Our picks for full-face mountain bike helmets:

• Affordable/teens/women: Bell Servo

• Middle of the Road: 7iDP

• Top of the Line: Bell Super Air R

Need help picking? Scroll down to learn how to choose the best full-face mtb helmet for you.

Most Affordable Full-face MTB Helmet

If you’re looking for a starter full-face helmet, the Bell Servo is the way to go.

However, the helmet is quite small, only for heads up 56-59 cm. It works well for teenagers or as a women’s full-face mountain bike helmet. Be sure to measure your noggin before purchasing.

Like most full-face mountain bike helmets, the Servo gets hot while riding. But it’s easy to pull off during breaks to catch your breath after huffing and puffing up a nasty climb.

Features:

• Plush, full coverage interior padding

• Removable, washable cheek pads

• Adjustable visor

• Relatively lightweight (2.9lbs)

• Easy to buckle and adjust

• CPSC Safety Standard compliant

Price: Around $70

Middle of the Road: 7iDP

Whether you prefer sleek black or standout yellow, you’ll look cool and stay safe with the 7iDP full-face mountain biking helmet. This helmet offers safety on a budget, coming in $100 under what most premium full-face mtb helmets run. A lower-end model for 7iDP, it still offers security, comfort, and safety with impact foam, ventilation, and a crash-release adjustable visor.

Features:

• Sizes S-XXL

• Several color combination options

• Adjustable visor (crash release)

• Adjustable chin strap

• 23 vents

• ABS and SERT safety

Price: Around $150

Premium Choice: Bell Super Air R

If you’re looking for the best of the best, you’ll want the BELL Super Air R. This full-face mountain bike helmet is for serious riders, or riders serious about protecting their heads. This helmet features MIPS, or multi-directional impact protection system, to protect your brain in the event of a head bonk during a crash.

Features:

• Available in various sizes and colors

• Quick-dry padding

• Ventilation

• Adjustable chin strap

• Room for goggles or glasses

• MIPS equipped

Price: $270-$380, depending on size and color

Evaluating helmets can feel daunting. They seem so similar, yet their prices range from $70 to $300+. Here are the main things to consider as you’re shopping full-face mtb helmets.

And remember, if you get into a crash and hit your head, replace your helmet. Even the best full-face mountain bike helmets are only designed to protect you for a single impact.

How Experienced Are You?

Most beginners don’t need a full-face helmet, unless you’re learning on gnarly downhill trails or starting out with jumps, tight corners, and drops. As you begin to get more advanced, you may want to look into the full-face option. A lot of people choose to go full-face after their first OTB (over the bar) crash. Once you take a header into a tree, a full faced helmet seems worth it.

How Fast Are You Riding?

If you’re doing chill, flat, 7-10 MPH rides, you probably aren’t taking gnarly crashes that put your face and head at risk. But if you’re doing downhill tracks that have you pushing 18 or 20+ MPH, you may want to upgrade to full-face. A crash at 8MPH is quite different from one at 20MPH. A slide on a corner is different from an OTB header onto your face.

What Type of Riding Are You Doing?

Are you doing enduro rides in the Rocky Mountains? Downhill, rocky rides through Sedona? Or chill, flat trails in the Midwest?

If you’re not riding complex terrain or practicing more advanced skills, you probably don’t need a full-face helmet for your mountain biking. But if you’re doing downhill slalom flows with twist, turns, jumps, and obstacles, a full-face mtb helmet could be the difference between needing dental work and just needing a new helmet.

Find the Right Fit

Measure thrice, buy once. If you’re buying online, make sure you measure your noggin and reference the manufacturer’s size specs. The helmet should fit snugly, but not cause a headache. You should be able to shake your head side to side and backward and forward without the helmet slipping.

Most full-face helmets use jaw protection that’s loose. The face cage is usually one-size-fits-most, with the most important measurements being around the cranium for head fit. Most also come with adjustable straps so you can perfect your fit even further.

Staying in Budget

Mountain biking isn’t exactly a cheap hobby. Bikes run into the thousands of dollars (or, with full suspension, start in the thousands). And between gear, replacement parts, bike maintenance, travel, car racks, and more, costs add up and never end. If spending extra on a full-face mtb helmet doesn’t feel worth it, think of all the other costs this hobby brings, and compare that to what your head is worth to you. If you crash and hit your head, medical and dental bill will get expensive fast. Maybe a few hundred bucks is worth it to prevent that. Thankfully, there are high-quality budget-friendly options if you’re not able to go right to the premium models.

Start ‘Em Early

If you’re getting your kid or teen out on the mountain bike, starting them with a full-face helmet is a great idea. You protect their brains, their jaws, and they get used to riding full-face right away.

The Bell Servo is a great option for teens.