are all helmets the same?
 

are all helmets the same, in the sense that they all have a minimum standard of protect that is acceptable, and the more costly the helmet is the more better it can protect your head?

cause i want to pick up a $12 helmet at zellers, what should i check for so that it is decent? are there safety standard for helmet?

So long as they're all certified by the CPSC, they should be about the same degree of safety. With the cost comes different sizes and lower weight, because basically they try to take off as much material as they can while meeting the standards with bowling-ball tests. If anything, your $12 would be a little safer because there's more material.

So long as it fits snugly, you should be fine.

what do i look for to tell if a helmet certified by the CPSC?

some are also SNELL certified to a higher degree of crash protection, i believe.

All helmets sold in the U.S. must be CPSC certified. There will be a CPSC sticker inside the helmet certifying that it meets the (very minimal) CPSC standards.

Bekologist is right, a helmet with a Snell sticker will meet a higher standard. Almost no helmets will have this sticker. The only helmets that do have a Snell sticker will be offroad (probably BMX) models.

There will be a sticker on the inside showing the standards to which it is certified. I think it is illegal to sell bike helmets in canada that are not CPSC certified. The more expensive ones tend to have better ventilation which may make them more comfortable. Some expensive ones have a reinforcing band around which stops the helmet falling to pieces after the first impact so providing more protection if there is a second impact. Also look for the eas of adjustment to fit the head and the comfort of the streaps which varies between different brands.

Check out http://www.helmets.org/
They have more info on bike helmets that you thought you ever needed to know.

Happy riding,
André

I'd say no. You don't need a $200 helmet, but there are definitely differences in fit, safety, and comfort.

In general, very cheap helmets technically pass the tests for impact, but in my experiences are often difficult to get to fit right, meaning that in an actual crash the helmet slips and you hit your brainpan on asphalt. No fun. Additionally, if you tighten the fasteners enough to make them safe, the cheap ones are often very uncomfortable.

There are also model and brand variations that will make some helmets fit better for different people, so you should try some different models.

Cheaper ones are also usually bulkier, which translates into hotter and more wind resistance.