How to choose a Helmet?

How to choose a Helmet?

Well, it’s really all about style and colour surely?!  

All European helmets now come with a safety rating for their activity or range of activity. If you ensure your helmet has that then it is then down to size, fitting and styling. Like all helmets they are generally made with a hard outer plastic shell, a hard foam interior for shock absorption and occasionally vented.

Fitting: They don't have to be as snug as a motorbike helmet but you don't want them to fall off to slip and obscure your vision.

Paragliding helmets should conform to EN 966 (airports), using a helmet that doesn’t conform like a climbing helmet or cycling helmet might upset any public liability you have with your flying federation.

As for the helmet design then they generally come in two physical styles

Full face: so full protection of head and integrated chin guard. These obviously offer the most protection and tend to be a little warmer than open face helmets, they can restrict the view a little.  

Open Face: Offer less protection but better visibility, they are generally lighter and pack smaller in with your gear.

The choice is massive now with some great styling, it's worth checking your ski or snowboarding helmets as some are now rated for free flight activities.

Visors: the airforce look is always great and visors come in clear and tinted, they also keep the wind and the sun off your face on long flights which in turn keeps you fresher and without the classic sunglasses panda eyes.

The downside for me is they are tricky to keep scratch free and can lead to extra faff on takeoff and more stuff to drag with you like helmet bags etc.

Paramotor helmets

Almost always open face but come with visor options and ear defender options. When flying with two stroke engines you need to either wear ear plugs or ear defenders. 

Most PPG helmets allow optional ear defender for them to be integrated. If you want to use radios to talk with friends then you’ll want to buy a separate headset with integrated coms. See Microavionics in our shop for an idea

FlySpain have pretty much a demo of every product we sell and distribute in the UK, so whilst you're here you can see and even buy a helmet that suits.