Choosing the Right Kids Helmet for Your Child

Ensuring the safety of young riders is paramount when they're engaging in biking activities, whether they’re pedalling around the neighbourhood, taking on the trails, or just learning to ride in the backyard. Helmets are a crucial component of their safety gear, serving not only to protect but also to instill good habits from an early age.

At BikesOnline AU, the selection of helmets is designed to meet the diverse needs of young cyclists. This range includes both traditional kids' helmets, known for their bright designs and robust safety features, and open face helmets, which are increasingly popular among older children who venture into more adventurous terrains like mountain biking. Each helmet type offers unique benefits and features, tailored to different styles of cycling and levels of rider experience.

In this guide, we'll explore the various helmet options available, focusing particularly on the advantages of kids and open face helmets. Our goal is to help you understand the critical features to look for and how to choose the perfect helmet that combines safety, comfort, and style, ensuring your child enjoys their biking adventures safely.

Understanding Helmet Types

When selecting a helmet for young cyclists, understanding the distinctions between different types of helmets is crucial. This section will cover the main differences between standard kids' helmets and open face helmets, and explain why each type might be the best fit for your child's biking needs.

Standard Kids Helmets

Standard kids' helmets are designed with the ultimate goal of safety and comfort for younger children. These helmets typically feature:

• Full Coverage: They provide extensive head coverage to protect against impacts from various angles, crucial for younger riders.
• Lightweight Materials: Made from lightweight materials to ensure they do not strain young necks or shoulders.
• Bright Colors and Designs: Often comes in vibrant colors and fun designs that appeal to children, encouraging them to wear them regularly.
• Adjustable Fit: Includes features like adjustable straps and sizing pads to grow with your child, ensuring a snug fit for several years.

These helmets are ideal for general cycling, riding in parks, or learning to ride.

Open Face Helmets

Open face helmets offer a different set of advantages that cater specifically to more adventurous or older child cyclists, particularly those interested in mountain biking:

• Increased Visibility and Airflow: These helmets are designed without a front visor, which enhances visibility and maximizes airflow, keeping the rider cool during more strenuous rides.
• Lightweight Construction: While they provide robust protection, they are also lightweight enough not to hinder movement or become cumbersome during longer rides.
• Versatility: Suitable for a range of activities beyond biking, such as skating or scooting, making them a versatile choice for active kids.

Suitability for Mountain Biking

Open face helmets are particularly suitable for kids who engage in mountain biking for several reasons:

• Enhanced Comfort and Breathability: The open design allows for better air circulation, which is beneficial during intense activities like mountain biking where children are more likely to exert themselves and heat up.
• Better Range of Vision: The lack of a visor or extended front parts allows for an unobstructed view, which is crucial for safely navigating the unpredictable terrains of mountain biking.

By choosing the appropriate helmet type, parents can ensure that their children are not only safe but also comfortable, no matter their choice of biking activity. Each helmet type brings its own set of features to the table, making it important to select based on the child’s most frequent cycling environments and their personal comfort.

Features of Kids Helmets

Kids' helmets are designed with specific features to ensure they are both safe and suitable for younger riders. Understanding these features helps in selecting the right helmet that offers the best protection and comfort for your child. Here, we detail the key features and the safety standards that govern kids' helmets.

Key Features of Kids Helmets

• Adjustability: A good kids' helmet offers various adjustment mechanisms to fit the growing head of a child snugly and comfortably. Features like adjustable straps and a dial at the back allow for fine-tuning the fit, ensuring the helmet stays securely in place even during active play.
• Lightweight Design: The materials used are lightweight yet durable, minimizing the strain on a child’s neck and shoulders. This is crucial for maintaining comfort, which encourages longer periods of wear during bike rides or other sporting activities.
• Ventilation: Adequate ventilation is essential to keep the child cool while cycling. Kids' helmets are equipped with multiple vents that promote airflow, reducing sweat and helping to keep the rider comfortable during physical activity.
• Impact Protection: The core of a child’s helmet is usually made from EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) foam, which is effective at absorbing impact energy. The outer shell is typically hard plastic, designed to spread the force of an impact over a broader area, thereby reducing its effect.
• Wide Coverage: Kids' helmets often offer more coverage around the back and sides of the head compared to adult helmets, providing added protection against falls that can occur in any direction when children are learning to balance and ride.

