Over the past decade, gravel riding has diverged into various niches. To some people, it's all about racing events like Unbound in the USA or The Traka in Spain, whereas to others, it's a multi-day bikepacking adventure in the wilderness with friends. It makes sense, then, that there's not one best gravel bike helmet to rule them all.
Choosing the right one for you might be a confusing task, but that's where we come in. This guide has been created over years of research by my Cyclingnews colleagues and me, testing various helmets from across the spectrum. We've looked at the best road bike helmets, a variety of mountain bike helmets, and even our guide to the best budget helmets, all to find which helmet offers the best performance, at the best price, for gravel riding in all its forms.
Last updated on 18th February 2025
Updated the products, following extensive research and lab testing. We've integrated our wind tunnel data, and renewed focus on the various types of gravel riding, from general riding to racing.
Best gravel bike helmets
You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.
Best gravel bike helmet
✅ You want best-in-class results in safety tests: Virginia Tech is at the forefront of independent helmet testing and the Aries is one of the best scoring helmets it's tested.
✅ You want an excellent all-rounder and prefer the vented design to aero style: Areo shaping isn't to everyone's tastes; the more rounded shape and wide open vents will be more palatable to some riders.
❌ You need to maximise the aero performance: The Aries is focused on ventilation performance rather than aero slipperiness.
❌ You can find the Prevail III on offer: The Aries is cheaper than Specialized's Prevail III, making it a slightly more budget-friendly premium option; if the Prevail III is discounted it's a better choice.
The Giro Aries Spherical is our top gravel helmet, not because it's the best at anything, but because it's a really strong all-rounder. Unlike most drop bar helmets these days, the Giro Aries Spherical still has a traditional shape. That means there are tons of vents for those who prefer to feel the air against their scalp even when not moving all that fast. It isn't as breezy as the Specialized S-Works Prevail, but it's still up there with the best. Its traditional shape also doesn't make any aero claims, but unless you are gravel racing, that shouldn't really be a concern.
Where it stands out is when it comes to safety, it's among the best drop bar helmets Virginia Tech has ever tested. The Spherical MIPS layer uses a ball-and-socket design that allows the inner and outer sections of the helmet to move to absorb rotational forces in the event of a crash.
The Spherical design also allows Giro designers to think about the padding differently, and they have. The brow pad isn't connected to any other pads, and there's a big strip of silicone inside of it. It may not always keep sweat out of your eyes, but it helps, and it's incredibly comfortable.
In general, if you are considering the Aries your picking whether you want venting instead of aero? If you want the fastest helmet, you will be better served with one of the best aero helmets. If airflow is important, then look at the Aries and the Specialized Prevail 3. The two are incredibly close, but Giro wins in the Virginia Tech testing. What is likely going to be the biggest differentiator is which helmet fits you best.
You can read more details in our full Giro Aries Spherical review.
Best gravel bike helmet for ventilation
✅ You want an all-rounder: Aside from super-cold temperatures, the Prevail 3 is great for all types of riding, gravel or road.
✅ You want the very best in hot-weather performance: With an almost entirely open face, the airflow is unmatched.
❌ You want aero over everything: The Evade is more aerodynamic with good ventilation, so if speed is the priority, go there.
❌ You want full coverage around the rear of the head: Off-road riding is dangerous, and although the Prevail's safety score is good, it won't offer as much protection as an MTB helmet.
For everyday riding, we have chosen the Giro Aries Spherical as the best gravel bike helmet, but in my opinion, the Specialized S-Works Prevail III is equally as good.
It's one of the best ventilated helmets we have ever tested. Huge frontal vents are supported with tiny carbon struts that connect an internal carbon shell, which sits inside the EPS foam. This offers much of the structure and protection needed, leading to a safe helmet with very little in the way of foam across the front of the head.
As you would expect from any Specialized product adorned with the S-Works logo, it has a really premium feel to it too, with flashes of brushed aluminium finishing that elevate the style, while the construction and joins are all neat and well designed.
Inside Specialized has fitted the Prevail 3 with MIPS Node Air technology to add rotational slip without affecting airflow. At extra cost, you can also add Specialized's ANGi sensor, which can detect a crash and send out you rlast known GPS coordinates.
The cradle at the rear is vertically adjustable, and although you can't adjust the straps up or down beneath the ear, you can slide them back and forth to fine-tune the fit. The straps are comfortable and are narrower too, reducing the chance of tan lines. If you opt for the helmet in white, the matching white straps need regular cleaning to stay looking fresh, especially when riding dusty or muddy gravel.
A shoutout must go to the Uvex Surge helmet too, which uses a very similar design and includes a clip-on aero shell to close the vents. They're quite hard to find, but if you can get hold of one of these in your country, you might prefer the versatility and extra coverage when the weather gets colder.
