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Bike helmet vs climbing helmet--the real differences!

Original Post
20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346

Okay, so it's a no brainer that if you climb you should have a climbing helmet, and if you bike you should have a biking helmet. However, the other day I got a bit curious as to the real differences between the two. So I disassembled a few Bell biking helmets and Petzl helmets and found they are both remarkably similar, just one cost $40 and the other cost $100.

So that begs the question, aside from a UIAA certification, what are the real differences between the two other than their intended application?

Gwut · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 80

Climbing helmets cover the back of the head and the sides more to deflect rock fall and save a head bash. Bike helmets are for head bash only. I have actually been thinking about getting a full faced ice hockey helmet, keep on nearly gashing my eyes out with ice picks and keep ripping rocks out right into my face. Sound like a good idea?

CraigS. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 10

Have wondered that myself. I had a friend who climbed with his bike helmet for a while. About the only major difference we could ever see was potentially the vent holes in his bike helmet were considerably larger and therefore not as protective against a rock fall of the smaller variety.

I think this is also the basis for there being two different styles of climbing helmets. One more designed for rock fall type situations with little to no side and back of the head impact, and others designed more for human fall situations with better side and back impact but not as good for rock fall.

I would prefer one designed well for both, with a suspension style fitting but with foam around the sides and back. I think this might be bulky and/or uncomfortable, but in the end a little loss in comfort is well worth my life.

See this guy's thread on how one saved his life Sunday:

Helmet saved his life

I think he was lucky that it was a glancing blow. Granted I think all of them were lucky. I'd rather be lucky than good some days.

Gwut · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 80

Craig, I just said that in about 50 less words than you.

You don't need to over analyze every thing. Its simple. Bike helmets are made for aerodynamics, climbing helmets are made to deflect rockfall.

Matt Roberts · · Columbus, OH · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 85

Gwut,
Sorry in advance if you feel this is redundant or overly verbose, but there is one particular difference between the helmets: bike helmets are designed for blunt-force impacts (melon->road) whereas climbing helmets are designed with penetrating impacts in mind (sharp rock->melon). I suspect that the BMX/skateboard-style helmets might work better, but I'm sticking with a climbing helmet.

A related but different Q is what do ski-mountaineers wear? Climbing or skiing helmets?

Caz Drach · · C'Wood, UT · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 310

I have a smith vantage for a ski helmet and i actually strip it down to take some weight out but also it becomes a pseudo cross between a ski / climb helmet and just wear a beanie under it. Alot of ski mountaineers go full on / burly UIAA climbing helmet like a meteor 3 or a BD vector, me if I had to choose Id go BD vector as it covers the dome piece a little more.

For ski mountaineering your uphill weight savings leads to downhill performance. So some prefer the lightest thing possible.

Alexander Blum · · Livermore, CA · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 143

Do you think economies of scale might have anything to do with the price? I am guessing that vastly more bike helmets are made than brain buckets for climbing.

Doug Meneke · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 10

It's about the type of activity...Not many folks die biking (that is the perception anyways). Scuba equipment is very expensive. I would not want to buy a regulator for $40. Buying a $20 bike helmet meant for a 5 year old riding a bike with training wheels does not equal the forces generated by a fall of myself, or of a 1/2 pound stone falling 100 feet onto my head. That said, there are some pretty expensive bike helmets, too, that would probably do just fine. Why not just wear a motorcycle helmet?

EricV Volk · · Woodbury, MN · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 20

This and you're done!

It'll get you there on your vesper, up and down the rock, and then back home all with nothin' on your noggin'! ;)

Ventilation would be horrible, but hey... I could afford to lose a few pounds

And, they come in shiny/reflective colors too!

M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090

I just stay at home and wrap myself with blankets and cushions while even reading about climbing.

K-Tanz · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 211

I disagree that climbing helmets have more side coverage than bicycle helmets. The new style Black Diamonds and the Petzl Meteor may be exceptions, but these helmets also hold certifications in Europe for impact sports such as kayaking and cycling. My claim about coverage is just m opinion, though. I can say for sure if my head was moving towards something rather than something moving towards me head I would want my bike helmet.

