A skate helmet is the most important protective equipment when skating. Not because head injuries are the most common, but because the consequences can be serious. A wrist is broken much more often, but a broken wrist does grow back together. However, head damage can have lasting consequences. In skating sports, the back of the head in particular is at extra risk due to falling backwards. A skate helmet therefore has protection that extends further to the back of the head than a bicycle helmet.
A bicycle helmet or skate helmet must have a NEN-EN 1078:2012 or a NEN-EN 1080:2013 inspection standard. Helmets without the mention of this standard are unreliable.
In addition, make sure that a skate helmet fits well and is not too big. It should not fall off if you hold your head upside down and the chin strap is loose. The helmet is also not easy to slide back and forth on the head. When using the helmet, the chin strap must be adjusted so that you can tighten the strap when opening the mouth.
Now, any helmet is better than no skate helmet, as long as you don't have the illusion that you are well protected with a bad helmet.
Two things are also important to ensure that you actually wear the skate helmet you purchased. Make sure the helmet fits comfortably and make sure you like it a bit. Children in particular do not see the need to wear a helmet. So if they want a pink, purple or yellow helmet, just take it, because the chance that they will wear it increases.
A skate helmet is made to absorb a hard impact and in principle a helmet must be replaced after a significant impact. The interior is then deformed and dented and cannot properly absorb a new blow.
If you are not using a helmet for a while, put it away in the dark. The UV radiation in sunlight affects all materials, causing them to lose their properties. This does not only apply to helmets.
Determining the size:
Measure the circumference of your head about 2.5 centimeters above the eyebrows. Check which size (XS - XL) suits you best. Please note: each brand has its own interpretation of the sizes XS, S, M, L, XL. For example, 56 cm may be a size M for one brand and a size L for another. For children, measure approximately 2 cm above the eyebrow.
