How to Buy a Helmet for Rock Climbing

A rock-climbing helmet is a vital piece of your climbing equipment and can reduce the significant risk of head injury associated with lead falls and rock fall.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Climbing Gear
• Climbing Harnesses
• Climbing Helmets
• Climbing Ropes
• Climbing Shoes

1. Make sure you buy a helmet designed for rock climbing. Rock-climbing helmets are designed differently than other sport helmets. They withstand impact better, they're lighter, and they're breathable.
2. Choose a comfortable helmet. The comfortable helmet is the one you'll wear more - and that's the most important feature. There are significant differences in the way helmets fit each person.
3. Make sure the helmet you choose will accept a headlamp and that you can secure the lamp to the helmet if you anticipate climbing in alpine environments or making long climbs.
4. Try the adjusting features of the helmet. Are they easy to use? An easily adjustable helmet is a nice feature when you face changing conditions.

Tips & Warnings

• Climbing with a cycling helmet is certainly better than climbing with no helmet at all, but remember that cycling helmets are not principally designed to take impact on the top or back of the helmet as climbing helmets are.
• Head injuries are serious business, and most of these injuries in rock climbing can be avoided by wearing a helmet. It may not seem cool to wear a helmet, but neither does drooling while in a vegetative state of consciousness.