Best aero helmets of 2024 - the fastest bike helmets available
The best aero helmets offer a chance to add aerodynamics to something you already need, don’t leave free watts on the table
1. Quick list
2. Editors choice
3. Comfortable
4. Ventilation
5. Value
6. Stashing sunglasses
7. All-around
8. Visibility
9. Lightweight
10. Also tested
11. How to choose
Quite simply, upgrading to one of the best aero helmets is one of the easiest ways to go faster on a bike. As I said when I wrote the best road bike helmet guide, you wear a helmet every time you leave the house on a bike. That means your helmet will see a lot of use and be with you through countless adventures. It also means that choosing one of the best aero helmets could mean saving energy on every ride and the potential is significant.
What's unique about choosing one of the best aero helmets is that within reason, there's not really any extra cost. If you already need a helmet and are planning on buying one, pick an aero helmet instead and you gain free speed. The challenge is only in choosing the right aero helmet for you. For those that focus on time trials, check out our list of the best time trial helmets. Those options represent no-holds-barred speed-focused helmets that aren't usable for everyday riding. For everyone else, keep reading to see a list of options that balance speed with everyday usability.
Quick list
Editor's choice
Editors choice best aero helmet
With polarising looks, not everyone will love the Trek Ballista MIPS but this is the helmet I grab on every fast summer ride long and short. It feels fast, has great visibility, and stays cool when moving.
Comfortable
Best aero helmet for comfort
Big thick pads and a fit that’s close to the head makes the Kask Utopia Y more comfortable than the competition.
Value
Best value aero helmet
Budget aero helmets are essentially unheard of. The Smith Ignite isn’t any different except that Smith makes a huge range of colours and rotates them often. Look around and you’ll find last year's colours at 50% off.
All-around
Best all-around aero helmet
The Specialized Evade III is a design that’s been refined over multiple generations and the result is a helmet that does a good job in every category. It’s not class leading but there are few negatives and wide distribution makes it easy to get.
Visibility
Best aero helmet for making yourself visible
The Giro Eclipse Spherical is an excellent aero helmet from a performance standpoint but the real trick is an optional light that’s more integrated than that of any competitor. If staying visible is important to you this helmet is the one to pick.
Lightweight
Best aero helmet for lightweight performance
While there are a lot of close contenders, every race has a winner. If you want the lightest aero helmet available it’s the Limar Air Atlas + MIPS.
The best aero helmets available today
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Editors choice best aero helmet
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Trek Ballista MIPS is a helmet I absolutely loved as soon as I took it out of the box. Before I could even see what it looked like, I could feel how light it was. My version hit the scale at 15 grams less than what Trek reports at only 260 grams for a size medium. It also manages that performance with MIPS and a five-star Virginia Tech score (see the FAQs below for why these are important).
Aside from weight, the other thing I love about the Trek Ballista MIPS is how fast it looks. I'd love to also report that it is fast but despite spending hours trying to convert the numbers given to something comparable, I couldn't. Also, what's fast for me might not be as fast for you, as it's dependent on position. What I can tell you though is that it looks quite similar to a full TT helmet and Trek says it has "very competitive performance among TT helmets." Do what you will with that info, I love it because it's incredibly light and it's a definite visual statement.
You might also be a big fan of Ballista MIPS if you spend much time travelling with a helmet. That's because the design allows the rear cradle to fold completely inside of the helmet. It's a space-efficient design that makes it impossible for the rear cradle to ever get crushed. It's likely a big part of why the overall weight is low as well.
When it comes to negatives, the list actually crosses into the positives a bit. Meaning that while I love the style, there's no way it's going to be right for a lot of people. You'll never want to pair it with a tech tee and a gravel bike in the way that you can with the POC below, for example. That means an already expensive helmet is less versatile.
Best aero helmet for comfort
2. Kask Utopia Y
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Kask Utopia Y is a svelte helmet. It's not the absolute lightest here, both the Limar and the Trek are a bit lighter, but it's very close. What I'm describing is more than that though. There's a kind of minimalism to the whole design that somehow feels fast on your head.
The Kask Utopia Y also happens to be one of the most comfortable aero helmets on the market. The big, plush, padding uses "Resistex Carbon padding" which the brand describes as "a breathable material that promotes moisture dissipation to the outer shell." That same padding is also concentrated in two large strips that both help promote air movement within the helmet as well as direct sweat to drip out of your eyes when the system is inevitably overwhelmed on hot days.
