A climbing helmet protects your head against falling debris (rockfall, icefall etc.) and if you accidentally hit into a wall or an overhang. Therefore, a climbing helmet is necessary, not only for hardcore climbing, but also for mountaineering and hiking in areas where rockfall or icefall is common. If you are often hiking and mountaineering on steep and rocky terrain, it is very likely that you will encounter rockfall at some point. In the following we selected and reviewed the best climbing helmets of 2023. We only listed helmets which are perfect for mountaineering, hiking, via ferrata ascents and other aerobic outdoor activities. All products in this review are lightweight and provide good breathability. They are also a great option for sport climbing and ice climbing.

1. Our Picks of Climbing Helmets

1. Black Diamond Vapor
2. Mammut Wall Rider
3. Petzl Sirocco
4. Black Diamond Half Dome
5. Petzl Boreo

2. Comparison of Climbing Helmets

Feature/Product	Black Diamond Vapor	Mammut Wall Rider	Petzl Sirocco	Black Diamond Half Dome	Petzl Boreo
Type	Shelled foam	Foam (with hardshell panel)	Foam (with hardshell panel)	Hardshell	Hardshell
Weight	6.6 oz.	6.9 oz	6 oz.	11 oz.	10.5 oz
Weight (Metric)	186 g	195 g	170 g	310 g	285 g
Sizes	S/M, M/L	S/M, M/L	S/M, M/L	S/M, M/L	S/M, M/L
Head Circumference	21-23 in. (S/M), 23-25 in. (M/L)	20.5-22.4 in. (S/M), 22-24 in. (M/L)	18.9-22.8 in. (S/M), 20.1-24 in. (M/L)	19-22.5 in. (S/M), 22-24 in. (M/L)	18.9-22 in. (S/M), 20.9-24 in. (M/L)
Head Circumference (Metric)	53-58 cm (S/M), 58-64 cm (M/L)	52-57 cm (S/M), 56-61 cm (M/L)	48-58 cm (S/M), 53-61 cm (M/L)	48-57 cm (S/M), 55-61.5 cm (M/L)	48-56 cm (S/M), 53-61cm (M/L)

3. The Selection

1. Black Diamond Vapor

Suitable for:

• Mountaineering
• Sport Climbing
• Alpine Climbing
• Ice Climbing
• Ski Touring
• Hiking

 

The Black Diamond Vapor is ideal for tough ascents due to its low weight. The helmet has a lightweight polycarbonate shell and polystyrene foam lining for impact absorption. A Kevlar sheet is placed between the shell and the polystyrene lining for extra strength. Therefore, the Vapor helmet provides great durability and can withstand repeated impacts. It has several vents on the sides which allow warm air and moisture to escape to the outside. The headband circumference can be adjusted easily and quickly with a plastic slider bar and the helmet also has an adjustable chin strap. It comes with three clips which allow you to securely attach a headlamp without fuss. The Black Diamond Vapor is super lightweight but also very durable and therefore it’s one of the best climbing helmets currently available.

 

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2. Mammut Wall Rider

Suitable for:

• Mountaineering
• Sport Climbing
• Alpine Climbing
• Ice Climbing
• Ski Touring
• Hiking

 

The Mammut Wall Rider is made of impact-absorbing and super lightweight polypropylene foam. It also has a hardshell panel which covers the top and front side. Due to the hardshell panel, the helmet offers good protection against rockfall and icefall. Furthermore, the hardshell panel also increases the durability and thus lifespan of the helmet. The headband circumference and chin strap length can be adjusted with a webbing system. Unlike on many other climbing helmets, the webbing system on the Mammut Wall Rider helmet works very well – you just pull the straps backwards to tighten the headband. The helmet also has headlamp attachment clips and several vents on the sides for good breathability. The Mammut Wall Rider is a great option because it combines good protection with a low weight.

 

3. Petzl Sirocco

Suitable for:

• Mountaineering
• Sport Climbing
• Alpine Climbing
• Ice Climbing
• Ski Touring
• Hiking

 

The Petzl Sirocco has a design similar to the Mammut Wall Rider above. It is made of polypropylene foam and has a polystyrene shell on the top for extra protection and longer lifespan. However, the shell on the Petzl Sirocco helmet covers a smaller area than the shell on the Mammut helmet. Therefore, the Petzl Sirocco helmet is even lighter – it weighs merely six ounces. The helmet is super easy to adjust and has a magnetic buckle on the chin strap for fast and easy buckling. It also has two clips and a rear elastic for attaching a headlamp. The Petzl Sirocco has been updated in 2017 – the first model of Sirocco helmet didn’t have a polysterene shell. It was made solely of polypropylene foam.

