Tomgirl Reviews: Giro G9 ski helmet

Any gear I purchase for outdoor adventures needs to follow a specific set of criteria - function, comfort and style. So, I’m thrilled that the helmet I chose to buy this year – Giro G9 - met all three criteria.

Giro bike helmets have been around since I can remember, and both my son and I wore them religiously as he was growing up and our biking went off road. I loved them – functional and safe (they meet both U.S. and European safety standards), easy to use, light-weight (13.5 oz) and so comfortable.

It only made sense when we started skiing to look for a Giro helmet. I just picked up a new 2010 Giro G9 before I started the season this year. The Giro has a low profile and provides good peripheral vision, which you really need on the slopes. This weekend, Brettonwoods in New Hampshire was a bit busy and the weather was alternately cloudy and snowing hard, making seeing any depth whatsoever tough, so the ability to easily see on either side was key to safely navigating the mountain.

The Goggle Notch feature (holds your goggles to your helmet) is pretty standard and I find it handy both on and off the slopes (having one less thing to carry around the lodge makes me really happy!) The helmet is also sporty and it looks good on everyone.

Another key feature of the G9 ski helmet is that it is warm in the cold weather – in fact, it’s warmer than any winter hat I’ve worn (and so much safer). There is also an adjustable vent system with fifteen vents around the helmet that are easily removed. Weatherstrip plugs pop out easily and go into your pocket if you are heating up during a run so the ventilation keeps you cool. Manually removing the plugs on the mountain is tricky, but the ability to customize the airflow makes it worth it (and you can do it at the top or bottom of the mountain).

A couple of other “off the beaten path” features that I really appreciate are being able to hear everything with the helmet on; and the soft, vented ear covering that makes for easy listening (great when skiing with friends or sporting an ipod). The fit was perfect – and how do I know that for sure? Well, it was comfortable for starters and I could easily slide my iphone up under the ear vent to take a call without removing my helmet – happy day! If you know me at all, you know, that I’ve gotta have access to that iphone at all times (well almost all times)!

In sum: I give the Giro G9 helmet a big “thumbs up”.