The best longboard helmets protect you from danger and accidents when you’re out riding.
As fun and freeing as longboarding can be, road hazards, weather, traffic, pedestrians, wheel bite and many other obstructions can cause unexpected events.
If your longboard stops suddenly for any reason, your momentum will carry you forward and you’ll fall from the board. At high speeds, these falls can be dangerous, even deadly.
That’s why all longboard riders, no matter the skill level or style of riding, are encouraged to read this list of the best longboarding helmets in 2022.
These are the best longboard helmets to buy:
1. S1 Lifer Helmet
The best longboard helmet overall
The S1 Lifer Helmet is almost a hybrid between a half-shell and full-face design. It is, by definition, a half-shell longboarding helmet. However, a partial-face visor gives it a more complete look.
While this visor doesn’t offer the protection of a full-face design, it does help reduce glare from the sun. It’s perfect for cruising along the beach at sunset!
The S1 Lifer Helmet is also notable because of its supremely protective features. The engineers behind this product wanted to create one of the safest helmets available.
It is certified as a “multi-impact” helmet, making it several times more protective than a traditional, soft-foam helmet.
Aside from being safe, the helmet also has a tremendous fit with many sizes available to riders. The straps tighten and loosen with ease and secure with a simple buckle.
The S1 Lifer Helmet is available in multiple color options.
- One of the most protective half-shell helmets on the market.
- The visor offers moderate eye protection and will help you manage glare from the sun.
- A lightweight, form-fitting helmet that fastens easily.
- A moderately high price compared to other models.
- Not available with a clear lens, which some riders may prefer.
If you want the most protective half-shell longboarding helmet, then you want the S1 Lifer Helmet.
It is a multi-certified helmet capable of withstanding high impacts.
2. Pro-Tec Classic
The best affordable helmet
Pro-Tec is one of the oldest and most popular skate helmet brands on the market. They’ve been around for over four decades!
The Pro-Tec Classic has been a favorite of skateboarders for years and makes for an excellent longboarding helmet.
It features a high-impact ABS shell to keep your noggin protected. Dual stage foam liners offer additional padding and keep the helmet snug and comfortable on your head. The EVA foam crown at the top of the helmet is particularly important.
There is also a Dri-Lex liner that wicks away sweat and keeps your head cool. This is helped by 11 vents strategically placed throughout the helmet to produce maximum airflow.
- Developed with decades worth of experience and input from skaters.
- A very affordable helmet with great protective features.
- Dri-Lex liner and ventilation system offers luxurious cooling for your head.
- A very straightforward helmet with little color options or style features.
- May not withstand higher speed impacts.
For its price, the Pro-Tec Classic is a suitable option for most riders. Due to its half-shell design (instead of full-face), it’s not recommended for high speeds, but it will suit all other longboarders.
3. Lumos Matrix
The best helmet with LEDs for night riding
If you like riding at night, the Lumos Matrix is the perfect option. It has a minimalist design brought to the modern era with an impressive array of LED lights in the front and back of the helmet.
In the rear, there is a 7×11 LED panel that you can completely customize. It also functions as turn signals and brake lights to give other riders, motorists and pedestrians clear indication of your intentions.
The front features 22 white LEDs that help oncoming entities notice you, while also giving you light to see the road in front of you.
The helmet’s battery life is 4-10 hours, depending on your light settings. It requires about 5 hours to recharge.
You can also integrate the helmet with your Apple Watch or Strava. This allows you to utilize health features within these apps and see how far you’ve traveled.
For protection, the helmet features a “helmet-integrated brain protection system”. It’s engineered to offer supreme protection to your head and brain, even if the collision comes at an angle.
It can withstand impacts up to 13.8 miles per hour.
- A full lighting system to keep you safe and protected during night riding.
- Many hours of battery life before you need to recharge.
- A very protective helmet that keeps your brain safe at moderate speeds.
- Downhill speeds can exceed 13.8 miles per hour.
- This is a high-end, expensive helmet.
The powerful LED lights of the Lumos Matrix smart longboarding helmet make it the best helmet for night riding.
4. Thousand Heritage
The coolest-looking helmet
The Thousand Heritage helmet has a classic look with a low-profile visor that pulls inspiration from classic cars and motor-racing helmets.
It comes in 12 colors and 3 sizes, so you’re sure to find a fit and style that suits you.
Aside from being one of the coolest-looking longboarding helmets out there, the Heritage helmet is also packed with features for safety and comfort.
The dial fit system makes it super easy to tighten or loosen the helmet’s fit. And, the vegan leather straps fasten with a magnetic buckle, meaning there’s no risk of pinching your fingers or fussing with a traditional plastic snap clamp.
The top of the helmet has seven vents to keep your head cool and less sweaty while longboarding.