Head to my Specialized S-Works Prevail III review for a detailed look.
Best budget gravel bike helmet
✅ You want an all-rounder: The budget price means it doesn't specialise in aero, venting or weight, and instead does all things reasonably well.
✅ You're after a good gravel helmet on a budget: At a retail price of under £60 / $80, it punches well above its weight.
❌ You want an aero helmet: The Tonic doesn't specialise in aerodynamics, and its bulkier shape with big vents isn't very aerodynamic.
❌ You want a five-star safety score: The Tonic safety score is good at three stars, but there are dozens with a better result.
The Lazer Tonic Kineticore isn't the most aerodynamic, the best ventilated, or even the safest on this list, but it does offer a good performance across the board for an exceptionally good price. For under £60 / $80, you get Lazer's clever moulded Kineticore blocks on the inside, which are designed to break and shear to offer rotational protection in the event of an impact.
This design means no added extra material, keeping the weight down to an impressive 260g (size L), which is significantly lighter than both our top premium picks above. There are also dozens of colours to choose from, so you can match your kit or go for the fashion-friendly white.
One area where the lower price is noticeable is the straps, they feel a bit heavier and have a tendency to loosen up a little bit. In the grand scheme of things its not that much of an issue and doesn't really affect the performance or comfort of the helmet.
All in Lazer's Tonic is a fantastic deal, especially when you consider that this helmet is a fifth of the price of the premium options.
Check out our Lazer Tonic Kineticore review to find out what it's like to live with.
Best road-style gravel helmet if safety is paramount
✅ You want best-in-class safety: The Cytal has the highest score of any road helmet in independent impact tests.
❌ You're on a budget: The Cytal, and its premium sibling the Cytal Carbon, are some of the most expensive helmets here.
The POC Cytal is available in two guises: the standard one seen above, and the lighter, pricier Cytal Carbon.
We'd recommend going for the standard Cytal, though; not only is it cheaper, it also returned a safer score in the Virginia Tech drop test, as well as a faster result in our wind tunnel test. It's only 20g heavier, too.
In fact, the standard Cytal is the best-scoring road helmet in all of Virginia Tech's testing, with only three dedicated mountain bike helmets and one urban helmet testing safer.
In real use, the helmet's minimal padding doesn't harm its comfort, and the retention system is easily among the best here. It extends from temple to temple around the back of the head for a comfortable, fuss-free fit. The Y-junctions can be slid back and forth to accommodate different head shapes too, and they sit low enough that they're well out of the way of your ears.
POC offers a third option of the Cytal too. The POC Cytal Lite is a lightweight stripped-out version of the Cytal, which drops the weight to just 200g (medium) and opens up the vents for even better ventilation. Unless you really want a lightweight helmet, we would still opt to go for the standard Cytal.
The POC Cytal and Cytal Carbon share many similarities in fit, check out our POC Cytal Carbon review for more real-life experience.
Best helmet for gravel racing
✅ You want to go fast without overheating: The POC Procen Air helmet, not listed here, was faster in our wind tunnel test, but the Evade 3 came a close 2nd while being much better vented. I have personally raced in it multiple times and really rate it.
❌ You are on a budget: The Evade is occasionally discounted, but it's a high price for a helmet that's only a couple of watts faster than the Van Rysel RCR-F.
The S-Works Evade III isn't the fastest helmet we've tested in either of our wind tunnel tests, but it was within a watt of the winner in both cases, and whenever we speak to industry experts who have run their own tests, they all say the Evade did well. It seemingly isn't reliant on the perfect conditions, and instead is fast for everyone, no matter the ride position, head angle or wind speed.
Over and above all that, though, is that the Evade strikes a really good balance between everything else that's important for a helmet. It's comfortable, one of the best ventilated aero-specific helmets, easily adjustable, looks good, holds sunglasses well, and returned a four-star safety score from Virginia Tech.
Just like the Prevail 3, the Evade 3 is kitted out with MIPS Node Air technology to add rotational slip without affecting airflow and is compatible with Specialized's ANGi sensor if you are often out riding by yourself.
It's the helmet I reach for when lining up for important races - I've worn it at the British national champs in 2024 and the 2025 Gralloch - despite having the Trek Ballista, POC Procen and other crazy-aero helmets at my disposal.
Check out my Specialized S-Works Evade III review for more.
Best gravel bike helmet for budget aero
✅ You want a fast helmet on a budget: The only thing lower than the helmet's price is its CdA - it performed well against competitors four times its price in our wind tunnel tests.
❌ You want the reassurance of an independent safety test score: The RCR F hasn't been tested by any third parties, so while it has passed ISO standards, there's nothing to corroborate how it compares to the best gravel bike helmets from a safety standpoint.
The Van Rysel RCR-F - previously known as the FCR - is a great option for budget-conscious racers who care about aerodynamics.
