The Best Snow Helmets of 2023: Tested

The best helmets are the ones that you can wear all day long, all season long and Smith's Vantage Mips® is exactly that. It's one of our most popular all-mountain offerings for good reason—the brimmed helmet supplies noteworthy tech, excellent ventilation and comfort bell-to-bell.

The Vantage scores high in the comfort category thanks to several features, among them a hybrid ABS construction with Koroyd inserts (more on the latter below) that keeps weight to a minimum—no bobblehead vibes here. A Wasatch County, Utah, tester appreciated the handy goggle retainer and the “extra-large pad” on the buckle strap, which offers maximum comfort once you're all bundled up to shred. After two back-to-back seasons and adventures big and small in the Vantage, he summed it up: “It’s one of the comfiest helmets I’ve owned.” A padded, antimicrobial liner helps the comfort cause, adding ample cushioning and reducing sweat-induced stink, while plush, audio-compatible earpads keep the ears warm on bitter, blizzard days. 

“Not only do the earpads add welcome warmth on subfreezing storms, but they’re removable, making the Vantage ready for spring use too,” reported our Lake Tahoe area, California, snowboarder. If removing the earpads allows skiers to open the windows, the primo ventilation system lets them crank the AC. Our Utah rider raved about the Vantage's 21-vent AirEvac system, judging it easy to use and extremely effective. “Slide the two tabs forward to stay cool on those spring groomer days,” he said. “Slide the two tabs back for those deep days to help keep the wind and snow out so you can stay warm and ride longer.”

The Vantage sports Mips technology—a thin, plastic, low-friction insert that reduces rotational forces caused by angled impacts to the head (our testers always gravitate toward Mips or similar technology when possible). But Mips isn’t the only tech at play in the Vantage. Zonal Koroyd inserts—the rows of welded, strawlike tubes on the top of the helmet—crumple instantly and consistently to help absorb the force of both direct and angled impacts.

Our testers had only two critiques for this all-star helmet. One found the brimmed style a little outdated. Also, a splitboarder reported that while the helmet is lightweight and well-suited for all-day resort use, he judged it “too bulky for the backcountry.”

Coming in at just over a hundred bucks, the Mips®-equipped Ledge by Giro is our top pick for value. Thanks to its skate-inspired outline, minimalistic build and understated style, it’s also a great choice for terrain parks too.

Our Colorado-based tester was familiar with the Ledge even before putting it to the test for this review. “With Mips, a Boa®-like dial, a secure-but-barely-noticeable fit and the versatility to wear your goggles over or under (even the goggle clip is removeable if you choose not to use it), this helmet is pretty darn hard to beat for the price,” he commented.

Style was a major plus for another tester, who appreciated that the Ledge "doesn’t look like one of those high-performance space helmets.” The clean, simple design has functional advantages too: “It integrates with a wide range of goggles, so no dreaded forehead gap,” he said after testing with goggles, like the Anon M4 and Giro Axis.

Adjustability was a key selling point as well. Our crew liked the option to raise or lower the height of the dial. “This gave the helmet some extra versatility in dialing in your fit,” said one tester. If you like to rock a beanie beneath your helmet or prefer to ride without ear flaps, both liner and ear flaps are easy to remove, allowing you to further tweak your kit. That said, our tester did mention that he prefers a helmet that sits lower on the temples, ears and especially the occipital bones, but confessed he hardly noticed the helmet while riding—"exactly what you want in a helmet.”

One other tester grievance: The minimalistic vents of the Ledge are adequate, but there’s no option to close them, which can be a nuisance on powder days. It’s easy to overlook these demerits, though, based on the Ledge’s attractive price and performance that punches above its pay grade.

Gram-counting backcountry skiers and splitboarders demand lightweight, efficient touring equipment, and manufacturers often answer by slashing features to keep weight down. The Giro Grid and Envi, however, offer the best of both worlds: The low weight—14 ounces for a size medium—impressed our testers, while the helmets' full-featured build made them fall in love. 

While there are other options in this weight class, one tester who toured with the Grid for the last two seasons found elements in the Grid that are often lacking in lighter backcountry helmets. “You get the rotational protection of Mips®, full-wrap coverage, comfortable earpads, a quick-and-easy magnetic buckle and stylish design,” he said.

