My old helmet is looking pretty ragged. The velvet is wearing off and one of the ribbons in back has come loose so it flutters around like a bent feather when I ride. It’s pretty lame. Also probably not the safest, anymore. My birthday also happens to be coming up in about a month, so I want to pick out a new helmet to ask for.
I’ve done some research and have learned a bit about Charles Owen helmets since that seems to be pretty popular, but they also seem to run pretty expensive. I’m starting to wonder if hunting for the perfect helmet might be comparable to a quest for the Holy Grail. And then I realized that I have a whole community of horse people right here to ask for recommendations!
Here’s what I’m looking for in my ideal helmet:
- Can be used for schooling and showing (hunter/jumper)
- Does not break the bank, but is still good quality and will last
- Makes my head look nice/not humungous
- Safe and will protect my head if needed
- Comfortable
- Adjustable so I can fit my hair inside or not, depending on the day (note: I have a lot of hair. A lot. So I’m not totally convinced I can find one that my hair fits comfortably under, and I’d be okay with that.)
Fellow bloggers, I ask of you: what are your recommendations for a great helmet? Are my expectations too high? (Nah. I believe in all of you and the existence of the perfect helmet.)
Centered in the Saddle 
I love my IRH helmet! It’s great for schooling and fancy enough for show. Reasonable price too. Also, always watch eBay….I’ve seen them go pretty cheaply on there!
Happy helmet hunting!
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Awesome, I’ll definitely check out IRH. Thank you!
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I recently went helmet shopping myself, and I tried on some charles owens but (a) they’re too expensive and (b) they aren’t attractive on me- I look like a mushroom head. I wanted a lot of the same qualities, though- something nice looking, not too expensive, that sat on my head well, and was most of all- SAFE.
I ended up with the IRH Elite EQ Helmet. It has super high safety standards, the velveteen finish I like, doesn’t get hot, has a low profile and is fairly comfortable as far as helmets go. I don’t know about the adjust ability, however. But when I bought it for 199, it was a pretty good steal. Now it looks like the price is back to 240 on Adams. http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/IRH-Elite-EQ-Helmet-P1991.aspx
There’s a 99$ older version of it with many of the same features, but it doesn’t have the velveteen finish (which I prefer). http://www.doversaddlery.com/irh%C2%AB-elite-riding-helmet/p/Z1-3661A/?eid=X18A00U1000&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=MerchantAdv&zmam=1460880&zmas=1&zmac=114&zmap=0003661063064Z1-3661A&gclid=CN-u65Hx4bkCFadj7AodhWYA_w
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Great, thanks for the advice and the links!
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Comfort is key. When it is not, I tend to not use it as much. Also, ease of closure and adjustment on the chin strap. So now I have told you a lot of what you already know and no helmet recommendation. Guess that’s because I haven’t found the perfect helmet yet either!
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I have a big ole’ honking head with lots of hair, too – have you ever tried on a Long Oval helmet? That can make all the difference in how a helmet fits or makes your head look.
Anyway, I recently just bought a helmet for showing, and I went with the IRH ATH . It ended up costing me about $170, which was honestly the least expensive/most attractive I could find. It’s comfortable, too. I really like the way it cradles the base of my head/neck. I have only ridden in it once, and not in the summer, so I can’t honestly say if it gets too hot.
Here’s a photo, for reference: http://elizabethclymer.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=847
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Awesome, thanks! I’ll definitely try one on. Those of us with tons of hair have to stick together! 🙂
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