Cool colors and sharp looks won't protect your skull when accidents happen. The best dirt bike helmets are a no-brainer for brain protection off-road.
Off-roading is sweaty work. Whether you're turning hot laps at your local motocross track or channeling your inner Jarvis on some tight singletrack, sweating profusely is about as guaranteed as death, taxes, and grey hair.
Luckily for us off-roaders, a good dirt bike helmet is the key to comfort, delivering lightweight protection and outrageous airflow when we're working hard at the bars.
They also happen to be the only thing standing between the cold hard ground and your warm squishy brain, so let's go over a few of the things that make any dirt bike helmet worth buying in the first place.
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6D ATR-3 |
The safest helmet in the industry, now in a slimmer and more compact size. | CHECK PRICE |
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Shoei VFX EVO |
Premium safety meets big comfort: the best-fitting helmet out there. | CHECK PRICE |
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Alpinestars Supertech M10 |
Superlight carbon construction with an aerodynamic profile that works great for road or track. | CHECK PRICE |
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Alpinestars Supertech M5 |
A polycarb version of the flagship M10 that sports many of the same features for a lot less cash. | CHECK PRICE |
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Bell Moto-10 Mips Spherical |
Takes top honors for both the best ventilation and widest field of vision currently available. | CHECK PRICE |
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Bell MX9 Mips |
Our favorite dirt bike helmet on a budget, hands-down. | CHECK PRICE |
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Klim F5 Koroyd |
A superlight carbon helmet with advanced safety features and outstanding ventilation. | CHECK PRICE |
Dirt lids all look pretty similar: Big sun peak, long chin bar, and a giant eye port. Don't be fooled: There's a reason the best dirt bike helmets are worth the extra spend, especially if you value your skull and its precious cargo.
Here are the broad strokes on what to look for in your next helmet.
We're going to go out on a limb and guess that your first reason for buying a helmet is to protect your head. In keeping with that assumption, the most important feature all the best dirt bike helmets share is elevated safety.
The single best indicator that a helmet delivers above-average protection nowadays is some form of rotational impact protection.
This technology first arrived on the scene in the form on a MIPS slip plane, which is highly effective and still used today, but brands like 6D and Shoei also have their own takes on this feature that work just as well if not better.
Aside from that, we tend to stick to the old standby of DOT/ECE/Snell certification.
Dirt helmets aren't intended for "street use", so they may not always carry a DOT, but at least one of the above mentioned certifications is a must-have for peace of mind, knowing that the shell and impact liner have been tested to do their job.
One of the major benefits of choosing a dirt-specific lid over a street or even dual sport/ADV helmet is weight savings. A lighter helmet reduces fatigue over the course of a long day, and dirt helmets are the lightest full-face protection money can buy.
Our favorite dirt bike helmets weigh in below three pounds, and no, that's not a typo. Achieving this milestone typically requires heavy use of carbon fiber, however, so be prepared to shell out some serious bucks if you want the lightest in the business.
There are plenty of great options out there using composite fiber blends for considerably less cash though, so don't think carbon is a must-have in this regard.
A solid fiberglass or even polycarb shell can still be impressively light if the rest of the helmet is thoughtfully designed, and we consider any dirt bike helmet under 3.5 pounds to be "sufficiently lightweight" for all-day use.
Last but not least, we have ventilation. Good airflow is a hallmark of any off-road lid worth having, and the best dirt bike helmets outclass even the most sophisticated street lids in this regard.
We chalk up part of that performance to the massive eyeports employed in dirt helmets, but you'll need much more than that to keep the sweat from pooling up in your lid.
At the time of this writing, Klim holds the record for the most vents total in a helmet with a whopping 26 openings in their flagship F5 helmet, but as a general rule of thumb, the more the merrier.
We will note that while most all dirt helmets include multiple large intake vents up front, you'll also want to be cognizant of the exhaust vent count/layout on your helmet of choice.
Exhaust vents are what give hot air and sweat a place to escape, and if your helmet doesn't include a functional exhaust layout, all the intakes in the world won't keep you from overheating.
Keeping the above features in mind, here are our 7 favorite picks out there today.
