Ski helmets and goggles: standards, sizing and lenses
Where to start? With a tape measure and a simple test that shows whether a helmet fits properly. Then we move on to the EN 1077 standard and MIPS, when to replace a helmet, which lens category to choose and how to match goggles to your helmet. We have left the helmet laws in Poland, Italy and Austria until the very end.
How to choose the right helmet size
- Measure your head. Run a tape measure round your head two fingers above the eyebrows and above the ears. You will need the result straight away, because a helmet size is not a single number but a range of head circumference, for example 52 to 57 cm or 56 to 61 cm.
- Adjust the fit. The dial at the back of the helmet draws the inside snug to your head. After adjusting, the helmet should sit level: not too low on the forehead, but not pushed back onto the nape of the neck either.
- Do the shake test. Before you fasten the strap, shake your head gently. A helmet of the right size does not shift, and when you tilt your head forward, it stays in place even unfastened.
- Fasten the strap. Only now is it the strap's turn: once fastened, it should leave room for one finger under the chin.
You can tell by the skin on your scalp, which should move together with the helmet. A helmet that moves independently of your head is too big. Since it should fit as closely as comfort allows, we advise against buying a helmet to grow into, including for a child with next season in mind.
Standards: EN 1077, classes A and B, MIPS
In the EU, the starting point is the EN 1077 marking together with the CE mark, and we do not recommend buying a helmet without them. The second rule is explained further down: after a hard impact a helmet is replaced with a new one, even if nothing shows on it.
- Class A and class B. A class A helmet covers more of the head and resists penetration better, while class B offers less protection in these respects.
- What the standard tests. Testing covers shock absorption, penetration resistance, strap strength and the field of vision, which the helmet must not obstruct. The requirements also have to be met in freezing cold and in heat.
- Markings. On the helmet itself, the manufacturer gives the size (head circumference in centimetres), the weight, and the year and quarter of manufacture, which we come back to in the section on replacing a helmet.
- Helmets from the USA often carry the ASTM F2040 marking, and some manufacturers declare compliance with both standards at once.
MIPS is a low-friction layer fitted inside the helmet. When an impact comes at an angle, it lets the head shift by 10 to 15 mm inside the helmet, which according to the manufacturer reduces the risk of brain injury. EN 1077 does not test such impacts, so we treat MIPS as an extra on top of what the standard requires.
A helmet is no excuse for skiing faster than your ability allows, because in a fall on ice the force of the impact far exceeds the values assumed in the standards. We wrote about this in more detail in the article on safe helmets.
In the EU, a ski helmet is category II personal protective equipment, and its type is tested by a notified body. Among other things, the EN 1077:2007 standard tests an impact at 5.42 m/s (like a fall from about 1.5 m) with a deceleration of up to 250 g.
When to replace a helmet
A helmet that has taken a hard impact is only fit for the bin. The impact-absorbing layer may have been damaged in a way you cannot see from the outside, so the helmet's appearance proves nothing.
| Manufacturer | After an impact | Without an accident |
|---|---|---|
| Giro | immediately after an accident or damage | every 3 to 5 years |
| Sweet Protection | after every serious impact | after about 3 years, sooner with long sun exposure and heavy use |
| Uvex | after every accident, even without visible damage | no later than 8 years from manufacture, including no more than 5 years of use |
To follow the Uvex recommendation, you need to know the date of manufacture; the year and quarter are part of the helmet's marking. In summer, do not leave a helmet in a hot car, because temperatures above 62°C damage it.
Goggle lens categories 0 to 4
The lens category determines how much light gets through: the higher the number, the darker the filter. In shops, the same categories are sometimes labelled S0 to S4.
| Category | Light transmission | When |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | over 80 to 100% | clear or very light lens |
| 1 | over 43 to 80% | poor visibility, fog, snowfall |
| 2 | over 18 to 43% | sunshine alternating with cloud |
| 3 | over 8 to 18% | sunny days |
| 4 | over 3 to 8% | very strong sun, glacier |
Category 4 for the slopes only. A category 4 filter lets through from over 3 to 8% of light, so glasses with such a lens are not suitable for driving. It is better to drive in lighter goggles or glasses.
Categories according to EN ISO 12312-1. Ski goggles are tested to EN ISO 18527-1:2022, which replaced EN 174 on 11 November 2024.
