[Ski Gear] Don’t ask me what the first piece of ski gear you should buy is—hands down, it’s a helmet.

Today, the key piece of ski equipment I want to share with fellow snow enthusiasts is the "helmet." If you’re looking to get your own ski gear, ask any experienced skier—they’ll likely tell you it’s not the skis, boots, or even the ski suit; instead, they’ll emphasize that the most important piece of equipment is a helmet. In the section below, we’ll dive deeper into why a helmet should be your very first priority when gearing up for the slopes.

►On December 29, 2013, racing legend Michael Schumacher was involved in a skiing accident in the French Alps, suffering a head injury after hitting a rock—but he narrowly escaped with his life thanks to the ski helmet he was wearing.

The photo shows the scene captured by an internet user.

► Liam Neeson's wife tragically dies in a skiing accident (Experts suspect she may have suffered a head injury prior to the crash, as the accident occurred on a beginner’s slope).

Skiing itself carries a certain level of risk, making it essential to prioritize safety—this is precisely why experienced skiers always recommend everyone invest in a good-quality ski helmet first. (Some ski resorts even have rules stating that skiers without helmets won’t be allowed on advanced slopes.)

We recommend choosing helmets from the following brands—all of which are well-known, socially responsible, and certified to meet both the European safety standard CE EN1077 and the North American safety standard ASTM F2040. (Of course, this also depends on market needs: if the product is intended solely for the European market, then CE certification alone would suffice; ASTM certification wouldn’t be necessary in that case.)

►United States: Smith, Giro, BERN

►Europe: SCOTT, CARRERA, UVEX, POC, HEAD, K2, INTERSPORT, DECATHLON

► Japan: SWANS (YAMAMOTO)

►Recommended Brand: YAMAMOTO (SWANS)

Reason for recommendation: If you’re choosing between bike helmets and motorcycle helmets, I’d definitely recommend OGK—they’re the only company in the world that independently researches and designs helmets specifically tailored to Asian head shapes. However, their ski helmets don’t seem to be their strongest offering; as far as I know, SWANS is currently the top brand for high-performance ski helmets in Japan.

►Recommended styles:

►Recommended brand: DECATHLON

This French sports retail chain brand was originally not something I’d recommend, since they’re essentially known for offering bargain-bin products—cost-cutting essentials with little in the way of technical innovation. Still, the quality is decent enough (though they do have high-end helmets, just not under the DECATHLON label).

►Reason for recommendation: Nowadays, many cities across China have Decathlon's specialty stores, where you can personally try on and select the size that fits you best. Plus, their prices are quite affordable—so even if you don’t end up loving the helmet, you won’t lose too much money. Interestingly, they’ve apparently started gradually carrying helmets from other brands as well, so when you visit, you might just stumble upon the brand I recommended earlier!

►Recommended Brand: UVEX

►Reason for Recommendation:
➀ Looks good
➁ Because my head circumference is relatively large, helmets in sizes 60–62 from brands like HEAD, SCOTT, and POC squeezed uncomfortably on both sides of my forehead—making them completely unusable. But this helmet’s larger size? It fits perfectly and feels incredibly comfortable! I actually wonder why helmets marketed to Europe and America are designed in a way that makes them so much more comfortable for Asians—until I met the Japanese-American designer behind it, and suddenly things started making sense.
The importance of a helmet: The hardest fall I ever had was when I landed directly on the back of my head—from nearly standing height—right onto the ground. Honestly, I don’t even want to imagine what could’ve happened if I hadn’t been wearing that helmet.

➀ Collect samples by photographing people of different genders and ages.

➁ Create a 3D model
➂ Create the head shape

➀ Europeans and Asians have different head shapes, so it’s recommended to choose styles that suit Asian facial features.

➁ Helmet size chart for reference:

This article is originally from Zhihu author Li Fangyuan and has been compiled and published by Qu Xuegu. Please credit the source when reprinting!