The snell certified helmet lists are updated daily. Please visit the Snell Website for updates. SNELL WEBSITE
What Snell Decal does your helmet have?
Snell Memorial Foundation maintains a listing of all helmets that have met certification to Snell Standards. Manufacturers are required to put a Snell serialized label inside each of their Snell certified helmets by the Licensing Agreement. Before you buy a helmet, check these lists out.Please Note: The name and size references contained in these lists are supplied to Snell by the manufacturer. We make every effort to correctly list all certified products. If you should find any discrepancies, or if you find a helmet on the list but has no Snell sticker inside, please contact us.
Helmet manufactures that claim their helmets "meet" Snell Memorial Foundation's Standards
Internet Helmets and buying online
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SNELL WEBSITE
There are a few helmet manufacturers out there that claim that their helmets "Meet", "Have met" or "Exceed" the Snell Memorial Foundation's Standards. It is important to know the facts about some of these claims.
Only Snell can determine if a helmet meets the Snell standards. This is because the Snell standards are more than just a testing requirement. The manufacturer must comply with requirements for supplying specific product and production information which relates directly to the Snell serialized decal each certified helmet MUST contain. The standard also requires that the manufacturer submit to random testing for each certified model.
Helmets that claim they "have met" the Snell standards even if they truly were certified at one time may not meet the standards any longer, and if they no longer participate in the Snell certification program these helmets DO NOT have the confidence of the Foundation. The same is true for helmets claiming to "exceed" the Snell standards. As mentioned before, only Snell by nature of the certification program can determine compliance to the Snell standards.
A helmet is considered Snell certified, only if the following conditions are met:
- The helmet model must have been tested and granted certification by the Snell Memorial Foundation to one of the Foundation's Standards for Protective Headgear.
- The manufacturer of the helmet must have a valid licensing agreement with the Foundation allowing them to claim Snell certification, and the helmet model must be on our certification lists.
- Each certified helmet must contain a Snell serialized decal that denotes the proper standard for the type of application.
- The helmet model must be available in the marketplace for testing in our Random Sample Testing program, and remain in good standing with respect to it's certification. (It has to keep on meeting the requirements of the standard.)
Previous Standards:
Snell examines, revises, updates and republishes many of it's standards about every five years. Once a new standard is published the previous one becomes inactive. That is, The Foundation no longer performs certifications or distributes serialized decals for that standard. For example; the M-95 standard became inactive upon the release of M2000. Snell does however continue to obtain these helmets from the marketplace to test to make sure the helmets people are buying continue to meet the standard. We also still support claims of certification to previous standards if:
- The helmet had previously been tested and certified to that standard
- The helmet contains a valid, serialized certification decal issued by Snell
- The helmet was manufactured prior to the date the standard was declared inactive.
- The helmet and the helmet manufacturer remain in good standing with respect to it's performance to the Snell standard.
The Snell standards are not just the toughest testing and performance requirements in the world. They are complete certification programs designed not only to check if a certified helmet model can pass once, but if it can pass again and again. Don't be fooled by false claims. To be certain that your helmet is certified by Snell make sure it meets all of the above requirements. If it doesn't or your not sure, contact us.
Internet Helmets
"My Name Is URL" But, who's URL?
As we are all aware, you can get almost anything via the internet these days and helmets are no exception. While buying online can allow you to easily make a lot of different comparisons between helmet models, graphic styles and of course price there are also a few drawbacks.
The following outlines some of the aspects potential helmet buyer should consider when buying online. Some of these are more common sense for buying anything online, but others are important when choosing an adequate helmet for your particular use.
Buying online gives the consumer more choices. This is generally true. Most online stores that deal in helmets have a wide selection to show their customers. There are hundreds of helmet models available, and virtually every one of them can be purchased from one site or another.
In fact Snell buys quite a number of helmets from online dealers for their random testing program.
Buying helmets online allows the consumer to find the best price. I don't know if the best price is always synonymous with buying online. Internet consumers can certainly compare prices from a number of places more readily without having to drive to every shop in town.
Buying online is so much more convenient. Personally, I love buying certain things over the internet. Particularly when it's either something I can't readily find locally, or if I know exactly what I need or want. "Zen, and The Art of Motorcycle Repair" is so easy to search for and find at one of the online booksellers without having to deal with trying to find a copy at the local "MegaBooks, CD's, DVDs and coffee and.." well you know the place.
I mean those places are fine for hanging out or doing a little shopping or having some coffee, but actually trying to buy something can be very time consuming.
The drawbacks. Helmets are a safety device. This is really their main purpose, to help protect riders from an acute case of deceleration head trauma, or "This is your brain on asphalt". If that danger was not present, I don't believe that many riders would sport a helmet strictly for the fashion value. Choosing a proper helmet depends on other factors that become very difficult to determine online, even on a wide screen plasma computer monitor.
First there's fit. For any helmet to be effective if needed, it needs to be suited to the wearers head. So you say you're a large. Well that may be so for that Italian made helmet, but for that other one made in Japan, you are an XL. And guess what, your head is not shaped like that Chinese made helmet, it's much more like that Korean made one. To find out if a helmet fits, so far there is only one way. Try it on. This is still not possible to do over the internet, not until they come up with a virtual sizing system.
Comfort while related to fit, is a consideration that can really only be determined by wearing the helmet. Even if it fits well, it may still not be as comfortable as you prefer. You will likely be wearing your helmet for extended periods so it should not become an annoying distraction.
Then there is style. Why do we consider style as a safety aspect at all? Because of human nature. I can't tell you how many times I've purchased something thinking, "Wow, that looks great in the window", only to discover that the window wore it a lot better than I did. While I am no fashion mogul I really don't care to look too ridiculous. What we have seen is that people are more likely to wear a helmet that fits well, is comfortable and that they like.
Getting what you pay for. The internet certainly does mimic a community, and like any community you have a very diverse population of people. In general many of the internet shops that sell helmets present a responsible attitude towards selling you a helmet. There are always those that do not have a clue as to what is an appropriate helmet for an individual. Some may even misrepresent their products, don't really care if it's suitable for their customer or even lie. We see most of these issues through the private sales or bidding services like Craig's list or eBay. Many of the individuals selling helmets through these services are selling used helmets. Buying used helmets is a bad idea. It might be OK if you get a used one from someone you know and you are certain the helmet has not been mistreated or damaged. An unknown helmet may very well have sustained damage that is virtually unnoticeable by simple inspection, but has had its protective capabilities severely compromised. Think about it. If you are wearing a helmet because you want to protect your head, you might as well get one that you are sure of.
To avoid buying a lemon of a melon protector, stick with reputable dealers. Make sure they have a liberal return policy should the helmet not fit as well as it needs to, or if it's just not the right helmet for you.
Give your local dealer a chance, perhaps the one where you bought your vehicle. Many times the sales staff is trained to show you how to find and fit a helmet suited for your head, and the activities you are participating in. Some even have web sites just so you can have that buying online feeling. Very often they can even match the price after you consider shipping and handling charges.
Most of all wear it. A helmet will not protect your seat or a shelf in the garage. It will also not protect your head if it's not there.WHAT SNELL DECAL DOES YOUR HELMET HAVE?
HELMET CERTIFICATION LISTS
SNELL WEBSITE
