Looking for an attractive skate-style bike helmet? It’s not so much to ask to look cute while wearing a helmet, right? Luckily for all you stylish ladies, Nutcase happens to make a really adorable helmet that comes in lots of fun designs, so no matter what your style may be, you’ll be able to find a lid to match.
On top of looking cute, the Nutcase helmet also performs quite well, making it one of our favorite skate-style bike helmets.
Review in a Nutshell
Pros:
- Comes in a wide variety of cute colors and designs
- Can be used for multi-sport applications including biking, rollerskating, and skateboarding
- Fit is comfortable and highly adjustable
Cons:
- Not super breathable–your head will get sweaty
- Hard shell construction is not as durable as in-mold helmets
Price & Where to Buy:
- $70 at REI.com*
Nutcase Helmets: Detailed Review
Probably the Cutest Helmet Out There
Let’s be honest: the real attraction to the Nutcase helmets are the adorable designs. The helmet style we tested, Pink Lemonade, not only has cute lemons , but it also says “Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy” on the side Not your style? No worries, I’m sure one of the designs is your style. And they are constantly changing and adding new designs, so we’re confident you’ll find something that catches your fancy.
We also like that the helmet comes with a removable visor. Like the visor? Leave it on. Don’t like it? Take it off. Totally up to you and your style.
Magnetic Buckle is Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy
It’s not just a marketing slogan: the magnetic buckle really is awesome. Rather than messing around with a traditional buckle, Nutcase has introduced a magnetic buckle to their design. You basically hold the two ends close together and it will automatically click into place. To unbuckle, you simply slide the ends apart. Super easy to do even if you are wearing gloves, and you’re guaranteed never to pinch your neck skin in the buckle.
Ventilation is Good for a Skate-Style Helmet, But Your Head Will Still Get Sweaty
The thing we don’t love about skate-style helmets is that they tend to lack ventilation. Compared to more breathable helmets, they have a tendency to cause sweaty heads and sweaty hair. That said, the Nutcase does a pretty good job of keeping the air flowing. There are 11 vent holes and several ventilation channels within the helmet. My head still gets sweaty while biking with the helmet, but not gross sweaty like some other skate-style helmets.
The other thing that we like is that the padding within the helmet seems to absorb sweat pretty well. Some helmet padding can get saturated and soggy, but we didn’t find that to be the case with the Nutcase. The padding is also removable and washable so you can keep it clean and stink-free.
Good Head Coverage Keeps Your Noggin’ Safe
One of the things we really like about the Nutcase and other skate-style bike helmets is the amount of head coverage that they provide. For bicycle commuting, for example, you’re two options are really a skate-style helmet or a traditional road-style bike helmet. Compare to the road helmet, a skate-style helmet offers a lot of extra coverage around the side and back of the head. The more of your head is covered, the better off you are going to be in the event of an accident. The downside of the extra coverage, of course, is that it makes your head extra sweaty (as mentioned above).
One Helmet That Works for Multiple Sports
A lot of ‘skate-style’ bike helmets are only certified for bicycle use. The Nutcase, however, is certified for skateboarding. Imagine that! A skate-style helmet you can use on a skateboard. You can also use it for scootering, roller-skating, and rollerblading. If you do multiple sports, the idea of being able to use one helmet for several activities is appealing. My sister uses her Nutcase both for biking and for roller derby.
Lacks Extras and High-End Features
Despite the magnetic buckle and dial fit, at the end of the day, the Nutcase is a pretty basic helmet. It doesn’t have the latest safety techology like MIPS or Recco. It doesn’t have a GoPro mount or reflective decals. But that’s also kind of the attraction of the helmet: a simple, attractive helmet that’s not goofy looking and doesn’t have a bunch of extra stuff you don’t really need.
Easy-to-Adjust Dial Makes For a Perfect Fit
Have a funny shaped head? No worries, we found that the Nutcase does a good job of providing a comfortable fit on a wide variety of head shapes and sizes. The helmet fit adjusts via velcro pads and an adjustable rear fit dial. A fit dial has become pretty standard on helmets in recent years, but we thought the Nutcase dial stood apart thanks to the easy-to-turn oversized rubber dial. Even while wearing gloves, I was able to easily turn and adjust the dial. Compared to the dial on the similar style Melon helmet, the Nutcase dial was much easier to operate.
Hardshell Construction is Not as Durable as In-Mold Helmets
One slightly more technical thing worth pointing out is the construction of the helmet itself. Like most skate-style helmets, the Nutcase has a hard shell construction. This is where the outer “hard shell” in the inner foam are two separate pieces–as opposed to an “in-mold” helmet where the two pieces are fused together. The problem with hard shell helmets is that they aren’t quite as durable, in our experience. In the picture below you can see where the foam inner has already been damaged even though the helmet is still pretty new.
Add Ear Covers for Cold Weather
If you’re buying the Nutcase helmet for commuting, there’s a good chance you’ll be biking at some point in inclement weather. That’s why we like that the Nutcase has ear covers as an optional accessory. Rather than trying to stuff a beanie under your helmet, just add the insulated ear pads to help keep warm.
Nutcase Helmet Sizing
Small: 20.5″-22″
Medium: 22″-23.5″
Large: 23.5″-25″
Bottom-Line
The Nutcase helmet is more breathable than other skate-style helmets (but your head will still get sweaty), and you can use it for multiple sports making it a smart buy. Several sets of foam pads and an easy-adjust rear dial make the comfortable conform to a wide range of head shapes and sizes. Most importantly, it comes in a variety of attractive colors and designs so that you don’t have to sacrifice form for function.
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