BMX Helmets

BMX Helmets by Bell

A BMX helmet needs to keep up with how you actually ride, whether that's cruising the street, sessioning the park or hitting the dirt jumps. At Bell, we build ours around that: a light, low profile half shell for everyday riding, and full face protection with extra chin and jaw coverage for when things get bigger. Our half shell Local and our full face range, including the Full-10 Spherical, Full-10 Mips, Full-Air Mips, Sanction 2 and Sanction 2 DLX Mips, are all certified for BMX and skate impacts on top of standard bicycle certification, so whichever shell you pick, you know it's rated for the riding you're doing.

Which BMX Helmet Fits Your Riding

If you're mostly riding street or park, our open face Local half shell is built for that: light at 445g, with a low profile shape and a wide field of view, and certified for skate impacts as well as general cycling. If you're buying for a younger or smaller rider who still needs that skate level of protection, our Span comes in smaller sizing with the same certification. Our Lil Ripper is a simpler helmet sized for toddlers and small children, built to general cycling certification rather than the extra skate rating.

Once you're jumping bigger or riding more aggressively, a full face helmet gives you extra coverage around the chin and jaw. Our Full-10 Spherical and Full-10 Mips are our most protective options, built around Mips technology to help manage rotational impacts. The Full-Air Mips is the lightest full face in the range at 730g, for riders who'd rather pedal to the top than shuttle. Our Sanction 2 DLX Mips and the more affordable Sanction 2 cover the same BMX and downhill certification at a lower price point, with the DLX version adding Mips protection.

BMX Helmets: Frequently Asked Questions

Which BMX helmet should I buy?
Start with how you ride. If you're mostly on the street or in the park, our Local half shell is light, comfortable and built for that. If you're jumping bigger or racing, a full face helmet like our Full-10 Mips or Sanction 2 DLX Mips gives you extra chin and jaw protection. And if you're buying for a younger or smaller rider, our Span or Lil Ripper are sized for that.

What size BMX helmet do I need?
Sizing varies helmet to helmet, so measure your head circumference in centimetres and check it against the size chart for the specific model rather than assuming one size fits across the range. As a guide, our Local runs from S to L, the Span is sized smaller for younger riders, and our full face helmets cover a wider range from XXS to XXL depending on the model.

What certification should a BMX helmet have?
The important thing is that it's certified for BMX impacts, not just general cycling. Look for ASTM F1492 skate certification on half shell helmets like our Local, or ASTM F2032 BMX certification, usually paired with ASTM F1952 downhill certification, on full face helmets like our Full-10 Mips, Full-10 Spherical, Sanction 2 and Sanction 2 DLX Mips. CPSC Bicycle and CE EN1078 cover general cycling on top of that.

Full face or open face for BMX?
It comes down to how much coverage you want. A full face helmet, like our Full-10 Mips or Sanction 2 DLX Mips, wraps around your chin and jaw for extra protection on bigger jumps. An open face helmet, like our Local, is lighter and gives you a wider field of view, which most street and park riders prefer.

Which helmet is best for BMX race?
For racing, most riders go with a full face helmet, and ours, including the Full-10 Mips, Full-10 Spherical and Sanction 2 DLX Mips, are built and certified for BMX. What your local track or federation actually requires can vary, so it's worth checking before race day.

Which helmet is best for BMX freestyle?
It depends on the size of what you're riding. For street and park lines, our Local keeps things light at 445g. If you're pushing into bigger dirt or vert lines, our Full-Air Mips gives you full face protection at just 730g, the lightest in our BMX certified full face range, or step up to the Sanction 2 DLX Mips for even more coverage.

Can I use an MTB helmet for BMX?
Not really, unless it's certified for it. Our MTB half shell helmets, like the 5Fifty Spherical, Sixer Mips and 4Forty Mips, are built and certified for cycling, but not for the skate or BMX impacts our Local, Span and full face BMX helmets are rated for. If a helmet's certification doesn't mention skate or BMX, don't rely on it for that kind of riding.

When should I replace a BMX helmet?
Replace your BMX helmet straight after any crash or hard impact, even if you can't see any damage. The foam inside does its job by absorbing that impact, and it won't protect you the same way twice. It's also worth replacing a helmet once it no longer fits properly or has passed its recommended lifespan.