When it comes to the chin strap system, you can tell once again that Kask has given comfort a lot of thought. Instead of webbing under the chin, Kask uses faux leather. It's more comfortable than what you find from other manufacturers but it's even more important on an aero helmet. On an aero helmet the faux leather allows the strap to stay closer to the body and guarantees you'll never have flapping webbing that's robbing aero performance.
The only downside to the Kask Utopia is a lack of Virginia Tech Testing. Kask passes all relevant government testing and the brand's proprietary WG11 protocol cover's rotational impact. Despite that though, when Virginia Tech doesn't have a score, it leaves an open question.
Best aero helmet for ventilation on hot days
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Aero helmets have a reputation as being hot. It's something that many brands would dispute, notably Lazer says the Vento is cooler than without a helmet, but at the core of those claims is a basic assumption of movement. Those who've spent the end of a hot summer day slowly climbing a long hill will be happy to remind everyone, movement isn't always something you can count on. In those situations, aero helmets do struggle a bit and the POC Ventral MIPS has an advantage.
The advantage that the Ventral MIPS enjoys at low speeds comes from big, open, venting. There's still plenty of exhaust and channelling of air but the front looks like the non-aero POC helmets. That means not only do you get cooler at low speeds but you also get a look that's less radical than some of the options here. You could easily wear the POC Ventral MIPS in a casual group ride, or with a gravel bike, and not feel out of place. You get aero performance without looking like you are trying too hard. That fact plus the added glasses grip material, and all the colour options, makes this an easy way to go aero for a lot of people.
As with other helmets on this list, the one thing that would really elevate this helmet is a Virginia Tech score. POC has moved to a version of MIPS that is virtually invisible, and the brand has done well with past models, but the latest models lack Virginia Tech testing and it's a shame. It's also worth noting that this helmet is one of the heavier options.
For more details about this helmet, take a look at our POC Ventral SPIN review. The two helmets share everything except for a change to a version of MIPS that is incredibly close to the previous SPIN technology.
Best value aero helmet
4. Smith Ignite
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Right away it's easy to add up negatives to the Smith Ignite helmet. It's a model that was new way back in 2018 and suffered from some complaints of breathability when it was new. Since then it hasn't been updated and that means it still has the old style MIPS liner which is heavier and less pleasant. It also hasn't had Virginia Tech testing.
The reason the Ignite makes this list despite those negatives is that it seems to be a very fast helmet. The shape is reminiscent of a TT helmet and the brand shows aero results besting the Evade 2. Granted it's only one second but a win is a win. Plus, the Ignite has one of the best glasses retention systems on the market as long as your sunglasses have arms with a thin, straight end.
The other reason that Smith makes it to this list is that budget aero helmets don't really exist. Aero helmets aren't generally more expensive but the brands usually have only one aero option and it's at the top of the pricepoint. Smith isn't different but they produce a lot of colours that frequently come and go, with regular discounts a symptom of that. If you want a fast race day helmet you can almost always find a Smith Ignite in a funky colour for half price.
Best aero helmet for stashing sunglasses
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
I'm never one to stash my sunglasses on my helmet unless I happen to be testing that feature for a review. For a lot of you though, it's a must-have feature. If that's you, the Lazer Vento Kineticore is the helmet that does the best job. The design does ask that your glasses flex outward a bit but once in place, there is a rubber pad that holds them very solid. It doesn't take much effort to get them in the right place and once there, they aren't moving.
Aside from that, the Lazer Vento Kineticore is one of the few helmets still willing to experiment with a non-MIPS rotational impact system. Kineticore is a system that builds crumple zones into the EPS foam itself. Not only does it manage a five-star Virginia Tech rating but it also inherently means there is plenty of air channelling. It's a clever system that does a lot of things right.
What's a bit less clever, or perhaps overly clever, is the ScrollSys Adjustment system. Instead of a rear dial to tighten the rear cradle. You'll find a belt system at the rear of the helmet. It works fine but it's not as easy to move as something like the Ballista MIPS and the Boa dial that helmet uses.
You can read more details in our Lazer Vento Kineticore review.
Best all-around aero helmet
6. Specialized Evade III
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Specialized Evade III marks the third generation of one of the earliest and most universally loved aero helmets. What's interesting about this being the third generation is that for the last couple, Specialized hasn't been trying to make it a faster helmet. Instead, the brand has been leaning into making a helmet that is easier to grab every time you head out the door. The third generation is just as fast in the wind as the first but it's now 10% cooler with larger rear venting and less weight.
Along with the updated cooling capacity, you will find a new version of MIPS. Look through the list and you will see that MIPS Air isn't unique to Specialized but it's a vast improvement over earlier versions. At this point, you won't notice any difference compared to non-MIPS equipped padding and this helmet manages a five-star Virginia Tech rating.