These are the dirtbike helmets we'd choose ourselves across the range of available price points, but they're all solid picks for any off-road discipline.
1. 6D ATR-3
The folks at 6D are pioneers of rotational impact protection, and their Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) technology is the most advanced in the business. The 6D ATR-3 sports the latest iteration of ODS, but that's just one feature of its impressive design.
A full 3K carbon fiber shell keeps the weight of the ATR-3 below three pounds, while an impressive array of intake and exhaust vents keeps the air flowing with the best of them. The ATR-3 is also significantly more compact than the outgoing ATR-2.
The ATR-3 also excels in terms of safety, exceeding the most stringent safety standards on the market including DOT, ECE, FIM, and ACU. Every modern consideration for protection is here from emergency release cheek pads to sternum protection.
6D even upgraded the comfort features on their latest model, and the ATR-3 includes a magnetic strap clasp, a removable roost guard, a washable comfort liner, and even speaker pockets for Bluetooth helmet coms.
The only drawback to the 6D is the one you'd expect, which is price. This flagship helmet retails for around $750, but considering other "top of the line" offerings from other brands often for $50-$150 more, the ATR-3 is actually one of the best deals going.
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6D ATR-3
2. Shoei VFX-EVO
While we've long been fans of Shoei's outstanding Hornet ADV/dual sport helmet, riders looking for a pure dirt lid can expect the same level of performance and refinement from the VFX-EVO.
This is hands-down one of the best dirt bike helmets money can buy, which should come as no surprise coming from the folks at Shoei.
So what makes the VFX special? In a word, safety. The latest VFX-EVO carries Shoei's proprietary rotation abatement system called the M.E.D.S (Motion Energy Distribution System), which they claim reduces the transmission of rotational forces by a whopping 15%.
They've also included an emergency quick-release system in the cheek pads for emergency medical personnel should things go sideways out on the track.
We'll also note that the VFX is one of the best dirt bike helmets out there in terms of fit. Shoei splits their 6 available sizes (ranging from XS to 2XL) between four different shells to ensure the helmet-to-padding ratio works with all head shapes and sizes.
This helmet is light, comfortable, and breathes extremely well, but our main complaint with it is that you'll have to cough up some serious coin for this level of refinement.
The solid colors alone run well over the $500 mark, but if you want to add graphics into the mix you'll have to add another $200 or so to the asking price, which seems a bit extreme to us...
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Shoei VFX EVO
3. Alpinestars Supertech M10
The first thing you'll likely notice about Alpinestars' Supertech M10 is that it's very smooth. This is intentional, a design AStars says reduces friction and promotes deflection to minimize energy transferred to the head in a crash.
The M10 also includes a Mips liner for the same reason, as well as added collarbone protection, a rear bump-stop that works in conjunction with neck braces, and an easy break-away visor to the kind of snagging that leads to neck injuries.
We've tested this helmet extensively while scouting and leading routes through Vietnam, and can attest to its outstanding airflow and surprisingly good aerodynamics. The fact that it's three-layer carbon shell only weighs 2.7 pounds doesn't hurt either.
The Supertech M10 looks great, works great, and is probably the best candidate for part time street/dual-sport use of the bunch as well. AStarts has dropped the price somewhat since the helmet's launch, but it'll still set you back about $650 in a solid color.
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Alpinestars Supertech M10
3. Alpinestars Supertech M5
If you're digging the look of Alpinestars' flagship M10 dirt bike helmet but want something more affordable, their wallet-friendly Supertech M5 is worth a hard look.
We dig the M5 because it incorporates a good amount of professional-level features, yet retails for around $250-$300. Emergency release cheek pads, an integrated hydration port, and collarbone protection are all included for the money.
The M5 also sports a similar shape to the M10, so it provides similar performance in a crash as well as above-average aerodynamics at higher speeds. A quick-release visor is still part of the package, as is great airflow front and rear.
The main difference between the two is that the M5 utilizes a thermoplastic composite shell rather than a carbon one, and splits sizing between three shells instead of four. It's a bit heavier and a bit bulkier, but still a stout performer at a great price.
