Off-Road Helmets

Off-road riding is one of the most strenuous kinds of recreation and no form of racing is more grueling than off-road racing. Riding in sand, mud, dirt and rocks, up and down hills, over whoop-de-doos, and through water crossings really gets your heart pumping and your muscles working, and this exertion results in elevated body temperature, copious quantities of sweat, and a need for cooling airflow. Even though a common off-road riding image is that of an ATV or UTV racing across the desert, the fact is most off-road riding isn’t at high velocities, and airflow through the helmet must be optimized for the pace of trail riding. Unlike riding on the street where the most dangerous airborne object you may encounter is an occasional June bug, when you’re riding off-road with other riders you can expect to be pelted with dirt and mud flung by the tires of the machines in front of you. All these factors are taken into consideration when designing an off-road helmet.

An off-road helmet, also known as a dirt bike, or motocross helmet, must provide protection while keeping the rider as comfortable as possible. To achieve these goals the helmet must be made strong, with features optimized for the off-road environment, yet be lightweight and have superior levels of ventilation. A helmet’s most important job is to protect your head and minimize injury in the event of impact. And it stands to reason that when spinning your tires under acceleration, tackling jumps and hills, and sliding around on uneven surfaces of varying consistency, you’ll have much more opportunity to crash and have need of that protection. An off-road helmet covers the top and sides of your head and has a built-in chin bar for maximum protection. However, this impact protection must be attained without creating unwanted weight.

Although an off-road helmet is a full coverage helmet, it’s not configured in the same way as a full face helmet. An off-road helmet is much lighter than a full face helmet, because a heavy helmet is fatiguing and puts more strain on your neck muscles. The eye port is larger so goggles can be worn comfortably instead of the full face helmet’s face shield. Goggles won’t fog up like a face shield when you’re breathing heavy and they can be fitted with “tear offs” so you can have clear vision even when they get splattered with mud.

Speaking of mud, an off-road helmet also has a pronounced peak, or visor, to help shield your eyes from the sun and provide some protection from “roost”, the mud, dirt and sometimes rocks that can be hurled up by riders up ahead. Another signature feature of an off-road helmet is the elongated chin bar. The chin bar provides protection against impact and roost, but it projects further forward than the chin bar on a full face helmet to allow more cooling air in around the rider’s face. The need for more cooling is also why an off-road helmet has extensive venting for more airflow at lower speeds. A full face helmet is vented but the venting is designed to provide the most effective cooling at highway speeds. Even with such effective ventilation, an off-road helmet can still be a good option for snowmobile riding when it’s combined with the right goggles, a breath box and a balaclava or head sock – just add or shed gear according to your need for warmth or cooling.

All the off-road helmets you’ll find on our digital shelves are constructed with these essential qualities. We offer many different shell shapes, from retro helmets that look like the off-road helmets of old, but with modern construction, to the latest, most aerodynamic and cutting edge designs. And while we can supply you with solid color helmets including traditional white and black, most of our off-road helmets come in distinctive multi-color and stripe patterns, and unique graphic displays, including many racer replica models.

No matter your age, gender, or the size and shape of your noggin, we have your off-road helmet. Helmet sizes range from youth small to men’s and women’s 5X-Large, in round oval, intermediate oval, and long oval helmet shapes. All are DOT (Department of Transportation) certified, and some have ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) certification and/or Snell Memorial Foundation approval. An off-road helmet consists of a thermoplastic, fiberglass, or composite shell designed to spread an impact over a broad area, an energy absorbing EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) foam liner, and interior padding that forms the comfort liner.

Most less expensive helmets are made of thermoplastics like ABS or polycarbonate. These helmets are strong and perfectly safe, but they must be made heavier with thicker EPS to achieve the proper level of safety. Fiberglass and fiberglass composite are stronger and very good at distributing force upon impact and therefore fiberglass helmets can be made lighter. Top of the line Kevlar and carbon fiber composite helmets are extremely strong and can be made even lighter in weight, but they’re generally the most expensive. You’ll be protected in a helmet made of any of these materials in the unfortunate event of a crash, but a lighter helmet will be easier on your neck and be more comfortable to wear than a heavier one, especially on long rides.

The helmet’s comfort liner, the padded layer that contacts your head, is made of open cell foam covered with fabric. Some helmet liner fabrics are moisture wicking to increase your comfort level and some liners are antimicrobial to keep odors at bay. However, any fabric that’s continually exposed to perspiration and the oils from your hair and skin is going to get funky after a while, and one of our off-road helmets with a removable, washable liner makes getting rid of dirt and odors easy. Some helmet makers also offer cheek pads in different sizes so you can customize fit and comfort.