Helmets form an integral part of snowmobiling. It was the first thing that I bought for my snowmobiling adventure. They look elegant, and we all have a fondness for them. They are not just for aesthetic appeal but for our safety. All the recent models have great protection that can easily protect us from unwanted impacts.
Further, with the research that has been going on in this field, there are many emerging trends regarding snowmobile helmets. One such innovation is the heated visors. These are a complete solution to the problem of fog. The inclusion of a breath box is another such innovation.
Related: Best Snowmobile GPS – Navigate the Winter Wonderland
There are different brands that manufacture helmets, and they come in different sizes and forms. In the latter section of this article, I have mentioned at least three of the most popular types of snowmobiling helmets that are out there in the market. Thus, it has become difficult to choose helmets easily. Not anymore! I have researched most of the models and listed below my Top 7 Best Snowmobile Helmets.
The overall purpose of this article is to provide our readers with a comprehensive buying guide. The article will provide a list of the Top 7 best snowmobile helmets, at the same time, also provide a comprehensive buying guide. The guide will discuss some important factors we need to consider while shopping for a new helmet. I will also address some of the most commonly asked questions.
7 Best Snowmobile Helmets In 2024
Here are the top 7 best snowmobile helmets based on my research and after considering all the essential factors.
How Do I Keep My Snowmobile Helmet From Fogging Up?
We can protect our snowmobile helmets from fogging up in many ways. There are specific anti-fog/anti-scratch visors that we can go with. In Full-face helmets, there is the provision of a breath box or a breath guard.
There are specifically built systems that sit on top of our noses, pushing out our breath without letting it come into contact with the glass. There are heated visors in more expensive models and some mid-range helmets. They are the best solution when it comes to fog mitigation. The visors are connected with some electric elements that remove the fog.
How Often Should You Replace A Snowmobile Helmet?
Many standard rating agencies, like the ECE, DOT, and SNELL, recommend changing our helmets every 3-5 years. We should consider other factors when deciding when to change our helmets.
Snowmobiling is a demanding sport. Years of snowmobiling will surely wear down our helmets to a large extent. The harsh conditions and the rough usage of the helmet make us change our helmets.
The other issue we need to factor in is the wearing out of technology. With rapid advancements in helmet technology, the helmet we buy today will most likely become highly outdated in the next 4-5 years. Thus, even if our helmet were to be perfectly fine, it might not be able to provide the best technology available in the market.
1 . West Cross X Helmet – Best Overall
In my opinion, the West Cross X helmet is the best overall helmet for snowmobiling. I have used this helmet personally for some time and find its value great for the money.
The West Cross X comes with a great sporty design. We can safely assume that the integration of a classic dirt bike helmet design and a sporty design is well-engineered. The helmet’s interior is carefully designed with padded inserts that provide adequate cushioning.
It covers the face and neck and provides proper protection. It will provide good protection against any kind of unintended impact.
It has dual visors; the outer visor is an anti-scratch visor integrated with a sun shield visor. The other thing I love about this helmet is the ability to remove the outer visor when needed. We can remove the other visor, for example, when we need to insert any kind of motocross goggles or glasses.
Another positive I found in this West Cross Helmet is that the design is so well implemented that it significantly reduces the outside noises. While the visors protect us from harmful sunrays, the overall aerodynamic design and the paddings protect our ride from getting all noisier.
The other benefit of such an aerodynamic design is that it can deflect the wind effectively. It can be important when we go on our adventure with cold, snowy winds blowing.
The helmet provides good ventilation, which makes it highly breathable. The helmet’s material is highly lightweight, making it comfortable to carry around.
Why Is The West Cross X Helmet The Best Snowmobiling Helmet In 2024?
There are many reasons why the West Cross helmet is the best snowmobiling helmet that we can buy. The first obvious reason is the look of this helmet. The classy dirt bike helmet look and the sporty aerodynamic design make the helmet stand out.
The adjustability feature of the visor and the ability to replace the outer visor for a goggle or glasses are a great addition.
Moreover, when it comes to user satisfaction, these received highly positive reviews. One such analysis puts the positive ratings up to 85%, which makes it a great overall choice.
What’s more, the West Cross X has a DOT certification which makes it ideal not just for snowboarding but also fit for highly challenging off-road sports.
The West Cross helmet, I feel, is a perfect product designed for those who want optimum safety from the helmet yet want it at a reasonable price. The functionality, comfort, and overall design make this the best overall helmet for snowmobiling in 2024.
2 . AHR Full Face Helmet for Snowmobiling – Runner Up
The runner-up on my list is the AHR helmet. This is a brand that has been in the limelight for some time. They have been manufacturing Motorcycle helmets for almost two decades and are known for their safety.
Their helmets feel more like a riding partner because of their proper aerodynamic design. With their experience, I feel this can be the perfect choice for us if we go on a snowmobiling ride.