We've put it through the wind tunnel twice, and in both cases it has punched above its price point, saving over six watts compared to our baseline model, and finishing just two watts down on the winner. It's not just in our lab testing this budget helmet has proven to be fast, it's also won races at the WorldTour level no less.
Both Tom and I have since tested it, and we were both suitably impressed by the comfort and the style, although the finishing quality left a little to be desired. Ventilation seems to be doing a good job of channelling air across the head, which saved us from overheating in this helmet.
Van Rysel has added a MIPS liner to the helmet since we reviewed it, and given that the MIPS-equipped model is still half the price of some competitors here, we'd suggest it's a worthy upgrade. Sadly, there's no Virginia Tech test to back up the safety performance.
Check out Tom's full review of the Van Rysel RCR-F (before it had its name changed).
Also consider
The six helmets above constitute our picks of the best gravel bike helmets around right now, in our collective opinion. However, there are hundreds of helmets on the market, and many of them offer a reasonable balance of performance across various metrics such as weight, aerodynamics, safety, comfort and general ease of use.
For the various use cases we think exist in gravel, the helmets above cover all bases well, but there are plenty of others which we rate highly.
For example, if your riding style is a mixture of road and gravel, and you tend to ride casually, then any of the helmets in our guide to the best road bike helmets are worthy of consideration. If you race, then our guide to the best aero helmets is borne out of in-depth wind tunnel testing. If you're more interested in riding your gravel bike on what most people would call mountain bike terrain, then mountain bike helmets might be a preference, since the extra coverage will protect the back of your skull in the event of an accidental lie down.
How to choose the best gravel bike helmet
From there, your decision-making process will see you trying to balance price, ventilation, style, aerodynamics, weight, adjustability and more.
We can't tell you how heavily to weigh those factors, but you'll probably have a good idea already, and the usual common sense approach applies: if you're a keen racer or care about your average speed, aerodynamics will probably be high on your priority list. If you regularly ride in hot weather or up hills (where airflow is slower), then ventilation will be important.
The helmets listed above are categorised as 'best-for' to help you find one that closely matches your needs. We've also listed each helmet's weight, and we've tested most of them in a wind tunnel to quantify their aerodynamic performance.
- How important is helmet fit? How well a helmet fits directly corresponds to how well it will protect your head in a crash; picking a helmet that best fits your head should be your number one consideration.
- Do I need an aerodynamic helmet? If you're a keen racer or care about your average speed, aerodynamics will probably be high on your priority list.
- How much ventilation do I need? All helmets will have some ventilation. If you regularly ride in hot weather, up hills (where airflow is slower) or simply run warm, then ventilation will be more important.
- Do I need added rotational impact tech? Anything that helps protect your head in a crash is probably a good thing to have, and helmets that are equipped with rotational impact tech like MIPS have been generally proven safer in independent testing.
- Do I need a lightweight helmet? Most helmets weigh around 300g, while the lightest helmets on the market are around 200g. Unless you're making saving every gram your life's mission, your best opting for the helmet that fits you the best.
Everything you need to know
How should the best gravel bike helmet fit?
A helmet's ability to keep you safe should always be your first concern when shopping for one, and how well a helmet fits your head is paramount for safety, so you should always take time to measure your head with a fabric tape measure and ensure you get the right size before buying. Sizing will vary between brands sizing but brands will state measurements so you can check your fit. If in doubt, trying a couple of sizes on before commiting is the best method.
Tip! If you don't have a fabric tape measure, use a piece of string or a long charging cable to wrap around your head where a helmet would sit, then mark the point where the cable meets itself, and then unravel the cable and measure the distance with a ruler or metal tape measure.
What safety standards should the best gravel bike helmets meet?
When choosing a gravel bike helmet, you can rest assured knowing that all helmets sold by reputable brands have met a minimum safety standard in the country they're being sold in (such as ISO, BS EN, CPSC and NZS/AS).
Each of the helmets listed above in this guide meets those requirements. Most have also been tested by a third party, like Virginia Tech, which we have referenced in the helmet specs, which further backs up that promise of protection.
What is Virginia Tech
The university in Virginia has developed a helmet drop test facility that puts helmets through an angled test to quantify how well they absorb impacts. The greater the impact it can absorb, the less force that makes it to the rider's head, and therefore the safer it is. It's not a completely foolproof science, because all impacts are different, but it's a good resource to use when choosing the best gravel helmet for you.
Its full results list can be found here, alongside its testing procedure.
What is added rotational impact tech?
When you crash, you're much more likely to hit the road at a shallow angle than you are to hit it straight down at 90°. Therefore, when your helmet hits the ground, it won't just bounce up, it will rotate. This rotation, assuming it also rotates your head inside the helmet, is a significant part of what causes concussions.