Safety Standards and Certifications

To ensure they provide adequate protection, kids' helmets must meet specific safety standards and certifications. These standards dictate the areas of coverage, the amount of impact a helmet can withstand, and how securely it should fit. Some of the common standards include:

• CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) Standard: In many countries, including the United States, children's helmets must meet the safety standards set by the CPSC. This standard ensures that the helmet can significantly reduce the impact of forces to the head incurred during a bike crash.
• CE EN 1078: This European standard certifies helmets for cycling, skateboarding, and roller skating, ensuring they meet the minimum requirements for performance and safety.
• AS/NZS 2063: In Australia and New Zealand, helmets need to comply with this standard, which includes rigorous testing for strap system strength, coverage area, and shock absorption.

These certifications are crucial as they ensure that the helmet has undergone extensive testing to meet rigorous safety criteria, giving parents peace of mind that the helmet can protect their child in the event of a fall or collision. When purchasing a helmet, always check for these certifications to ensure the helmet's safety efficacy.

Benefits of Open Face Helmets for Kids

Open face helmets offer a range of benefits tailored specifically to the needs of active, adventurous kids who engage in mountain biking and other outdoor activities. These helmets blend essential safety features with design elements that enhance the overall riding experience. Below, we explore the key benefits that make open face helmets a popular choice among young riders.

Enhanced Visibility and Airflow

• Improved Visibility: Open face helmets are designed without the front visor or less extensive coverage around the face, which significantly enhances peripheral vision. This increased field of view is crucial for young riders, allowing them to better navigate their surroundings, spot obstacles, and react more quickly to changes in the terrain. This is especially important in environments like mountain biking trails, where the ability to see clearly in all directions enhances safety.
• Optimized Airflow: These helmets feature an open design with ample venting which allows for superior airflow over the head. This is particularly beneficial during warm weather or intense physical activity, helping to keep the rider cool and comfortable. The ventilation not only prevents overheating but also reduces the sweat buildup, which can be a distraction and discomfort for kids during long rides.

Balance of Safety with Comfort

• Lightweight Construction: Open face helmets are constructed with lightweight materials that do not compromise on safety. The use of advanced materials like polycarbonate shells combined with EPS foam ensures that the helmet can absorb impact effectively while still being easy to wear. This lightweight design is essential for children, as it reduces the strain on their neck and shoulders, making the helmet more comfortable to wear for extended periods.
• Adjustable Features for Custom Fit: Many open face helmets come with adjustable straps and sizing systems that ensure a snug fit. A proper fit is crucial not only for comfort but also for the effectiveness of the helmet in protecting the head during a crash. The adjustability also means the helmet can grow with the child, providing a lasting fit that continues to offer both comfort and protection as they grow.
• Ergonomic Padding: The interior padding of open face helmets is designed for comfort as well as protection. The padding contours to the shape of the head, providing a cushion that reduces pressure points and enhances comfort. This ergonomic design encourages kids to wear their helmets willingly, as the helmets feel good on their heads, further ensuring their safety while cycling.

These benefits make open face helmets an excellent choice for kids, especially those who are more adventurous and participate in activities like mountain biking. By offering a combination of visibility, airflow, and a balance between safety and comfort, open face helmets help ensure that young riders are protected while enjoying their activities to the fullest.

Popular Kids and Open Face Helmet Models

BikesOnline AU offers a range of helmet models that cater to the needs of young riders, from everyday cycling to more specific activities like mountain biking. Here, we highlight some of the popular models available, discussing their benefits, designs, and safety features based on user reviews.

Popular Kids Helmet Models 

AZUR Kids Helmet Pink

The AZUR Kids Helmet Pink is a protective headgear designed specifically for young cyclists. This helmet is crafted to combine both safety and style, ensuring that it appeals to children while providing robust protection during their biking adventures. Here are some key features and details of the AZUR Kids Helmet in Pink:

• Safety Certification: It meets rigorous safety standards to ensure maximum protection against impacts.
• Design and Features: This helmet features a fun and vibrant pink color that is likely to be popular among young riders. It includes ventilation holes for breathability, keeping the wearer cool and comfortable during rides.
• Adjustability: Equipped with adjustable straps and sizing mechanisms, the AZUR Kids Helmet can be tailored to fit various head sizes securely, ensuring that it remains in place and offers effective protection.
• Material: Typically, children's helmets like this are made from lightweight yet durable materials capable of absorbing significant impact and reducing the force transmitted to the head during a fall or collision.

