A THR Primer on Ski Helmet Standards

Helmet terrain. The Petzl Sirocco in use.

We side with the notion that you should bring along the helmet you are most likely to wear. Here’s a THR primer on ski helmet standards.

I’ve been all over the map on ski helmets. So, I want to start with a few general rules of engagement for this helmet standards piece. First, we are not going to be prescriptive. Do we want you to protect your noggin and come home back to your people (and pets)? We 100% do. All we can say is be safe. Second, we come to this with the perspective that we are individuals and have full access to the safety standards—you choose what works for you. There are many helmets in the marketplace. Third, the best helmet for you is probably the one you are most likely to wear when skiing/riding, descending or ascending, and overhead hazards are present. (Overhead hazards could run the gamut from ice chunks, snow, or rock shedding from above, avalanches, sluff that could knock you off your feet, skiers/riders on top of you, etc.)

You know you, and you know what you will wear. Some may scoff, but I’ve fallen into the routine of understanding my surroundings and knowing what I am likely to carry and wear—that’s been a Petzl Sirocco for several years. Before that, in descending order, there was a Petzl Meteor that was destroyed on the Grand Canyon via too many knocks from the oars (most often, I secured it near the rowing cockpit), a Camp Speed Comp lid, and an older, but certified for downhill (read on-piste) skiing/riding helmet. 

One more time. I’m more likely to wear a lighter, minimalist helmet, so I bring the Sirocco. This helmet meets some protection standards, but not all, as it is not certified to be worn as an on-piste PPE for the head. (Some might even say it is lacking sufficient protection for an off-piste skier/rider.)

Lastly, helmet design and integrity have come a long way. Many options exist for dialing in fit, style, weight, and additive safety features like MIPS (or proprietary, yet similar, designs). And helmets, like the Sirocco, featuring ample vents, do not meet certain penetration tests. Conversely, some helmets used by backcountry skiers also meet cycling standards and, thus, can be used for skiing, climbing/mountaineering, and cycling.     

The Standards: What Are They?  

For the deep divers, the following site, helmetfacts.com, is a solid reference. These folks detail how each standard uses specific testing methods and, comparatively, where some standards fall short and others shine. 

EN 1077 A Skiing & Snowboarding: European standard for alpine (on-piste) helmets. The head surface, meaning front, back, and sides (including ear regions), are protected upon impact. This is a self-certify standard. 

EN 1077 B Skiing and Snowboarding: Impact tests are less stringent than the 1077 A standard, and the required helmet coverage is reduced to exclude the ears. This is a self-certify standard. 

CSA Z263.1: A voluntary Canadian alpine ski/ride oriented standard set by an independent non-profit. However, a third party must ensure that helmets meet the standards. Helmetfacts describes CSA Z263.1 as similar to EN 1077 A, with less strict impact tests.

SNELL RS88: Another standard established by a non-profit. You may know Snell from their bike helmet standards, which were established way back when. Helmetfacts calls the Snell RS88 standard, established in 1998, “the most rigorous of standards.” What makes the RS88 so rigorous are the higher impact standards and a standard for chin bars.

ASTM F2040-02: ASTM stands for the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) and is a non-profit. Helmetfacts states, “When the organization created this standard in May of 2000, they sought to strike a balance between Snell RS-98’s very rigorous impact requirements and EN-1077’s less demanding impact-testing protocols.” There is no chin bar test or standard for ASTM F2040. It is also a voluntary standard not certified by a third party. 

UIAA 106 (EN-12492): This climbing/mountaineering helmet standard comes from the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA). The 106 standards are based on EN-12492, a European standard. UIAA 106 and EN-12492 require specific side, front, and rear impact tests, a chin strap strength test, and a “slippage” test to ensure the helmet remains positioned properly on the head. According to the UIAA document, “standard 106 is similar but more stringent; for example, the peak force transmitted must not exceed 8kN rather than the 10kN allowed in the EN standard.”

There is a small gray area here, and it comes into play with more minimalist ski helmets, like the Petzl Meteor and Scirocco. Petzl is known for thorough testing and meeting standards. With climbing/ski helmets like the two noted above, the helmets meet climbing/mountaineering standards established in EN-12492 and Petzl standards for side and top impacts. To be clear, these helmets, and others like them, are not certified for on-piste skiing. These helmets do not meet EN 1077 A or EN 1077 B standards.   

Below are some backcountry ski/ride helmet options that illustrate how some meet certain standards, and others do not. There is much to consider: overall weight, ventilation, multisport use, and feature set.