When it comes to making the Specialized Evade III the best all-around choice, it's actually more about a basic design style than the details. Specialized keeps the whole helmet contained rather high on the head compared to other options. The rear cradle doesn't have a way to adjust it down but it does mirror the rest of the helmet in how high and out of the way it sits. The thin and narrow webbing used for securing the helmet once again stays out of the way. Everything comes together in a way that stays out of the way of any sunglasses, or headphones, you might ride with. The Specialized Evade 3 is a helmet you can put on and forget about.
Best aero helmet for making yourself visible
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Both the Giro Eclipse Spherical and the Specialized Evade 3 are excellent everyday options. They are different in the way they fit, with the Giro providing more of a cap feeling and Specialized feeling like it's perched up high. The Giro is more likely to interfere with sunglasses but the real reason it gets the nod for visibility instead of everyday use is the strength of the optional rear light.
Other options on this list, like the Lazer Vento Kineticore, also have clip-on lights but Giro does a better job with integration. It almost disappears when fitted and at only 19 grams the combined weight is still less than the Specialized Evade 3. In my own experience, having that extra light is one of the main reasons I often reached for this helmet.
Although the light represents a different kind of safety, there's still plenty of traditional helmet safety on board. Instead of MIPS Air, Giro uses MIPS Spherical. It's a system that uses a ball and socket design to move the slip plane into the layers of the helmet. The inner section remains solidly attached to your head while the outer part of the helmet can shift. The five-star Virginia Tech rating suggests it's a system that works well.
The one point of frustration I encountered with this helmet only came up after thousands of miles. Eventually the tab in the padding that helps channel dripping sweat away from the eyes came apart.
You can read more details in our Giro Eclipse Spherical review.
Best aero helmet for lightweight performance
8. Limar Air Atlas + MIPS
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
I'm someone who loves to ride from sunrise to sunset and even beyond. The longer you spend in a helmet the more you care how heavy it is. It's one of the reasons that I love the Trek Ballista MIPS but if you are looking for the absolute lightest helmet then it's always been Limar and the trend continues with the Limar Air Atlas + MIPS. The numbers are close but everything has a winner and if you measure grams, it's Limar.
There is a caveat though. The Limar Air Atlas has a removable fairing in the rear that Limar calls the UFO. With the fairing out you lose performance but with it in the weight matches other options. In my testing I saw no loss of ventilation with the fairing in place so it seems unlikely to get removed in most situations. The choice is there though and without it, there’s nothing lighter.
Either way, the Air Atlas has a lot going for it. The buckle is a magnetic Fidlock design that makes it quick and easy to get in and out of and the y-junction below the ears is equally quick and easy to adjust. When it’s time to climb, the large outside vents will hold your glasses quite well although they lack a specific grip material like other brands.
Don't forget about speed either, this is an aero helmet after all and that's the point. Limar doesn't share the results of testing vs other helmets, like most brands, but the brand does compare to the previous generation helmet and that one was compared to a slightly older TT helmet. It's amazing to understand that the helmets here, Limar included, are as fast as TT helmets from just a few years ago while also being usable on every ride.
The one thing I'd love to see Limar do is submit the Air Atlas for testing by Virginia Tech. There is MIPS Air technology but, as with every helmet lacking a score, the lack of the test leaves a question. I also question if perhaps it’s worth a bit more weight to have more padding at the front. I wasn’t overly bothered but Kask has such generous padding that the difference is notable with Limar.
Also tested
Landing on the final options for this list required a ton of testing with a wide variety of helmets. Two helmets that didn't make the list only because of the concept are the Kask Protone Icon and the Trek Velocis. These two helmets are extraordinarily good but they aren't aero helmets. The focus is on getting as aero as possible while also staying highly breathable. If you are willing to leave some watts on the table for more breathability then they both offer a good half-step.
Outside of those helmets, there were also a couple of helmets that almost made the list. The Met Manta MIPS and the Rudy Project Nytron only just missed inclusion. The two helmets have some small drawbacks, the Met runs a bit small and the Rudy Project is heavy, but that wasn't what kept them off the list. The biggest issue with both is that they don't shine in any one specific way. When tested on their own, I was happy with them. If I only had a single helmet, I would be quite happy with either choice. In comparison though, they struggled to define themselves. If you find a great deal on either of these two helmets, or you see something I didn't, you won't be unhappy with your purchase.
How to choose the best aero helmet for you
The implication with an aero bike helmet is that it is a measurable way to make you faster. We have wind tunnels and we can measure drag, this should be simple right? Unfortunately the nature of product releases mean that it's not that simple.