Types of goggles: photochromic, polarised, OTG
- Photochromic. The lens darkens in the sun within a range that depends on the model, for example from category 1 to 3. In freezing cold it reacts more slowly, so when you ski from sun into shade it lightens with a delay.
- Polarised. This filter cuts glare from the snow. It has a drawback, though: it can make it harder to tell snow from ice. More on choosing goggles.
- Double lens and anti-fog coating. Manufacturers use them so that goggles fog up less, although ventilation in the frame matters just as much.
- OTG (over the glasses). A model made to fit over prescription glasses, with a larger chamber and cut-outs for the arms.
- Interchangeable lenses. If you buy a frame with two lenses, for example category 1 and 3, you do not need a second pair of goggles.
How to match goggles to your helmet
It is best to take your own helmet when trying on goggles. The top edge of the goggles should sit against the helmet with no gap, and the goggle strap should lie over the helmet, because any gap leaves your forehead exposed to frost and wind. It works the other way too: a helmet sitting too low on the forehead takes up the goggles' space, and then they do not sit as they should.
- The sizes should match: a smaller goggle model for a smaller helmet, a larger one for a larger helmet.
- The lens fogs up when warm, moist air stays trapped in the goggle chamber, which is one of the reasons the shape of the helmet should suit the frame.
- Helmet and goggles can come from different manufacturers, as long as you try them on together.
Manufacturers' data, including helmet weight and lens light transmission, are collected in our gear section: ski helmets and ski goggles.
Helmet laws in Poland, Italy and Austria
Italy has the broadest requirement: since 10 August 2025 everyone must wear a helmet, regardless of age. In Poland and in most Austrian federal states, the rule applies to children, but the age limit differs: under 16 in Poland and under 15 in Austria.
| Country | Who it applies to | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Poland | people under 16 skiing or snowboarding in organised ski areas (Art. 29); a guardian who lets a child ride without a helmet is liable to a fine (Art. 45(2)) | Art. 29 and Art. 45(2) of the Act on safety in the mountains (opens in a new tab) |
| Italy | everyone, regardless of age, since 10 August 2025: alpine skiing, snowboarding, telemark and sledging; fine of €100 to €150, and for a repeat offence also withdrawal or suspension of the ski pass for 1 to 3 days | Art. 17 of Decree No. 40/2021, amended by Art. 10(1)(b-bis) of Decree-Law No. 96/2025 (opens in a new tab) |
| Austria | children under 15 in 7 of the 9 federal states, including Salzburg, Carinthia, Styria and Lower Austria; Tyrol and Vorarlberg have no such rule | sports acts of the federal states (opens in a new tab) |
If a child is coming on the ski trip, we cover helmets and learning to ski in more detail in the guide Children on skis. The rules of conduct on the slopes are collected in the guide The FIS Code of Conduct.
Questions and answers
How do I measure my head for a ski helmet?
All you need is a tape measure run round your head two fingers above the eyebrows and above the ears. Compare the result in centimetres with the range that EN 1077 requires the manufacturer to mark on the helmet (for example 52 to 57 cm). How to check afterwards that the helmet fits properly is covered in the section on sizing.
When should a ski helmet be replaced?
Always after a hard impact, even if nothing shows on the shell. If the helmet has not been in an accident, it is usually replaced after 3 to 5 years of use. The manual gives the exact interval for a specific model, and the table above shows what three manufacturers recommend.
Which goggle lens category is the most versatile?
In practice, category 2 comes closest. A lens in this category lets through over 18 to 43% of light and copes with changeable weather, when the sun keeps disappearing behind clouds. In fog and falling snow you see more through a category 1 lens, while in full sun category 3 works better.
What is MIPS in a helmet?
It is a low-friction inner layer of the helmet. In an angled impact, the head can shift on it by 10 to 15 mm relative to the helmet, and according to the manufacturer, the rotational motion is then redirected away from the head and the risk of brain injury falls.
Is a ski helmet compulsory?
It depends where you ski. In Poland the requirement applies to people under 16 in organised ski areas, and in Italy, since 10 August 2025, to all skiers and snowboarders. Austria requires helmets for children under 15, and only in 7 of the 9 federal states, because Tyrol and Vorarlberg have no such rule. The legal bases are collected in the table above.