Which helmet?

[Toby]

It's a friends birthday and his wife wants a good helmet as present.

Can you tell which ones you guys would recommend?

Thanks!

[Kykeon]

I have the standard gath and I'm happy.
Good coverage of the head as well. (forehead, ears, back)

[ChickenD!ken]

Friend of mine swears by the Bern Brighton ski helmet. Haven’t tried myself.

[joriws]

Sweet protection helmets are nice looking, established brand and well protecting their users.

For example Strutter is baseball-cap like helmet with small volume (bucket effect) with carbon fiber shell.
https://sweetprotection.com/sp_eu/catal ... egory/157/
- web page lists only current models but from shops you can probably find older colorization themes if those suit better.

Unfortunately I can not fully recommend buying blind, for example sweet helmets (strutter and rocker) does not suit for my head, too narrow from side. But all my friends have Sweets for white water kayaking and kiting. One uses Rocker also for winder sports (kiting and alpine).

[Lokihel]

Whichever helmet you choose, make sure he tries it.

You could buy the best helmet there is out there, if it does not fit properly it will be rubbish.
In my opinion any certified helmet will do, which make you choose will depend on which one fits best.
Also very important, adjust the chin straps properly trying the helmet. If the straps aren't adjusted, all helmets will slide.

[jeromeL]

I like the kind with ear protection.
If there is a sun cap would be nice too haven seen many.

[Dwight]

Neil Pryde NP....has the best lining for water sports in my opinion.

[nothing2seehere]

I like the kind with ear protection.
If there is a sun cap would be nice too haven seen many.

When on holiday and I need a sun visor (I haven't gotten on with sunglasses so well) I just wear a old cotton cap underneath my helmet. Needs to be pretty thin to fit comfortably. The visor part will bend rather than grip the water. Never gets sunny enough at home though so strictly for holiday use only for me.

[jeromeL]

I like the kind with ear protection.
If there is a sun cap would be nice too haven seen many.

When on holiday and I need a sun visor (I haven't gotten on with sunglasses so well) I just wear a old cotton cap underneath my helmet. Needs to be pretty thin to fit comfortably. The visor part will bend rather than grip the water. Never gets sunny enough at home though so strictly for holiday use only for me.

Thanks I will try that, on holiday I just grab my dakine Indo hat but I would prefer to grab helmet. But the hat under helmet sounds like good idea. Though often helmet is bulky to bring along.

[iriejohn]

I've got Gath Surf Convertible which initially was a bit tight on the corners of my forehead but when I changed the "Comfort Strip" from 7mm to 6mm (yes, that little) it was spot on. As long as you get the right basic size to start with I reckon you can make it fit any head nicely by playing with the Gath Comfort Strips (which come in several different thicknesses) because you can mix and match the different thicknesses front/back/side to side etc.

Much lighter and more comfortable than the two Mystics I had before and no bucket effect either.