Dorky is in the eye of the beholder, but it’s a universal truth that most teenagers don’t want to be dorky, and helmets are no exception.
So when I informed my 13 and 15-year-olds that we were upgrading their helmets to safer ones, there was expected resistance. “No one wears those kinds of helmets; they’re not cool,” is what I heard before they even knew what helmets were under consideration.
My challenge: Find helmets that met the safety criteria I wanted, which were ebike-certified* or MIPS equipped**, but that also looked most similar to the ones they’d been wearing, or, better yet, had a cool factor beyond what they were used to.
*Remind me, what’s an ebike-certified helmet?
Ebike-certified helmets go beyond bicycle helmet standards to better protect when traveling at higher speeds. Helmets approved for ebike use have an NTA-8776 certification. In the U.S., no laws require ebike-certified helmets, but it’s a safety upgrade that ebikers should consider. Learn more about ebike helmets.
**And what is MIPS?
MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) helmets are designed to reduce rotational forces during an accident or a fall. In the U.S., MIPS helmets must meet regular helmet certifications but have no specific accreditation of their own. Learn more about MIPS helmets.
Enrolling now: Ebike safety courses for teens
9 Cool Ebike Helmets
After much online research, examining countless helmet options, and ordering and returning quite a few, we eventually settled upon this list of nine helmet suggestions for teen ebikers.
Safety note: All helmets in this list meet U.S. safety standards for bicycle helmets and are CPSC-certified. Some are also ebike certified (NTA-8776), others have MIPS, and one has both.NTA-8776 and MIPS are just two factors to consider when selecting an ebike helmet.
The helmets in this list have many more advanced safety features not covered here. See the linked manufacturer pages to learn more. For any helmet to be effective, it must be sized and positioned correctly, worn, and buckled at all times.
S1 Retro Lifer E-Helmet
Skaters have long loved S1’s helmets and pads. Their helmet line recently expanded into e-helmets designed for electric bikes and other electric transportation, like e-scooters.
The S1 Retro Lifer E-Helmet closely resembles S1’s classic skate helmet, the S1 Lifer, which gives this ebike helmet instant cool status, especially with skaters.
- Available in 3 colors.
- NTA-8776: Yes
- MIPS: No
- Price: $89 - $99
Thousand Chapter MIPS Helmet
Thousand is a newer helmet company, established in 2015 via a successful Kickstarter campaign. Its founder saw bike helmets as “too bulky, too inconvenient, and too futuristic-looking,” so he created Thousand to make helmets that weren’t. Success!
Bonus: The light on the back of the helmet can be removed and attached to a bike as a tail light.
- Available in 8 colors.
- NTA-8776: No
- MIPS: Yes
- Price: $149
POC Crane MIPS Bike Helmet
POC has a large selection of helmets for road and mountain biking. “Lightweight” and “well-ventilated” are adjectives often associated with POC helmets.
The Crane helmet is a multipurpose helmet designed for everything from city streets to dirt jumps. It looks more BMX than commuter, which will appeal to off-roader teens.
- Available in 3 colors.
- NTA-8776: No
- MIPS: Yes
- Price: $140
Smith Dispatch MIPS Helmet
NTA-8776 certified and MIPS equipped, The Dispatch is the only helmet on this list that can make that brag.
Smith has been around forever and is best known for its ski and snowboard helmets, which, by association, gives their bike helmets cool credibility.
- Available in 3 colors.
- NTA-8776: Yes
- MIPS: Yes
- Price: $195
Giro Hoxton MIPS Helmet
The Giro Hoxton MIPS helmet is a low-profile, compact helmet, meaning it sits lower and tighter to the head than most. The Hoxton also has exhaust ports (for a less sweaty head) and a small cutout for a ponytail.
- Available in 3 colors.
- NTA-8776: No
- MIPS: Yes
- Price: $120
Triple Eight Dual Certified Gotham MIPS Helmet
Triple Eight also started with protective skateboard gear, but now covers several action sports.
This Dual Certified MIPS helmet is indicated for bicycling and skateboarding. The Gotham MIPS is also known for being less sweaty thanks to the helmet's solid air flow and Triple Eight's Sweatsaver Fit Pads.
- Available in 3 colors.
- NTA-8776: No
- MIPS: Yes
- Price: $156
Specialized Tone Helmet
The Tone is unassuming. Although technically advanced, it doesn’t look like it, which some teens really prefer. It also has internal channels to keep air moving, which means less head sweat when they take it off.
- Available in 5 colors.
- NTA-8776: No
- MIPS: Yes
- Price: $80
XNITO E-Bike Helmet
In a sea of black helmets, XNITO brings the fun with ebike-certified helmets in colors like lavender, mint, dutch (an orange-red), moss, and many more, plus a ubiquitous black. Helmets feature integrated front and rear LED lights and plenty of vents to keep the head cool, plus XNITO plants a tree with every purchase.
- Available in 12 colors.
- NTA-8776: Yes
- MIPS: No
- Price: $150
Smith Transit MIPS Helmet
The Smith Transit MIPS Helmet is not ebike certified, like the other Smith on this list, but it does have MIPS.
We love the Transit MIPS because of its simple, understated design. This helmet is MIPS technology wrapped in a basic helmet, which many teens may prefer. The visor is also removable.
- Available in 3 colors.
- NTA-8776: No
- MIPS: Yes
- Price: $95