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Alpinestars Supertech M5
5. Bell Moto-10 Mips Spherical
If maximum field of view is what you're after, Bell's Moto-10 currently holds the record for the largest and widest opening in the business. That means you can fit any pair of goggles under the sun with ease, but that's not the Moto-10's only advantage.
This is also hands-down the most well-ventilated helmet we've ever worn thanks to Bell's unique shell design: the upper panel of the helmet is actually a separate carbon overlay, essentially converting the entire top of the helmet into a single massive vent.
You can feel the difference between the Moto-10 and everything else immediately, and it's something like having a tiny fan hidden inside the helmet at higher speeds.
Other highlights here include trick magnetic emergency removal cheek pads, elastic collarbone protection, and the latest version of Mips Spherical technology. We'll also give kudos to Bell for achieving a rare Snell safety rating with the Moto-10.
The Bell has two shortcomings that keep it from being the perfect dirt bike helmet. The first is that it's the most expensive helmet on this list. The Moto-10 can retail for nearly $900, although we've also seen it heavily discounted (under $600) from time to time.
The second is that despite its full carbon shell, the Moto-10 Spherical is heavy for a premium lid. We don't have any fatigue-related complaints here, but the Bell did tip our scales at just over 3.5 pounds in a size large.
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Bell Moto-10 Mips Spherical
6. Bell MX-9 Mips
If you've been following along with our blog or Youtube channel for the past few years, you'll know the Bell MX-9 Adventure is our budget-friendly ADV helmet of choice. The same goes for the off-road-only lid that it's based on, the Bell MX-9 Mips.
This is a damn good helmet for well under the $200 mark, a deal made even sweeter by the fact that the MX-9 is both DOT and ECE certified on the safety front.
As the name suggests, it's also equipped with the first-generation MIPS rotational protection liner, which adds serious value to an already affordable lid.
The MX-9 feels a bit spartan compared to the more premium helmets on our list, but its combination of outstanding airflow, quality construction, and safety make it a no-brainer from a bang-for-your-buck perspective.
We'll also note that the MX-9 weighs in a good 5 ounces less than Bell's flagship Moto-10 Spherical helmet, which makes it all-day comfortable on the track or trail.
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Bell MX-9 Mips
7. Klim F5 Koroyd
You know you can expect quality from the folks at Klim, and as their flagship dirtbike helmet, the Klim F5 cuts no corners in terms of quality, technology, and protection.
With an impressive ECE and DOT safety certification, this lid is as at home on the racetrack as it is pulling dual sport duty on pavement.
The first thing you'll notice when you slide the F5 on is its weight. This dirtbike helmet weighs in well under 3 pounds in a size large, which is pretty spectacular considering what lies beneath its full carbon shell.
Dual density EPS foam, Koroyd impact protection, and a MIPS liner all work in sync to deliver an incredibly safe and well-designed helmet.
We'll also note that the K5's combination of Koroyd technology and a whopping 18 seperate air intake vents puts the Klim second only to Bell's Moto-10 in terms of outright airflow.
As is often the case with flagship products, our only real complaint with the F5 is price, which has yet to drop below the $700 mark. If you want to experience the F5 for a bit less cash, there's non-Koroyd equipped version for $100 less that weighs a bit more.
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Klim F5 Koroyd
We still remember the days when a dirt bike helmet was a fairly crude device, marked more by their uncomfortable padding and budget-built plastic shells than quality, comfort, or design.
Thankfully today's dirt lids rival the best street helmets on the market in terms of both comfort and safety, which seems like a no-brainer considering how much more common spills are when you're off pavement.
Our closing message here is to keep safety at the forefront when considering the best dirt bike helmet for your budget.
There's no shortage of manufacturers out there selling "good looking" dirt helmets for under $100, but just because a helmet looks the part doesn't mean it's the best way to avoid concussions or other head and neck injuries.
With proven options like the Bell MX9 Mips coming in well under $200, we're of the opinion you can easily have your cake and eat it too in this regard.
Cool colors and a matching kit won't save your bacon when push comes to shove, and as any seasoned dirt bike rider will tell you, falling is just part of the process for pros and newcomers alike.
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