When it comes to ski helmets, nobody wants to have different helmets for various activities. You want one singularly well-built helmet that can go from an inbounds powder day to a backcountry tour. One helmet that works seamlessly with a few pairs of goggles and ventilates on a sunny bootpack as well as it insulates on a storm day. One helmet that does it all.
Safety, of course, is of utmost importance—which is why we looked for helmets with technology like MIPS, which inhibits rotational forces to the brain in the event of a crash. But style, comfort, and fit matter, too. We put a whole bunch of helmets (32, to be exact) through the ringer to see which ones held up best during the widest range of uses. Our crew of testers spent much of the winter wearing helmets on powder days in Utah, spring tours in the Sierra, and far-flung trips to Norway and Canada. These nine ranked the highest across the board for qualities like versatility, durability, breathability, and comfort.