Most Mips-equipped helmets rely on hard plastic liners that can cause discomfort, but Giro utilized Mips-backed “Spherical Technology” for the Envi and Grid. This tech mimics a ball and socket joint: The helmet construction consists of two separate liners of EPS foam, one inner liner and one outer liner. According to Giro, this helps redirect impact forces away from the brain by allowing the outer liner to rotate around the inner liner during a crash.

A cruisy Tahoe-based female snowboarder and splitboarder appreciated the discreet Spherical Tech and moisture-wicking, ultrasoft Polartec® liner. “This is the most comfortable helmet I’ve tested when forgoing a beanie or balaclava,” she said. The earpads were soft and flexible, allowing the Giro backcountry bucket to stash well in helmet-carry systems, she added.

Our splitboarder-tester judged the Grid his go-to for most backcountry tours but acknowledged there are better options for technical ascents after taking the Grid on a weeklong camp and shred trip to Denali National Park. “The venting system is great for riding, but bootpacking with this isn’t ideal.” The Giro Envi and Grid lack the breathability of some of the other helmets we tested. If both breathability and mountaineering are top priorities for you, you may want to take a gander at the Smith Summit Mips. 

Another gripe that testers noticed as time went on: The lightweight shell isn’t the most durable, and the Grid succumbed to dings and dents during travel more than heavier helmets we tested. While many skiers and snowboarders ignore minor, non-impact-related nicks, helmet manufacturers like Giro err on the side of caution and recommend replacing helmets anytime an outer shell is potentially compromised. We recommend storing in a soft case and packing intentionally to minimize risk.

Backcountry skiers and splitboarders sometimes shred no-fall zones in climbing helmets that aren’t rated for downhill skiing, or they climb couloirs in ski helmets that aren’t certified for rockfall—both sketchy practices. Smith’s triple-certified Summit Mips® is a solution to the problem: It’s lightweight, well-ventilated and certified to standards for alpine snow sports and mountaineering. (All ski and snowboard helmets sold at REI Co-op meet the most common U.S.-based standard for snow helmet certification, known as ASTM F2040, but most are not rated for mountaineering). Learn more in our Buying Advice section.

A hybrid of climbing helmet and ski helmet, designed with input from renowned Smith backcountry skiers Cody Townsend and Hadley Hammer, the Summit Mips is at its best going uphill, according to a skin track slayer in our test crew. “At [14 ounces] for a medium, it’s extremely light, and the easy-to-use Boa^® adjustability system nests into the helmet for compact carrying,” he reported. “More importantly, 33 vents supply enough airflow that you won’t hate wearing this helmet on prolonged climbs when rockfall is a concern, or if you’re booting behind a speed demon and chunks of snow are raining down from above.” He appreciated that the helmet was designed with billed hats in mind for sunny sojourns, as well as the headlamp compatibility for dawn patrols and the included beanie liner for gnarlier weather.

For the descent, the Summit taps Zonal Koroyd tech and a Mips liner to help mitigate against rotational forces. It’s an impressive array of armor given the compact package.

That said, it’s a more minimalist helmet than others in our lineup, and it doesn’t wrap as low on the back of the head as other more downhill-oriented helmets we’ve tested. Testers agreed that uphill is where the Summit shines. “It’s by far my favorite helmet for uphill travel—which is 95% of backcountry skiing when you think about it,” reported one Tahoe backcountry regular.

Smith didn’t skimp on the Glide Junior Mips, outfitting the grom-sized ski helmet with much of the same tech as the brand’s acclaimed adult offerings. A durable outer shell and EPS foam interior are molded together for a lightweight build, while a Mips® liner reduces rotational motion to the brain in the event of a pileup. For comfort, warmth and reduced likelihood of chairlift tantrums on frigid days, the helmet is padded with a plush, fleecy insert.

Our testers loved the sleek outline and bright colorway of the helmet we tested. “I liked the style and color—that’s a 10,” commented one pint-sized rider. Adjustability and fit earned similar kudos—the trouble-free dial allowed a brother and sister duo to test the same size. One aspect of the helmet, however, was up for debate: the velvety liner. While this comfort-oriented feature is pro during cold snaps, it can make for sweaty skiing on milder days.