airflow and keep your head cool rather than dripping with sweat. Try to find a helmet with plenty of well-placed vents, which should be covered with a bug mesh.
Chin Strap
When it comes to chin straps, you should put equal stress on comfort and safety. Meaning, the strap should be easily adjustable, and should not be itchy or flappy, nor dig in your face. You generally have the choice between simple plastic clasps that are light and unobtrusive and more complex magnetic clasps that are faster to install.
Safety Features
Did you know that aside from the hard plastic shell and variable foam densities that helmets are made with, there are often other safety features with it to enhance its protective capabilities? These include rotational impact protection in the form of MIPS, which is an independent plastic liner that’s extra slippy and works great in dissipating impact energy.
Other great specialized protection includes WaveCel, which is found on many Bontrager helmets and makes use of a honeycombed lining engineered to offer a crumple zone that absorbs primary and rotational impact forces.
There’s also the SPIN, a technology widely used on POC helmets, which makes use of silicone injected pads contained in a special movable structure within the shell. It works in redirecting rotational impact energy in the event of an impact.
Chinbar attachment
Many helmets come with removable chinguards that let you conveniently switch between uphill mode to downhill mode. These chin bars are made with varying safety standards, with some suitable for basic trail riding, and others with a complete DH certification. They also have unique clamping mechanisms.
What you need to remember here is that the chin bar should fit easily and quickly even with your helmet already in place.
Other features
There are lots of other features that mountain bike helmets these days come with. These range from visors that shield your eyes from the sun, wraparound chin bars that offer full face protection, mount compatibility for installing action cameras, goggle clips and parking, and so much more.
If you really want to get the best value for your money, choose the right sets of features that you feel you will most benefit from, rather than trying to find a helmet that comes with all of the top features imaginable.
Protection standards
Finally, make sure that the helmet you’re eyeing for actually passes minimum safety standards, which include puncture resistance, the capability to handle impacts of varying velocities, strap integrity, and more. The best helmets out there in terms of protection are the DH certified ones, although they are also heavier and bulkier, not to mention more expensive.
Overview
Remember, helmets are made with integrated outer shells and inner liners that work together in protecting your head against impact. This works by shielding you from puncture, as well as slowing down and dissipating impact forces. Ideally, they should also be paired with a layer of specialized protection to further shield you against impact forces.
That said, the best full-face mountain bike helmet is one that meets all your personal needs and requirements, and of course, your budget. There are plenty of amazing options out there, and as long as you know what to look for, you are sure to find the right helmet for you.