With a never-ending tide of brands flooding the market with multiple helmet models, we understand that choosing one might be daunting. What is MIPS? What are all these variations in foam densities? What the heck is an ear splitter? These are questions you’re likely to ask in the pursuit of a comfortable and protective lid.
To make your life easier and in an attempt to save you some precious time, we have put together a list of 15 of our favourite open-face mountain bike helmets. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, and we can only feature helmets we’ve spent hours using. We’ve provided some key attributes from each lid and tried to break down the safety features that each brand selects to help you pick what might suit your needs best.
We should note that every helmet on this list has passed the requisite AUS/NZS 2063:2008 safety standard.
While we can comment on the performance and value of these helmets, we cannot say how they may or may not fit your head. Everybody’s noggin is a unique shape, and helmets that fit comfortably on one person may clash with the contours of another person’s cranium. If you find a helmet or two that piques your interest here, head down to your local bike shop and try it on.

Flow’s Favourites | The Best Trail Helmets On The Market

POC Kortal Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $399.95 AUD ($329.99 AUD MIPS free version)
- Weight | 401g
POC’s Kortal Race MIPS helmet is one of the most fully featured stack hats we’ve come across to date. The half-shell lid provides exceptional coverage, ample ventilation, a seamless fit with goggles (critical for looking good in an enduro race) and a patented breakaway visor that’s said to help protect against a neck injury.
POC was the first brand to release a bike helmet with a MIPS liner back in 2011. Since then, the technology has improved significantly with the POC Kortal helmet featuring MIPS Integra, one of the latest versions of the slip liner that is so well integrated into the helmet that it’s difficult to see.
The Recco reflector and NFC Medical ID provide some extra peace of mind should you get into trouble on the trails. The NFC chip stores your medical info and emergency contacts, which can be accessed using ‘Near Field Communication’ and smartphone app ‘twICEme.’ According to the twICEme website, this service has been adopted by ambulance and search and rescue services here in Australia, though it doesn’t specify where.
It’s not a cheap helmet, and if the $399.95 AUD price tag is a little steep for your taste, it’s also available in a MIPS-free version for about $70 AUD less.

Lazer Jackal Kineticore Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $199.99 AUD
- Weight | 356g (medium)
With the second iteration of its trail-focused Jackal Helmet, Lazer decided to give the boot to MIPS, AKA the status-quo of helmet safety technology, in lieu of its own design. KinetiCore has been developed in-house by Lazer to offer integrated rotational impact protection.
The sizing remains much the same, meaning you’re getting the same multi-panel polycarbonate shell, a 3-position adjustable visor, a FidLock magnetic buckle, the TurnSys fit system, and goggle compatibility.
The Jackal KinetiCore comes in at 356g (size medium), significantly less than its predecessor (412g). Due to the helmet’s cleverly moulded blocks, which are designed to flex and crumple on impact, less material — namely plastic — is used in its construction — thus offering a lighter helmet. The bumpers also create more channelling and vastly improve airflow through the helmet, too.
If you’re chasing a light trail helmet that is competitively priced and offers excellent safety features — Lazer’s Jackal could be the one for you.

Fox Speedframe Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $199.99 AUD
- Weight | 360g
The Fox Speedframe is the company’s flagship trail helmet and arguably one of the most popular lids on the market — on any given day, at any given trailhead, you’re bound to see a handful of them in a kaleidoscope of colours adorning riders’ heads. The Speedframe offers fantastic coverage across critical areas around your temples and the base of the skull. This coverage, in unison with a MIPS liner, makes for a safe and secure lid with a comfortable fit that seems to work for a wide variety of heads.
It is based around an in-moulded EPS foam core with deep channelling to allow air to flow through the helmet. This EPS foam is surrounded by a durable polycarbonate casing that goes around the bottom edge of the helmet to stave off wear and tear.
If you’re someone who enjoys the luxurious things in life, Fox offers a more expensive Speedframe Pro, which upgrades you to a FidLock buckle, anti-microbial padding, and Dual-density Varizorb™ expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam.

100% Altec Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $269.99 AUD
- Weight | 369g
A brand most commonly known for lairy sunglasses and goggles, 100% has been producing full-face and open-face helmets for quite some time now and doing a bloody good job, too.
The Altec helmet has been optimised for trail riding, providing ample coverage and is built around a multi-density EPS foam core. For those who run hot while riding (likely most of us), this design is thinking of you with 15 sizable vents to maximise airflow. The visor offers good coverage, and it can be raised or lowered depending on how much shade you need. Pop the visor all the way up and you can store your riding glasses or goggles underneath it. Another handy feature is the anti-microbial lining, which is claimed to prolong the life of the fabric and keep away the stench.
100% are another brand who have steered away from MIPS technology, employing its Smartshock Rotational Protective System. In the Altec, there are 14 blue rubber elastomers, which the brand says allow the helmet to rotate around your head whilst also absorbing direct impacts. A simple yet critical motion that’s said to help reduce the severity of injuries to your brain and neck.
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100% Altis Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $189.99 AUD
- Weight | 360g
The 100% Altis Helmet sits as the budget-friendly sibling of the Altec; while there is a noticeable reduction in some of the finishing, this helmet still plays the hits. It still gets the brand’s Smartshock Rotational Protective System, though you only get 11 blue rubber elastomers (14 elastomers in the Altec) that allow the helmet to rotate whilst also absorbing direct impacts.
The Altis is built around high-density EPS foam rather than the multi-density EPS foam of the Altec. The helmet provides ample ventilation with 14 vents, keeping that breeze flowing for those warmer months and difficult climbs. The fabric of the lining is also anti-microbial, which is claimed to stave off some of the funky over time, but they’re also removable for when they need a wash.

Smith Forefront 2 Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $375.00 AUD
- Weight | 390g
The Smith Forefront 2 is not your typical-looking lid, utilising a rather alternative approach to ventilation and energy absorption with Koroyd coverage.
The first iteration of this design resulted in some hot heads as the tightly packed array of straw-like Koryod didn’t allow for enough heat to exit or airflow to enter. Fortunately, this has been adjusted in the Forefront 2, with three large open vents now running up the middle. It may not be as airy as other helmets on this list, but at least you won’t have sweat stinging your eyes.
The Forefront 2 utilises MIPS technology, which is the industry standard rotational impact system. The American outfit has combined this with Koroyd, which is like Lazer’s Kineticore and is said to crumple and deform in a crash to displace the energy from an impact before it reaches your head. There’s also an internal skeleton embedded in the foam that aims to hold the shell together if you have a mega multi-impact stack.
Unsurprisingly, for a company that started out making eyewear in 1965, the Forefront 2 is specifically designed to integrate with the brand’s sunglasses range. A nice touch for those who own a pair of Smith glasses, though anything with straight arms clips in securely.
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Giro Manifest Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $419.99 AUD
- Weight | 369g (medium)
The Giro Manifest is on the tippy top of the upper end of trail helmets, but plenty of nice features and finishes help justify the price tag’s weight. The Manifest was Giro’s first trail helmet to feature the MIPS Spherical technology,
It features a dual-shell construction with harder EPS foam for the outer and a softer EPP foam for the inner foam, which sits closer to the rider’s head. The dual-shell and elastomer inserts create a ball and socket profile, which allows them to slide against each other and is said to displace some of the rotational impact forces before they can slosh your brain around inside your skull.
The design that Giro and MIPS have created provides a noticeably more snug fit when you put the helmet on because the MIPS liner sits in between the two shells rather than against your head.
But this isn’t the end of the bells and whistles, including the superb Roc Loc Trail Air Fit system. You also get integrated grippers for your sunglasses arms, an adjustable visor, a magnetic buckle, and a gripper at the rear of the helmet for goggles. At 369g in a size medium, it’s also one of the lightest helmets we’ve come across so far.

Giro Merit Spherical Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $329.00 AUD
- Weight | 365g
Giro’s Merit helmet continues on MIPS Spherical helmet technology but manages to knock a couple of hundred bucks off the price. Spherical is the brainchild of a collaboration between Giro and MIPS, which as previously described, utilises a ball and socket design in an effort to reduce rotational forces.
The Merit still features a dual-shell construction with a harder EPS foam used for the outer shell, and a softer EPP foam used for the inner shell where it sits closer to the rider’s head. The surfaces between the two shells are polished smooth, and they’re joined together with elastomer inserts, creating a slip-plane with the aim of dispiating rotational forces.
In addition to the Spherical technology, the Giro Merit features the excellent Roc Loc Trail Air fit system that provides both radial and vertical adjustability for the supporting harness. There’s a standard nylon buckle, goggle compatibility, plenty of plush padding inside, plus an adjustable visor. Available in three sizes and a bunch of different colours.

Giro Source Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $239.00 AUD
- Weight | 359g
We understand that costs add up in mountain biking, and lashing out on a $400+ helmet isn’t always an option. There are plenty of helmets that don’t cost the earth while still protecting those key areas — enter the Giro Source.
The Giro Source offers ample coverage around the templates and back of the head, providing an in-mould EPS foam core and a full polycarbonate shell that wraps underneath the helmet rim for improved durability. The Source also incorporates a MIPS liner that aims to mitigate rotational forces on impact.
This shell also provides 16 large vents that allow cool air to enter the helmet, run over your head and exit through the rear. This helmet is incredibly comfortable and uses a Cool Fit padding system, which Giro says speeds wicking. It also has anti-microbial properties that are said to keep those odours away.

Bluegrass Eagle Rogue Core MIPS Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $229.95 AUD
- Weight | 360g
Bluegrass is Italian company MET’s gravity-focused offshoot, and the Rogue range of lids is its only open-face trail lid. The Rogue Core MIPS is the brand’s flagship open-face helmet that offers surprisingly good value for money and a stacked feature list.
The fully in-moulded polycarbonate shell offers ample protection around the back of the head and over your temples. Bluegrass has elected to run with a single-density EPS foam core, which still achieves a five-star rating from Virginia Tech, beating several high-end helmets that use multi-density foam — and significantly larger price tags too.
While hitting goals with its safety rating, this lid still offers great ventilation with a total of 19 vents, providing some reprieve on those hot summer days and it also gets a premium Fidlock magnetic buckle. The peak is relatively short compared to many of the other helmets on this list but is positioned well to block the sun, has three positions and a unique way to stow your sunnies in the vents that is rock solid.
The Bluegrass Rogue Core is available in MIPS and Non-MIPs versions.
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Troy Lee Designs Flowline Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $254.95 AUD (Flowline) $329.95 AUD (Flowline SE)
- Weight | 370g
Troy Lee Design’s Flowline helmet might just be your answer to owning a fancy TLD stack hat without blowing out your weekly budget. The Flowline and Flowline SE have employed some of the design elements from its high-end A3 helmet and created a more casual, affordable offering.
This helmet has achieved a five-star safety rating from Virginia Tech, and the SE version provides the all-important MIPS B-series liner, which incorporates the head cradle into the rotational impact protection to limit how much your brain sloshes around in a crash. The SE version also gets a nifty Fidlock buckle.
The Flowline lid delivers 14 vents that provide direct airflow, the fit feels more like the original A1 but with better ventilation. Though there are fewer bells and whistles compared to the flagship TLD A3, it also comes with a smaller price tag.

Troy Lee Designs A3 Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $444.95 AUD
- Weight | 375g
The A3 is the latest iteration of Troy Lee Designs’ premium trail helmet, and as expected, it comes packed to the hilt with loads of slick details.
Based around a three-piece shell with the main structure being a co-moulded EPP and EPS foam core, while the inside of the helmet features an integrated MIPS liner.
Aiming to provide the most comfortable fit possible, the A3 offers two different thickness pads for your choosing. There’s also a removable sweat guard that sits on your forehead to prevent salty dips from finding their way into your eyeballs. The padding has a soft and luxurious feel, and combined with anti-microbial and sweat-wicking properties, it really is a top-end lid. TLD has also harnessed the power of magnets for the nifty Fidlock buckle and also used them to replace the wingnut used to adjust the visor.
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Leat MTB Enduro 3 Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $389.00 AUD
- Weight | 360g (open face), 700g (full face)
The Leatt MTB Enduro 3.0 helmet is a bit different from the rest of the trail helmets we have showcased here, you could label it as a bit of a shape-shifter. This three-in-one helmet design offers a lightweight open-face trail lid, a half-shell with ear guards, and a proper full-face with a chin bar. No tools are required, and there are no awkward buckles like we’ve seen with previous convertible helmets from Leatt. The two buttons make it a simple and quick process, and that means you’re more likely to make use of its shape-shifting abilities.
Unlike some other convertible helmets we’ve used in the past, the Leatt Enduro 3.0 feels like a proper full-face with the chin bar attached.
The South African outfit employs its own alternative to MIPS with the 360 technology. A series of blue rubber discs are said to absorb impact energy whilst also allowing the helmet to rotate in the event you hit the dirt at an angle in an arrangement that’s not too dissimilar to 100%’s Smartshock bumpers.
The switch between each configuration is comically easy, which we think makes the helmet such a good value proposition — cruisey trail ride into enduro race mode in less time than it takes to get your knee pads on!

Specialized Ambush 2 Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $280 AUD
- Weight | 354g
Colloquially known for making some pretty epic bikes, the Californian company has also cemented itself as a quality supplier of helmets, shoes and other gear. The Specialized Ambush 2 has a distinctive design with its flashy two-tone finish and beautifully curved edges right around the shell, borrowing quite a bit of styling from the Gambit full face.
There’s a fixed visor that integrates seamlessly into the helmet’s shell, providing a decent amount of coverage while being just out of your peripheral vision. You can also store sunglasses underneath the visor while climbing, with discreet rubber flaps tucked away in the side vents to help secure the arms and minimise vibration.
The Ambush 2 has received a 5-star rating from Virginia Tech for its construction, something they don’t dish out lightly. Its dual-density EPS core puts softer foam in the key strike areas around your forehead, temples and back of the skull. This runs in conjunction with an integrated — and very well-hidden — MIPS SL liner to provide ample protection for your noggin.
The Ambush 2 also has a dedicated spot on the harness to fit a stick-on ANGi crash sensor, which is available separately for an additional $50.

Scott Tago Plus Helmet
Specs:
- Price | $189 AUD
- Weight | 350g
The Scott Tago Plus is all about airflow. With 18 vents and plenty of internal channelling, this is a lid that allows you to feel the wind flowing through your luscious locks as you ride
It’s a slightly different fit to some of the other trail helmets on our list, sitting more atop the head rather than wrapping right around. As all good trail helmets do, the Tago Plus utilises the MIPS Brain Protection System, designed to reduce rotational forces should your head hit the dirt after a stack. The helmet also employs EPS foam and in-mould construction.
The shatter-proof adjustable visor also leaves room for goggles or sunnies to be stowed underneath, and it only weighs 350g — impressive for a full-featured trail lid.
A nice unique element to this lid is that the straps are made of fully recycled materials, so you can be eco-responsible as you shred the trails.
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