Rotational impact technology is a way to describe the various designs that brands come up with to prevent that rotational force from making its way to your head. It usually involves allowing the helmet to rotate independently from the head by a few degrees, softening the severity of the impact.
The main player is MIPS, which I've explained below.
What is MIPS, and do I need it?
MIPS is a brand name that has become synonymous with rotational impact protection. It stands for "Multi-directional Impact Protection System", and, like other systems of its kind, enables a small amount of movement inside the helmet shell that allows it to slide relative to the helmet and your head on impact.
It's a technology that's trickling down through helmet ranges and is rapidly becoming ubiquitous, even in the best budget cycling helmets.
Of the helmets you see here, all but two have MIPS Air Node; the brand's most seamlessly integrated iteration. The Van Rysel helmet is available with a slightly cheaper version of MIPS, while the Lazer Tonic comes with Lazer's own KinetiCore technology, which is made from EPS foam blocks that break on impact, similar to a car's crumple zone.
What is a Y junction, and why should I care?
The Y junction is found on a helmet's straps, and is where the helmet's four connecting straps join beneath the ears to form the single strap that travels beneath the chin.
Most of them are fixed, and since most of us have similar-shaped heads, they're fairly universal in their size without any issues. However, on some helmets, the strap sits quite high and can dig into the ears of anyone whose ears sit quite low. Some brands offer helmet straps that are adjustable, allowing you to move the position of the Y junction up and down, as well as back and forward.
Do I need a peak?
Peaks on helmets are something familiar to the mountain bike crowd, but alien to roadies, so depending on your riding style, this will help inform your decision.
Mostly road or fast gravel? Then you probably don't need one. Gnarly trails and steep inclines, with very little smooth riding? Maybe a peak is what you're looking for.
The peak will provide an element of protection from the sun, rain, and mud spray, as well as rogue tree branches in woodland settings, but in a racy position, it'll likely obscure your vision and have a detrimental effect on aero.
What about aero gravel helmets?
If you're like me and you enjoy gravel racing, you're probably best looking at any of the best aero helmets for your gravel riding.
However, speeds off-road are generally slower than those on smooth tarmac, and aero helmets that can struggle with ventilation are going to be even more sweaty at slower speeds on a hot day. That's why in this guide, we've chosen the S-Works Evade as the best for racing.
Our wind tunnel helmet test crowned the Oakley Velo Mach as the fastest road helmet, with the Van Rysel XCR TT helmet winning overall. Given the performance of helmets can be relatively individual, we've not taken the result as gospel and instead recommend the S-Works Evade III, which has performed well in every helmet aero test we've seen, while also striking a good balance of weight, safety, style and comfort too.
When should I replace my helmet?
After a crash that's resulted in a bumped head, or any impact to the helmet (don't drop them!), you should replace it immediately. It's annoying and an expensive addition of insult to injury, but not doing so could risk worse the next time you end up rubber-side up.
General wear and tear and UV exposure also degrade helmets over time. Manufacturer recommendations differ, but usually suggest a replacement after around five years.
How we test the best gravel helmets
Testing is the backbone of the tech department at Cyclingnews and how we test is taken seriously, so read on to find out more.
Choosing the best gravel bike helmet takes a combination of real-world experience with as many helmets as possible, and empirical data to back up the performance.
Here at Cyclingnews, my colleagues and I have reviewed hundreds of helmets in recent years, from budget-friendly options to pro-level, high-end helmets that you'll see on the heads of world-famous athletes.
We use the wind tunnel at the renowned Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub to test each helmet's aerodynamic performance. Reducing your aerodynamic drag is a great way to go faster for the same effort, and if you're buying a new helmet anyway, choosing an aero helmet is an easy choice.
For safety, we reference the independent testing performed by Virginia Tech University. Not all helmets have been tested by the renowned university, but a good score in those tests is a great indicator of increased protection, and so we weigh their scores heavily when making our decisions.
We also weigh each helmet for completeness, and although a few grams either way won't make much difference, it's good to know each helmet we've recommended isn't going to be neck-achingly heavy.
We take those empirical tests and balance them with real-world experience such as how comfortable we find them, how well ventilated they are, and how easy they are to live with, and weigh each metric accordingly to decide which are the best gravel helmets around.
Meet the testers
This guide, and a lot of the testing and research for it, was compiled by me, Josh. I've been riding gravel bikes for around 10 years now (albeit the original Specialized Diverge Smartweld I owned in 2015 didn't see much real gravel). I currently call myself an age-group gravel racer, even if I'm not very fast.
I lead our wind tunnel tests, including our two helmet tests, during which we've tested approximately 60 different helmets to find out which was most aerodynamic. I have also used countless helmets in my training, riding and racing.
Of course, my opinion is just one person's, so I sought out the opinions of my colleagues Will, Tom and Graham, as well as our wider pool of expert testers to confirm our list of recommendations above.
