A helmet is the most important piece of riding equipment that you will buy. In the event of a fall, a properly fitted helmet can protect you from injury or even death. At windswepthorse.com, we take helmet fitting very serious.
TO FIND YOUR CORRECT IRH
HELMET SIZE
Place the tape measure around your head just above the eyebrow
ridges. Then convert the resulting measurements in inches to the sizes
listed in the chart below.
Make sure you style your hair as you would for your riding event as you will need slightly more room if you will be wearing your hair up in your helmet. Keep in mind that you will be able to snug up your fit a bit with the enclosed IRH helmet shims if you are between sizes.
Once your helmet arrives, check the fit to make sure it is proper for your head size and shape.
Grasp your helmet and try to wiggle your helmet up and down over your forehead. A properly fitted helmet will move the skin on your forehead and eyebrows up and down with the helmet. If the helmet moves free of the forehead skin and brows, the helmet is too big for your head. When you shake your head from side to side or up and down, the helmet should not move around on your head. It should be snug enough, all the way around to stay in place. However, it should not be tight enough to cause a head ache or discomfort.
WHAT ABOUT HELMET SHAPE?
International Riding Helmets come in two "shape" styles, standard round or long oval. About 80% of the population will fall into the standard round helmet shape, but how do you know which is suitable for you? The very best way is to evaluate the helmet (the proper size as determined from the chart above) on your head. If the standard round helmet is tight at your forehead (and back of your head) but can easily rock side to side, the helmet is too round for your head shape and you need a long oval. If you are trying on the long oval helmet and it is too tight on the sides but can easily lift without your eye brow movement, it is too oval and you need a standard round. The perfect fit will have even pressure and a snuff fit all around the head.
At windswepthorse.com we take helmet fit seriously and we are happy to exchange your helmet size or shape until we get the fit just right.