It is incredibly rare for any company to come out and give exact numbers for anything aero-focused. That happens both because no company wants to look bad but also because it's impossible. Competing companies don't have advanced access to upcoming products from other companies, and when you get to the finite details of testing one aero helmet against another, what's fast for one person isn't necessarily fast for the next, as the results are almost always position-dependent.
Unfortunately, that means we have to take aero performance off the table when making a decision. If you are looking for the best aero helmet, you won’t find a definitive answer as to what the fastest aero helmet is for you, without buying every one of them and going to a wind tunnel yourself. Instead, our advice is to accept that all aero helmets are in a similar ballpark, one which is faster in general than a standard helmet. Then, with that in mind, consider the aspects of a helmet that you are able to get info on, such as sizing, comfort, weight, and of course style.
What is an aero road bike helmet?
Before we get too far down the path of choosing an aero bike helmet, let's define what we are discussing. Most people are familiar with the idea that there are helmets designed for time trials or the bike leg of a triathlon. That's not what an aero road bike helmet is.
Instead, we are discussing the kind of helmet you can wear on every ride. These are helmets that are relatively light, they flow air, and they are not deeply affected by head position. There are no ear coverings and aerodynamic face shields won't take the place of a pair of the best cycling glasses. In many ways, an aero road bike helmet is just a standard road bike helmet. What's different is a willingness to trade some comfort for better aero optimisation. There's a wide range of what that actually means though.
Is an aero helmet worth it?
Now that we are all on the same page, it makes sense to question if it’s worth bothering. In answering this question, I started with a basic assumption. Ask any experienced cyclist and you will likely hear that wheels are the biggest upgrade you can make on a bike. It's also assumed that deep carbon wheels offer a significant aero advantage. What does that actually mean though?
I fell down the rabbit hole of research for you and where I popped out was a small US brand called Flo Cycling. Flo has a variety of blog posts discussing the testing the brand carried out. The crucial detail that Flo does differently though is that the tests also include a control wheel. If you check the product page for the Flo 64 AS Disc you can see that with a 28mm tire at 22mph (roughly 35 kph) Flo claims a 9.73 watt savings compared to a Mavic box section wheel. While there may be a faster wheel out there for everyday use, our own wind tunnel testing shows the difference is probably small.
With a baseline for wheels in hand, how does that compare to a helmet? For that answer, I looked to the 2007 Sidelko study. The study comes out of MIT and tests a standard road helmet against a variety of extended-tail TT helmets from the time period. At 225 watts, which a rough estimate puts close to 22 mph / 35 kph, the study showed savings between 9.3 and 14.3 watts. Given that some modern aero road bike helmets claim to match full TT helmet performance, I'd say it's safe to assume that as a reasonable range.
Simplifying the results, you can expect similar aerodynamic savings for an aero helmet as a set of aero wheels. Remember though, your bike already has wheels. An upgrade will cost extra money while choosing an aero helmet is simply about making a choice to direct the money you already have to spend. Also, the savings stack so maybe check out our list of the best road bike wheels as well.
Do women need women's-specific helmets?
Among helmet manufacturers, there's a bit of a conflict in that some offer separate women's-specific helmets, while other brands' ranges are totally unisex. We tackled the question of whether women need women's-specific helmets in depth recently, with the main takeaway being that unisex helmets are actually usually preferred by most, and that there's nothing about a woman's head that would require a different helmet shape. All of the helmets in this list are unisex.
Do aero helmets matter for slower riders or riders who don’t race??
In every discussion about aero advantages someone eventually mentions they only matter to fast riders. It's likely this idea comes from the fact that going faster requires exponentially more power to cut through the air. That means you can typically save more watts at higher speeds. Cycling companies, of course, exploit this fact by doing tests at high speeds to show more impressive numbers.
Those high-speed tests hide part of the story though. As you go faster the number of watts saved grows but the time saved gets smaller. The slower you are, the longer you spend covering a distance, so while the number of watts saved is smaller, the time saved is greater.
The other reason why you might actually care a lot about the numbers at high speeds is because of headwinds. You might be going forward at a lower speed but a headwind effectively adds to the speed you are experiencing. 30 km/h is reasonable for a road bike then if you add a 20 km/h headwind now all of a sudden, you are dealing with the same aero situation as no wind and 50 km/h.
Because aerodynamics are the biggest force we all deal with on a bike, optimisation matters to everyone. Gravel cyclists and slower riders of all kinds can go faster by getting more aero. When racing, that means finishing faster. If you aren't racing that might mean finishing at the same speed with less work.
Do aero helmets make you overheat?