The AHR helmet has a full-face visor that meets the USA’s DOT standards. The tough, high-quality visor is perfect in case of any unfortunate impacts and offers great resistance to wind, and reduces noise to a large extent. It is equipped with an ABS shell and reinforced by heavy cushioning in the interior of the helmet.
The cushioning makes sure that our ride is smooth and comfortable throughout. Another excellent addition to the helmet is the presence of dual visors. The outer visor delivers a wide visual field, while the inner visor is equipped with sun protection for a smoother ride.
Additionally, the Helmet also comes with a removable and washable cheek pad. This additional customization makes this helmet one of the most sought-after products for snowmobiling.
The AHR helmet packs in a lot of interior features. It has a quick-release buckle system, making removing and fitting the helmet tight convenient. The helmet’s interior is manufactured using high-quality padded material, which doe snot allow bacterial build-up.
Further, it is also washable, which increases the overall durability of the helmet. We have already talked about the reinforced removable chin strap for easy fitting. The interior of the helmet also sports the inner visor control for better adjustability and ease.
At 4 pounds, the AHR helmet is lightweight and comes with most of the safety features need in a good-quality helmet. This is a seniors helmet that needs to be checked out.
3 . Ilm Snowmobile Helmet – Premium Pick
ILM snowmobile helmet makes it to my most premium list because of the range of features that it comes with. It comes in a matte black color profile and comes with a high-quality ABS shell and high-density EPS foam.
The highlight of the product is the compatibility with a Heated fog visor. It is easily available and can be ordered using the instructions given on the website.
The helmet is made keeping in focus a sleek Airfoil Design. It is designed and manufactured keeping aerodynamics in mind. One of the advantages of such a good design is the noticeable reduction in air resistance during our high-intensity trails. COMTEX inner liners ensure that the helmet is antibacterial and adequately breathable.
All these features and careful engineering are a testament to ILM’s commitment and ensure that this helmet’s premium precision is worth it.
The Pinlock mechanism is one of the significant features of this helmet. It keeps the visor fog-resistant and, by doing that, provides a great deal of protection to the rider. The Pinlock 30 inserts also offer us a clear vision so that we can enjoy our time riding even in the most challenging conditions.
The Pinlock mechanism is a special patented system for the Netherlands that consists of 3 important components. The first component is the Slit- It keeps the lens safely between the face shield and the pin. The Silicone Seal creates a double shield system between the helmet and pin-lock lens.
Lastly, the in-house Dry Hydrophilic technology is a perfect solution to the moisture buildup on the visor.
The helmet can provide considerable features and is highly comfortable. However, it does not come equipped with a heated visor, and the protection provided by the liner could have been a lot better.
The helmet, with its overall build quality and the presence of the Pinlock system, makes a compelling case for itself and is highly recommended.
4 . TCT-Motorparts Helmet
The next Snowmobile helmet that I want to highlight is the TCT-Motorparts Helmet. It has a minimalist design and is highly affordable. This can be a great helmet for those looking for an inexpensive helmet that can provide adequate protection.
The helmet is made using injection-molded polycarbonate and a thermoplastic composite shell. The overall feel of the helmet is good. It comes in different color variants.
I like the design profile and the color of the orange and black variants. It has an elegant look to it but, at the same time, feels sporty. The helmet comes with DOT certification.
The TCT-Motorparts mirror has a wider field of view and comes with anti-fog, anti-scratch coating. It has a removable helmet liner and cheek pads for better security and safety.
These cheek pads and liners can be removed easily. They can also be replaced in case we want a better one or it wears out.
The helmet has provisions of full front-to-back airflow ventilation that helps from moisture build-up and formation. The chin strap has a D-ring closure and strap keeper for better accessibility.
Overall, this is a very robustly built helmet that is affordable and meets all the minimum requirements.
5 . Typhoon TH158 Snowmobile Helmets
These special helmets are made specifically keeping snowmobiling in mind. These Typhoon Snowmobile helmets are manufactured using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene material which is supposed to be strong enough to withhold most of the impacts.
Typhoon Th meets the DOT standard, which makes them highly tested and can be used for extreme sports. They have been put through high-level testing and have come out great on all fronts.
The helmet has a smooth opening and closure thanks to the comfortable design and soft lining. The fitting is further enhanced with the presence of easy actuation buttons. The helmet supports a retractable tinted sun visor which can be easily removed.
The most impressive feature of this helmet is the presence of a double pane heated shield that comes with a power cord, RCA connection, an adjustable breadbox, and a chin skirt.
The heated shield is specially designed to be used along with a snowmobile. The power cord provided along with the visor can be easily plugged into a snowmobile and power the heated visor for better visibility.
Moreover, the design of the product is perfect for minimum wind resistance. The design profile also hosts an advanced front flow opening and closing ventilation system.
It makes the helmet more breathable while not allowing much moisture building to take place. The presence of an easy quick-release option for the chin strap provides added adjustability.
The TYphoon Snowmobile Helmet is well-built with many adjustable features and houses a heated visor control making it one of the best in the market.
6 . Castle X Mode Dual-Sport Trance Electic Helmet
This Castle X Mode Trance electric helmet comes with all the important technology available in the market. This is the helmet to go for if we want a helmet that provides an up-market experience.
Sometimes, I like to use a helmet that comes with the latest innovation and improves the basic issues we tend to encounter with a traditional helmet.
The Castle X Mode Trance shell is made using advanced polycarbonate composite injection molding. It provides the helmet with a sturdy and robust build. There are multi-density EPS liners in the chin bar laterals.
Castle gives the helmet a modern, aggressive look with the help of CAD technology. The design element allows the helmet to deflect the wind and noise easily.
The helmet has a rider-friendly drop-down visor with a good field of view. The visor comes fitted with an aggressive Hi-Definition smoke tint sun visor. The panes are coated with special anti-fog/anti-scratch layers that also correct the dual pane face shield.
The eyeglass-friendly cheek pads provide that extra layer of protection. The entire interior padding system is removable and washable, which is a handy adjustability to have. It offers a great fit, easily treats perspiration, and is hypoallergenic and antibacterial.
Although it comes with all these modern technologies, the helmet does not skip on the traditional features. It is equipped with a quick-release chin strap with micro-adjustments for better fit and comfort.
Moreover, the air ventilation system is also one of the best that we can’t find. This advanced air-ventilation system does not allow the air to get stored and allows an easy flow from front to back through the EPS liner to remove excess heat and moisture.
The electric dual-pane anti-fog shield is the most significant improvement in terms of overall functionality compared to the other helmets. I am someone who has used the special electric anti-fog system, and believes me when I say this: there’s just no going back!
The electric anti-fog system works great in most testing conditions and does not allow any kind of fog build-up. It lets us have a clear view of our destination and provides easy sailing.
The additional features include a good quality breath box that only adds to the rider’s safety. The breath box and the cold weather chin curtains are removable, which is appreciable. The castle X helmets have the additional compatibility of optional face shields and sun visors, which we can buy separately. I highly doubt that we would need any of those.
This helmet is overall a complete package and provides a great experience. It is DOT and ECE-approved. If we want a little bit of fun and don’t hesitate to spend a few bucks extra, this can be a great addition to our snowmobiling gear.
7 . 509 Altitude 2.0 Helmet
If there is any competitor to the Castle x Trance helmet, it is the 509 Altitude 2.0 Helmet. This is the newer version of the already bestselling 509 Altitude series. This new version comes with an even stronger build, is lighter, and feels even more comfortable to wear, thanks to the new fiberglass construction.
Expanded polystyrene is used in manufacturing the inner part of the helmet. There is added padding for extra comfort.
The 509 Altitude comes with upper vents with an on/off shutter closure that allows for better airflow with good customization. The in-house Fidlock chinstrap system feels absolutely fluid and makes for a perfect fit.
The helmet’s inner padding makes the ride even more comfortable. The special fiberglass material with added aerodynamic design makes it good at resisting wind and noise. The protection system includes the removable pro-series breath box for better air circulation, thereby restricting fog build-up.
The 509 Altitude series was famous among snowmobilers due to its reliability, and this new upgrade takes it further. The 509 comes with a handful of mounting accessories. It has a Go-Pro mounting capability and optional eyeport, 509 goggles capability.
At 5.29 pounds, the 509 Altitude 2.0 is lightweight but also comes with DOT certification making it robust and highly durable.
How To Buy The Best Helmet For Snowmobiling In 2024?
Buying a snowmobiling helmet can be difficult, but it is extremely important. They come in different varieties and in different price points. I have listed the most important factors we should look for while choosing our next snowmobile helmet.
Types of Helmet
Before going into the market and looking for any other factor, the first priority is choosing the type of helmet we need according to our riding style.
The are many types of helmets that are available in the market. The three most famous types are full face helmets, open face helmets, and modular helmets.
Full Face Helmets
These are the most famous types of helmets worn by most snowmobile riders. There are some distinct advantages that these helmets possess. These helmets are simple and lightweight.
They have a robust design element and are quite affordable. They have fixed visors and thus do not require any kind of additional goggles. These visors save the rider from the gusting wind and improve visibility.
It is advisable to get a full-face helmet that comes with a heated system. That will drastically reduce the chances of fog build-up on the visor. They also come with a breath box.
They allow our breath to pass through easily so that it does not cause any fog to build up on the visor. The issue with these types of helmets is that they can get a lot warmer inside. The breath box could also prove to be a cause for concern as it can bother us while removing the helmet.
Open-face Helmet
These helmets are very easy to spot. The most obvious difference with the Full-face helmets is the absence of the front visors. An opening replaces the front visor.
The main advance to the rider is that it can provide excellent ventilation for the air to pass through. The entire body of the helmet is lightweight and provides much more mobility to the rider. These are perfect for those who want a more racing helmet style.
Getting a good pair of goggles is mandatory to save us from the wind and snow. What I can recommend is to get the goggles from the same brand as the helmet. That will give the helmet a much better fit.
The downside to this kind of helmet is that it will need us to have separate goggles and a breath deflector.
Modular Helmet
The next type of helmet that is also becoming popular is the modular type of helmet. These helmets incorporate the features of both open-face and full face helmets.
They have the overall structure of a full-faced helmet but with the visor removable. They can be instantly turned into an open-face helmet. Many modular helmets also come with a “dual visor” system, where one visor supports our face and the other visor act as a sunglass.
The issue with these helmets is that, although beautiful, there are certain compromises in the build quality.
Shields
These are also important factors to consider while choosing our snowmobile helmet. What makes the snowmobile helmet shield different from a motorcycle helmet is the type of shield used.
A single-pane shield is used in the motorcycle helmet, whereas a dual shield is used in a snowmobile helmet. This is not just in the case of full-faced helmets but also with the goggles in open-face helmets.
Framed Vs. Frameless
Whether we go with a frameless or traditional framed design is our choice. The only reason to go with a frameless design is that they look aesthetically appealing.
Dual Pane
These are very important in a snowmobiling helmet. They help reduce the amount of fog build-up on the shied in cold winter conditions. The dual panes are separated from each other by a space.
The empty space will then be filled up with a thin layer of gas. The gas will then act as an insulator, thereby preventing the buildup of fog on the screen.
Heated Electric Shield
I feel this is the most important feature that snowmobile riders need to invest in. I have been using helmets with a heated electric shield, and the extra convenience that these provide is unparalleled. This is the only simple way to get rid of the fog buildup.
These electric shields have heating elements running through the helmet. This shield has a plug that can be connected through the snowmobile’s system. Most dual-pane shields cannot completely eliminate the fog from the shield; these heated elements can.
Breath Guard
Another important factor that we can look for is the breath guard. These are also provided in most helmets to restrict fog formation. This breath guard falls rightly over our nose and lets t[our breath pass through without touching the glass.
In this way, it prevents fog formation. The breath guard is present in almost all the full-faced helmets but needs to be separately bought in some open-faced helmets.
Ventilation
The other important factor that we need to look for is the helmet’s ventilation. This is one of the factors that we mostly don’t put a lot of focus on. They are critical for regulating the airflow inside the helmet.
They help to clear our breath which can lead to moisture buildup inside the helmet. Without proper ventilation, the helmet can also become too warm. Thus, a decent amount of ventilation is paramount to our overall comfort.
Safety Ratings
Most new buyers do not give much attention to the safety rating. But when it comes to sports like snowmobiling, these are of utmost importance. DOT, SNELL, and ECE systems usually rate the helmets. They test helmets for impact, penetration (Blow from sharp objects), and Peripheral vision.
Price
For many, this is the most important thing before looking at any other features. Price plays an important role in determining the features we will get in our helmets.
The more expensive our helmet gets, the most sophisticated features get added up. The pricier helmets come with a heated visor, which is very useful in mitigating the problem of fogging.
However, it is not just about the price. Some helmets have fewer features but provide an overall better feel. Thus, it is important to look for the helmet’s feel, fit, and comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Anti-Fog Spray Work On Helmets?
Are 509 Helmets Warm?
They also have a breath box that makes sure that our breath doe snot get locked up inside, which can sufficiently increase the temperature.
What Is The Best FXR Snowmobile Helmet?
Conclusion
In the above article, we have discussed the 7 Best Snowmobile helmets. Let us easily summarize some of the main features of these helmets. The West Cross X is the best overall helmet.
It has a sporty design and also supports dual visors. It is an overall value-for-money product. The AHR helmet is decided as a runner-up. It is lightweight, has dual visor support, and has good-quality inner paddings for comfort.
It is good to have all the impressive features in a snowmobile helmet, but the most important thing we need to keep in mind while deciding is the overall fit of the helmet. Without a proper fitting, the whole experience of snowmobiling won’t be as fruitful.
While deciding on our next helmet, the one thing which we often neglect is the safety ratings. Those should be kept in mind while going into the market.
The ultimate trick to buying a new helmet is trying out different helmets and finding the one that best suits our budget and fit and our riding style.
Lastly, I hope that riders can make an informed decision through my list of the top 7 best snowmobile helmets.
