Ensuring your little one wears a kids bike helmet whilst
out on their bike, scooter, or skateboard is incredibly important, but a helmet that doesn't fit
right
offers much less protection than it should. We've put together this guide to fitting kids'
helmets to make
sure that your child is as safe as can be when out on their bike.
Getting the right size kids' helmet
Helmets that are too big or small will be uncomfortable to wear and, more importantly, don't
offer as much
protection from bumps as they should. It might be tempting to buy a larger one for your child to
grow into,
but it's really important to have a helmet that's the right size.
How to measure for a kids' helmet
Usually, helmets are advertised with a size in centimetres. This size directly relates to the
circumference
of the head.
To measure your child's head, just follow these steps:
- Take a fabric measuring tape and wrap it around the head about an inch above the eyebrows.
- Measure from here, making sure the tape is level all the way round.
- Don't have a measuring tape? Use some string instead! Mark or cut the string and then
straighten it out
next to a tape measure or ruler to get the circumference.
How to tell if it fits properly
After measuring your child's head circumference, you'll have a rough starting point for helmet
sizes. Pop
into store with your little one and try some helmets out, looking at how it sits on the head. It
should be
level, with a gap of about an inch or two fingers between the eyebrow and the helmet. Make sure
that all the
straps and adjustments are firm but not too tight.
Too big
If the helmet can move around a lot, it's probably too big. Double check that the straps and
adjusters are
tight, and if so, try a smaller size.
Too small
If the helmet sits high on top of the head or leaves a visible line on the skin, it's probably
too small.
Your child should be able to put on glasses with the helmet.
Straps and adjusters
Kids' helmets come with all sorts of different ways of adjusting the fit, but the most common are
either
different sized foam pads or a clicky dial at the rear to adjust the size of the helmet. This
means that
they can fit a range of different sizes and can grow a little bit with your child.
The chin strap should not hang loose, but also should allow your child to open their mouth
easily, before
going comfortably around the ears. Straps can normally be adjusted in these places, so this is
an easy area
to fit.
Trying a helmet on in store
While measuring can give you a good starting point for what size helmet you might need, and
helmets are
adjustable, there's no getting away from the fact that heads come in a lot of different shapes
and sizes.
There's no substitute for trying a helmet on, so we recommend that if you're not sure of which
you'll need,
it's best to pop into store. Here at Halfords we can also help you measure your child's head and
recommend
helmets for you, giving you that little extra bit of peace of mind.
Shop all Kids'
Helmets
With a 2-year guarantee across Halfords products and services, including Apollo, Boardman, Carrera, Voodoo and more, you can shop with confidence, knowing extra cover is available if something goes wrong. Whether you’re buying a product online, booking an in-store fitting or having work carried out at one of our garages, our guarantee covers you for 2 years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.
T&C: 2-year/24,000- mile guarantee requires registration. Visit Halfords.com (Halfords.ie for ROI) for full T&Cs and restrictions.
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