As far as I can tell in my time wasting here at work the big difference is that, as far as the UIAA and CE go, climbing helmets are subjected to a drop test where a load is dropped onto the top of the helmet to simulate rockfall. If you want to sift through the specifics be my guest!

UIAA CE

US

Brady3 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 15

It has been awhile since I looked at the specifics on this, but in the UIAA tests they actually use a pointed weight that will puncture the top of the helmet, if it punctures too far (I believe 1 inch is the limit) then it fails. From what I have seen of most bike helmets I think they would fail that.
What do people think of construction hard hats? Full suspension instead of foam and high density polyethylene instead of polycarbonate.

reboot · · . · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 125
Brady3 wrote:What do people think of construction hard hats?
Like a Petzl Ecrin Roc? I have one & never wear that thing. IMO, much of the fit issue w/ climbing helmet is because they need to pass the rock fall test, which end up w/ the helmet sitting rather high on the head and being top heavy. Unfortunately, it means it doesn't offer as much lead fall protection as it could otherwise.
Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425
Matt Roberts wrote:A related but different Q is what do ski-mountaineers wear? Climbing or skiing helmets?
Not that I consider myself a "ski mountaineer", but anytime I snowboard any chutes, peaks, couliors etc. I use my climbing helmet just like a normal snow climb. Besides it being lighter, and more breathable it's meant for rock/ice fall. Plus can you imagine going up with a ski helmet on? Sooo hot.
George Bracksieck · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 3,393

For about 17 years, Bell has been making the Meteor helmet for Petzl. It was in response to complaints that most climbing helmets were heavy and provided little or no protection from impacts that could be sustained during a leader fall. I think that the Meteor is one of the better lightweight helmets on the market, but that's not saying much. The climbing-helmet industry is negligent by virtue of providing pathetically underperforming products that give climbers false senses of security. I have yet to see any climbing helmet that would provide protection during leader falls as well as many mountain-bike helmets would.

I have witnessed the UIAA/CE climbing-helmet test. It was performed at the Petzl factory near Grenoble. It only tests for resistance and shock absorption during an impact created by an object falling from directly above, onto the top-center of a helmet. (The test model was a Petzl Ecrin.) There is no certified climbing-helmet test for side, rear or front impacts. A ski or mountain-bike helmet may be better for protection against such impacts.

I have also witnessed a rock-fall impact onto the head of a partner, as he was standing on the ground beneath another partner, who was rappelling. His life was barely saved by his Ecrin, which was crushed. A lightweight helmet wouldn't have performed as well.

jaredj · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 165

"Hi everybody, here's some pithy anecdotes that are impossible to really evaluate."

Read up on the testing procedure standards for the various certifications if you really want to understand the issue. Upthread folks got it right that the optimization problem by the manufacturers are different in that rockfall is "sharp" while head-on-pavement is more "blunt".

M. Shannon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0

Just my two cents. Quite a number of years ago I took a fall in which I flipped upside down and slammed my helmet on the rock. I was happy that I was wearing the helmet. I have also taken some pretty hard wrecks over the handlebars on my mountain bike and always been glad that I've been wearing a helmet. In any of the instances had I not been wearing a helmet I probly would not have died, but would have definelty sustained head injuries. Personally I'd rather get home in one piece and sit on the back porch with a beer or three and wreck my head that way.

The Call Of K2 Lou · · Squamish, BC · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 20

I'd like to see one of these manufacturers develop a ribs helmet. It's the only part of me I've broken repeatedly.

Doug Meneke · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 10

you 2 (above posts) are onto something...ribs and beer. Count me in!

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Gwut wrote:Bike helmets are made for aerodynamics
Cheap ones arnt. Those Wal-Mart Bell helmets are about as aerodynamic as a brick.



vs

Chara Price · · Mesa, AZ · Joined May 2014 · Points: 0

Agreeing with the above but adding....I learned that bike helmets are designed to take one impact and crush while climbing helmets are designed to be better at taking more impacts. All helmets should be retired after a major impact, but climbing helmets have the idea that it might not just be one rock falling, you might still have a couple pitches of chossy ascent to go, or that you might hit your head more than once.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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