 

4. Black Diamond Half Dome

Suitable for:

• Mountaineering
• Sport Climbing
• Alpine Climbing
• Ice Climbing
• Ski Touring
• Hiking

 

The Black Diamond Half Dome is a hardshell helmet and thus it is, with the weight of 11 ounces, slightly heavier than the helmets listed above. Nevertheless, the helmet is very durable and provides excellent protection. It has a wheel to adjust the circumference of the headband. Therefore, the circumference can be easily and quickly adjusted even when you are wearing the helmet or have the gloves on. The Black Diamond Half Dome helmet also has headlamp clips which securely hold your headlamp. It is a very durable helmet and comes for a low price. Therefore, the Half Dome helmet is perfect for beginners. It is also available in a special women’s version.

 

5. Petzl Boreo

Suitable for:

• Mountaineering
• Sport Climbing
• Alpine Climbing
• Ice Climbing
• Ski Touring
• Hiking

 

The Petzl Boreo replaced the very popular Petzl Elios helmet in 2018. It is, like the Black Diamond Half Dome, a hardshell helmet. It weighs approximately the same and has similar features. However, the vents on the Boreo helmet are slightly bigger and thus it provides better ventilation. The Petzl Boreo helmet is also equipped with four clips for attaching a headlamp. For adjusting the circumference of the headband, it uses a convenient plastic slider bar. The Petzl Bore is also compatible with the Vizion eyeshield (sold separately) which offers protection from ice chips and spindrift. It is a very durable and inexpensive helmet and thus it is perfect for those who are new to climbing and mountaineering.

 

4. Climbing Helmet Buying Advice– What is important?

Helmet Type:

There are three types of climbing helmets; hardshell helmets, shelled foam helmets and foam helmets.

Hardshell climbing helmets:

Hardshell helmets feature an outer shell made of durable ABS plastic and have a foam liner and strap suspension system on the inside. These helmets are very durable and can withstand repeated small impacts (rockfall) without deforming. However, they are usually heavier and less breathable than foam and shelled foam helmets. Hardshell helmets are often called suspension helmets.

Shelled foam climbing helmets:

Shelled foam helmets feature a polycarbonate shell and a thick layer of impact-absorbing polystyrene/polypropylene foam. The polycarbonate shell is not as strong as ABS plastic shell and therefore shelled foam helmets deform faster upon impact than hardshell helmets. However, they are lighter and provide better breathability (by having more vents).

Foam climbing helmets:

Foam helmets are made only of impact-absorbing polystyrene or polypropylene foam – they don’t have a strong and smooth shell on the outside. They deform quickly upon impact but on the other hand they are also super lightweight and thus very comfortable to wear.

When choosing a climbing helmet, think about what is more important to you – durability or comfort. If you want durability (long lifespan) go for a hardshell helmet; if you want a super comfortable helmet, then get a foam helmet, and if you are somewhere in-between, buy a shelled foam helmet. In this selection we listed all three types to suit everyone’s wishes.

Weight:

The lighter the helmet, the more comfortable it is to wear since a lighter climbing helmet puts less pressure on your neck and shifts less around on your head. In this selection we only listed lightweight helmets – the heaviest product in the selection weighs eleven ounces.

Ventilation:

If a climbing helmet doesn’t provide ventilation it makes your scalp sweaty, hot and uncomfortable, especially in warm weather. Therefore, a climbing helmet should have well-positioned vents which allow warm air and moisture to escape to the outside. The size and positioning of vents should, however, not compromise your safety.

Adjustability:

You can typically adjust the circumference of the headband and length of the chin strap to make your helmet fit perfectly. There are three systems for adjusting the circumference of the headband; wheel, plastic slider bar and webbing. The webbing system is typically quite complicated to use (especially with gloves on) while it is easier to adjust a wheel or plastic slider bar. All products in this selection have great adjustability.

Headlamp Compatibility:

Some climbing helmets have clips around them which can hold the strap of a headlamp so that it doesn’t slide downwards or upwards. If your headlamp doesn’t feature clips, you can consider purchasing an adaptor for mounting a headlamp to the helmet – such as the Petzl Kit Adapt which works with Petzl Tikka and Actik type headlamps. You simply glue the adaptor to the helmet. If you haven’t got a headlamp yet, check out our review of the Best Headlamps.

Size:

Climbing helmets are typically available in at least two sizes which fit different head circumferences. For each helmet in this review we listed which sizes cover which head circumference in the comparison table above.

Color:

For everything except sport climbing, choose a bright color so that your team members (or rescue squad) can see you in conditions of low visibility.

5. Questions and Answers