Everyone from beginners to experts needs to use a skiing helmet for downhill or pipe snow sports. Advancing technology keeps making gear safer, more protective, and even lowering its weight — meaning that there's no excuse for not purchasing one. Helmets would protect your brain and head from potential damage should you fall while on your skis or snowboard. They come in many styles and are often made of a hard plastic or resin shell with a soft padding on the inside lining. Many of them offer ventilation shafts to keep your head cool during runs, while others have earmuffs or headphones built in. Others still made be custom-made for using with goggles or may have camera placements built into them.

Individuals wear ski helmets when skiing or snowboarding in order to protect themselves. Falls are too common an occurrence in both sports, and people who wear this type of gear are significantly less likely to have a head injury. Ski helmets also protect from the cold, snow, and wind: all of which seem to multiply when speeding down a mountain.

Many of the helmets on this list have the acronym MIPS after them. MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. This system uses slip-plane technology inside the helmet, which makes the protective layers more effective. MIPS allows headgear to absorb more of the impact should a fall occur and to reduce the sorts of rotational forces that can cause severe joint and brain injuries. This is important because, in the event that the head rotates and comes to a forceful stop, the remaining force has to go somewhere — and it often hits the brain. MIPS technology keeps the linear impact of this stress from hitting as hard by absorbing that extra force.

Not all head protection is the same. In the same way that a pickup truck can carry heavy loads while a van can carry more people, ski helmets are different from biking helmets. They are built with different features, such as temperature-sensitive materials and built-in ear coverage. The two main parts of this type of headgear are the shell and the inner liner.

• The shell: the outer layer of the helmet. This is a heavy plastic layer with a hard, rigid surface. Most of the options on this list are made from ABS high-impact plastic, which helps protect the head from injury, objects, and abrasions. When you do fall, the shell spreads the force other places, so it doesn’t all focus on one particular spot.
• The inner liner: the inner layer of the helmet. It’s usually made from EPS, or expanded polystyrene foam, a foamy material that absorbs harsh impacts from falls. The inner liner is also responsible for adding direct comfort to your head.

To determine the best ski helmets, we reviewed a variety of different websites to determine the statistics of all the alternatives. We looked at certain attributes, such as price and weight, in order to determine the list of top 10 ski helmets. In nearly every case, each option offers a number of positive features with a few drawbacks at the same time. We’ve taken these into account and tried to present them as neutrally as possible, in order to guide you to make a fair assessment of the choices based on your individual preferences.

Ski helmets can run the gamut in terms of price. Several come in under $100, while others can max out at over $200. Some of the cheaper ones on this list can offer superior protection even for a low price. However, often times they have to sacrifice a few things, be it comfort or cheaper materials, to maintain that lower cost. On the opposite side, the more expensive helmets may be that way due to using costlier technology or having more customizable features. Of course, your level of expertise can also determine the price you’re willing to pay. A beginner may want to pay less while a more experienced skier may not mind paying more.