It’s worth mentioning that this helmet is dual certified for skateboarding/longboarding and biking.
There’s also a locking mechanism to secure the helmet to your board or bike.
- A cool-looking helmet with lots of design and size options.
- Magnetic fastener can be secured or released with one hand.
- Ventilation system keeps your head cool and your hair sweat-free.
- May not have the protection needed for high speeds or downhill longboarding.
- Leather straps may rub against the ears and cause irritation.
- The helmet doesn’t cover the ears or face.
The Thousand Heritage is one of the best longboard helmets for cruising, dancing and commuting. It looks great and will offer you the moderate protection you need at these lower speeds.
5. TSG Pass Pro
The best downhill helmet
When it comes to full-face helmets, the TSG Pass Pro is one of the best options out there.
The company has continuously improved their product over the years and the latest model is something to marvel at. It’s highly aerodynamic and spared no expense in its protective features.
The real advantage that the TSG Pass Pro full-face helmet has over other products is how lightweight it is. We typically think of full-face helmets as being heavy and cumbersome, but not this one.
Despite being extremely protective, it achieves the rare feat of remaining very light on your head. This is thanks to high-end, high-resistant materials that aren’t bulky or heavy.
Another concern for full-face helmets is visibility. You often lose some of your peripheral view due to the confines of the helmet. However, the visor of the TSG Pass Pro removes this concern with its curved design that is shatter and scratch resistant.
There is also a ventilation apparatus to ensure the visor doesn’t fog up as you ride.
The only drawback to this full-face longboard is its price. That said, you do get a lot of value, including two visor options (clear or mirrored), a carry bag that doubles as a visor cleaner and more.
- One of the best full-face helmets for visibility and comfort.
- Total head protection for optimal safety.
- Two visor options to choose from and a ventilation feature to reduce fogging.
- While ideal for downhill riding, you may not want a full-face helmet when cruising around.
With its aerodynamic design and downhill safety certifications, the TSG Pass Pro full-face helmet is arguably the best helmet for downhill longboarding.
6. Bell Super Air R
The best full-face helmet for the money
The Bell Super Air R is an alternative option to the TSG Pass Pro. It is a little less expensive, but still offers good protection.
It’s important to note that this is not a true longboarding helmet. It’s actually a helmet for dirt biking and downhill mountain biking that many people multi-purpose for longboarding.
This full-face helmet is built from a polycarbonate shell that is strategically layered and supported by EPS foam liner.
This layering process creates better density for more energy transfer during impact. It’s a comprehensive protection system for high, low and rotational impacts.
Since this helmet is designed for mountain biking and dirt biking, it features the wraparound chin bar that is popular with these sports. However, you can remove the chinbar if you feel that it doesn’t serve you in downhill longboarding.
Capping this helmet off are some extra features, such as ventilation holes to promote airflow inside the helmet, an adjustable visor system that can be removed when needed and a camera mount if you want to film your journeys.
- A more affordable full-face helmet.
- High-end materials and engineering give you protection all the way around your head..
- Removable visor and chin bar allow you to customize the look and wear of the helmet.
- This is not a true downhill helmet, but actually designed for biking.
- Still more expensive than a half-shell helmet.
The Bell Super Air R helmet makes the list as a more affordable option to high-end, complete face helmets.
7. Razor V-17
The best helmet for kids
Razor made a name for itself with scooters, but they are now one of the leading brands for youth action sports and protective gear.
The Razor V-17 youth multi-sport helmet is a half-shell design fitted for younger, smaller head sizes.
Whether you’re biking, longboarding, roller skating or otherwise, this helmet will keep you safe and protected. It’s the ideal helmet for beginners because of its size and price point.
The helmet’s ergonomic design is extremely comfortable and has 17 airflow vents to reduce sweat and overheating. Adjustable padding ensures a snug fit at all times.
This helmet has six color and design options, but only comes in a single youth size. If you have a larger head, you’ll have to adjust the inner padding to get the right fit.
Otherwise, you’ll have to upgrade to an adult-sized helmet.
- An affordable, multi-sport youth helmet.
- Ergonomic design and superb airflow keeps you cool and comfortable all year.
- Easy-to-adjust side buckles keep a secure fit on your head.
- A youth-sized helmet that only fits smaller heads.
- While this helmet meets CPSC safety requirements, it doesn’t have high-impact protection.
For young longboarding beginners, the Razor V-17 multi-sport helmet does a good job at protecting the head. Plus, it has a very affordable price.
Conclusion
Safety while longboarding is a top concern. Even if you’re an expert rider, you never know what hazards may be in or along the road that can cause you to fall.
Helmet safety is especially crucial for downhill longboarding because of the high speeds you can reach.
Thanks to this list of the best longboard helmets in 2022, you should have no problem finding the right safety headgear for your riding style and age.
Happy riding!