Helmet Color
 

I am looking for input on colors & heat retention. Dark colors seem to get hot in the sun and light colors seem to stay cooler. Has anyone notice a difference with a lighter colored helmet staying cooler or does the foam act as an insulation?


I have always had black helmets and I don't really know why. I am looking to get a warm weather helmet that vents better than my current one.

I've done white and I've done black. I have not noticed a difference.

If you think about it, the foam in most helmets is practically black. The surface of the black helmet might get hotter than the white, but not much of that heat is making it through the foam, which is used in many places as insulation, to your head.

If you look at the high end (longer) lenses from Canon, they are all an off-white color. This is supposedly due to heat concerns. Lighter color should make a difference, but not sure most people would even notice. It may be negligible differences.

I guess if you already have a black helmet, then get a white one with accents that combine with your bike.


For fathers day my mom and wife got me a white previal helmet that combines with my frame, some nice glasses that combined with the helmet, gloves socks... I feel so cool!!

So i guess more than temperature buy something that you REALLY LIKE! :)

thanks. I didn't think there would be a big difference.....

Have had both black and white. Biggest difference for me is the ventilation. Black AEON feels cold in the summer it's so awesome.... Indicator in white: hot and sucky...

Color ain't everything http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/cold-black

I really don't know for sure, but I have a certain black sweater that I love for winter golf as it soaks up the sun and I drive a white truck as I've found that really makes a difference in the Florida sun. So I'm inclined to believe a white helmet would be cooler and therefore that's what I wear. But I've never tried a dark one, so it's somewhat of a speculative choice.

I remember reading a study that showed the large amount of foam in helmets negates the color. There's just so much foam any heat absorption by a dark color ends up not mattering.
This also is reflected in my personal experience.
So, go with what you like!

Back when they used fluorite in their high end glass thermal expansion could cause the big glass element to crack. Later it became a marketing tool because the white lenses stood out in a group of pro photographers and help the brand look if not dominant a real contender in pro photography. Nikon then started offering high end lenses in optional white to dilute this. Kind of silly really. Except it's a lot easier on the hand to touch white colored metal in summer sun.


I've got two Giro helmets, one black and one white, live in South Georgia and can't tell any difference.

I like the look of a black helmet better.

I like bright colors, so I can more easily be seen. I have a Giro Aeon in Highlight Yellow. It is better ventilated than anything I've ever had before, and I know that whatever else I wear, I will have at least one significant high-visibility item.

Helmets for men only come in white.

With these, you have to touch the surface of the lens to do stuff, whereas with a helmet, you're not touching the surface.

ventilation is key to having a cool head.

Same here. I got a white helmet hoping it would be more visible than black, but who knows.

Helmets, like tires, shorts and handle bar tape, are black.

That's my reasoning as well. Certainly can't be less visible than black.

Black helmet, matches almost any clothing, with reflective strips for visibility.

What about when it's snowing?

Funny man.

1) Austin
2) Trainer, garage, door closed, no helmet