The AZUR Kids Helmet Pink is an excellent choice for parents looking to ensure their child's safety in a helmet that is both effective and visually appealing. It’s designed to promote safety without compromising on comfort, making it suitable for everyday use in various cycling activities.

Entity KH15 Kids Bike Helmet 

The Entity KH15 Kids Bike Helmet is a well-designed and durable safety helmet tailored for young cyclists. Featuring an adjustable dial system, it ensures a precise and secure fit, enhancing safety and comfort. The helmet includes 14 ventilation holes to promote optimal airflow, keeping the wearer cool during rides. Constructed with a sturdy outer shell and a shock-absorbing EPS liner, it meets stringent safety standards to offer robust impact protection. Its bright colors and sleek design also make it visually appealing to children, encouraging regular use.

Lazer Nutz Kineticore Kids Helmet

The Lazer Nutz Kineticore Kids Helmet is a top-tier protective helmet specifically designed for young cyclists, blending advanced safety features with child-friendly design elements. Here’s what makes it a standout choice:

• Kineticore Technology: This helmet incorporates Kineticore's revolutionary impact protection, which uses controlled crumpling zones to absorb impacts efficiently.
• Lightweight In-Mold Construction: Despite its robust protection, the helmet remains lightweight thanks to its in-mold construction, making it comfortable for everyday wear.
• Adjustable Fit System: It includes an easy-to-use adjustment mechanism to ensure a perfect fit, crucial for both comfort and safety.
• Ventilation: Equipped with ample ventilation, the helmet keeps the wearer cool, even during vigorous riding.
• Safety Certified: The helmet meets high safety standards, giving parents peace of mind about their children's safety.

With these features, the Lazer Nutz Kineticore Kids Helmet not only provides superior protection but also ensures young riders enjoy their cycling adventures in comfort and style. 

These models from BikesOnline AU provide a good mix of style, safety, and functionality, catering to the various needs of young cyclists. Whether for daily commuting to school or tackling the challenges of mountain biking, these helmets ensure that children are well-protected and comfortable. Encouraging your child to choose a helmet that they like and feel comfortable wearing is crucial, as this significantly increases the likelihood that they will wear it consistently, thereby enhancing their safety while cycling.

Buying Guide

Selecting the right helmet for your child involves more than just picking a design they like. It's about finding a helmet that fits well, offers the right level of protection, and suits the type of biking they'll be doing. Here are some crucial factors to consider:

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Helmet

• Size: Ensure the helmet fits your child’s head circumference snugly. Most kids' helmet sizes are listed by age range and head circumference in centimeters. Measure your child's head with a soft tape measure before shopping.
• Activity Type: Consider the type of cycling your child will be doing. Standard helmets are sufficient for street biking, while mountain biking or other high-intensity biking sports might require more robust open face helmets with additional features like increased ventilation and visors.
• Adjustability: Look for helmets with adjustable straps and internal adjust systems (like dial-fit adjustments) that can fine-tune the fit. This ensures the helmet can grow with your child and remain comfortable and secure over time.

Ensuring a Proper Fit

• Check the Position: The helmet should sit level on your child’s head and low on the forehead, one or two finger-widths above the eyebrows.
• Adjust the Straps: The side straps should form a 'V' under and slightly in front of the ears. Lock the slider if possible.
• Buckle and Tighten: The chin strap should be snug against the chin so that when your child opens their mouth very wide, the helmet pulls down a bit.
• Check for Movement: Ensure the helmet does not rock back more than two fingers above the eyebrows or forward into the eyes. The helmet should not move more than an inch in any direction.

Conclusion

Choosing the right helmet is essential not only for your child's safety but also for their enjoyment of biking. The correct helmet can make the difference between a confident ride and a risky one. It’s about finding a balance between fit, function, and fun to ensure your child is both protected and pleased with their helmet.

We encourage parents to explore the full range of kids and open face helmets available at BikesOnline AU. With options to suit every young rider, from the casual neighbourhood cruiser to the budding mountain biker, BikesOnline AU has helmets that blend safety with style and comfort.

By making informed choices about helmet safety, you are setting your child up for a safer and more enjoyable biking experience.