Kids Gear
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The best kids' ski helmets with MIPS combine a genuine yellow MIPS Brain Protection System liner with a growth-adjustable fit dial and CPSC/ASTM- or CE EN1077-certified shell — right now that's the Giro Spur MIPS, Smith Glide Jr. MIPS, POC POCito Skull MIPS, and Bern Nino MIPS.
I've got three daughters who've gone through more kid-sized helmets than I want to admit, and the one thing I never skimp on is MIPS. It's not a marketing sticker — it's a thin, low-friction yellow liner inside the helmet that lets the shell rotate slightly on impact, which matters a lot for the rotational-force crashes kids actually take when they cartwheel down a run.
Our top pick · Best overall
Giro Spur MIPS
| Best for | Product | Why it stands out | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Giro Spur MIPS | Genuine MIPS liner | Check price → |
| Best budget | Smith Glide Jr. MIPS | MIPS protection at a lower price point | Check price → |
| Best for toddlers and young kids | POC POCito Skull MIPS | Sized specifically for younger, smaller heads | Check price → |
| Best for growing riders | Bern Nino MIPS | Roomy, adjustable fit for growth room | Check price → |
It's not legally required, but I consider it worth prioritizing because kids fall at angles and speeds that create rotational impact forces, and MIPS is specifically designed to reduce the energy transferred to the brain during those angled hits — it's one of the few kid-helmet upgrades backed by real crash-test research rather than marketing.
Check for the actual yellow MIPS layer visible inside the helmet and look for 'MIPS' printed on the helmet or its packaging — MIPS AB licenses the technology to specific brands and models, so if a helmet only says something vague like 'rotational protection system' with no MIPS branding, it likely isn't the certified version.
No — a helmet needs to fit snugly with no more than a finger's width of movement side to side, because a loose helmet can shift on impact and won't protect properly; instead, buy for the current size and use models with adjustable fit dials to get an extra season or two of use as their head grows slightly.
Replace it immediately after any hard impact or crash even if you don't see visible damage, since the foam liner can compress internally without cracking the shell; outside of a crash, most kids' helmets get replaced every 2-3 seasons anyway simply because their heads outgrow them.
Look for CPSC certification in the US, ASTM F2040 (the ski/snowboard-specific standard), or CE EN1077 for European models — these are printed on the helmet itself and indicate it passed actual impact and retention testing, unlike generic 'safety tested' claims with no named standard.
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