For a lot of people, the reason to hesitate before buying an aero helmet is all about comfort. Aero helmets have a reputation for being hot and that turns people away. Brands reinforce that idea by offering aero helmets as an alternative to helmets with branding emphasising how airy they are.
In my experience, the reality of riding with an aero helmet is actually quite different. While aero helmets do have less venting, it's highly optimised. Modern designs use CFD analysis to put a limited number of vents in just the right place. Then, on the rear of the helmet, exhaust vents use low pressure to suck the air through the helmet and across your head. As long as you are moving, aero helmets will stay cool.
When you slow down, aero helmets do suffer from less opportunity for heat to escape. Those hot brutal summer climbs can leave you feeling cooked. Here's the thing that rarely gets discussed though, those same climbs will leave you feeling cooked in non-aero helmets also. It's hot and you are climbing, so buckle in and prepare to sweat. Aero helmets aren't significantly worse in this regard.
Are aero helmets heavy?
Aero helmets are not only hot but also heavy, right? That's the reputation and I would have agreed before working on this article. It only makes sense that aero helmets would be heavier given that they seem to have more material. When I actually weighed a bunch of helmets though, I found the opposite. Some of the lightest helmets on the market are aero helmets. Aero helmets aren't always the lightest but as a whole, they are not significantly heavier.
Are there any downsides to aero helmets?
When it comes to performance, there are very few downsides to aero helmets. They aren't heavier, they aren't hotter, and they offer an opportunity for free speed. Except nothing is free and when it comes to downsides the one sticking point is actually price.
Aero helmets aren't more expensive as a whole. Often the top price point a brand offers will have an option for an aero option or an all-around option. Keep moving down through the model range though and aero helmets disappear. Most brands offer an aero helmet only near the top of the pricing structure.
Do I need MIPS in an aero helmet?
Aero helmets are still bike helmets. All the same questions that exist with any bike helmet exist for aero helmets and MIPS is a big question. The actual name is a distraction though.
MIPS is a brand name and an acronym. The letters stand for Multi-directional Impact Protection System and the brand is offering technology to protect in situations where impact occurs off-centre. If you see a MIPS label on a helmet it means the brand paid a licence fee and is using the MIPS technology.
MIPS is only one brand offering a solution and there is no definitive answer of whether it's the best solution available. No one really knows the best way to protect against a concussion, otherwise known as traumatic brain injury, in the event of an impact. What MIPS claims is that when the impact occurs off-centre your head should be able to rotate separately from the helmet.
There are a variety of brands and organisations that agree with this assessment. Many of those brands licence MIPS technology to make use of it. Other brands agree on the basic idea but have their own systems to allow your head to rotate within the helmet. Alternatives are technologies like Kineticore from Lazer as well as WaveCel, Koroyd, and others that have come and gone through the years.
There are also brands that agree with the basic idea but disagree with how to address it. Kask is somewhat vocal about the idea that there's plenty of opportunity for a helmet to rotate on an actual human head without additional technology. The brand disagrees with the headform used by Virginia Tech and MIPS to test and has a proprietary WG11 test that does it differently. Rudy Project also has a similarly named, but different, test that aligns with that understanding and Snell has put out some information that seems to agree as well.
All that disagreement leaves the consumer with little clarity. Every helmet sold has to pass government testing for the location it's sold. Those tests mandate a basic level of protection and from there, you'll have to decide what technology makes sense to you.
Is a Virginia Tech score important?
This is another variation on the same question about MIPS. Every single helmet sold passes a variety of government-mandated tests. Virginia Tech has become well known for developing a different test that specifically covers off-centre impacts. The results get reported as a number and the lower the number the better. Right now the top-ranked helmet, out of 188 tested, has a score of 8.4. If you also see a star ranking, that is the same testing displayed in a different way. Any helmet with a score below 14.00 will have a five-star ranking.
Given that Virginia Tech is the only independent testing protocol that offers more than a pass/fail, we think it's worth reporting. Unfortunately there are a lot of helmets that have not been tested. Some likely because of the speed with which new options come to market, some because of a disagreement about the protocol, and others for reasons unknown. If we have the number we share it and you will need to decide if the helmet you decide on must have a score.
How do we test the best aero helmets?
I've always been a strong believer in aero performance as something worth considering. Unless I'm specifically testing a non-aero helmet I will have one of these helmets with me on every ride I take. I've ridden with the best aero helmets through hot days and rainy days, days of climbing, gravel races, time trials, and lots of adventures. Combined, I've carried these helmets thousands of miles and this is a list of my favourites out of all the aero helmets I've spent time in.
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Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 140 lb.
Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx