The Hornit Mini Lid saved our daughter’s head and face. It’s rare that while testing a bike helmet, our kid bike testers experience a scary crash. But this little one flew face first to the ground after jack knifing at high speed. The Hornit Mini Lid stayed securely on her head and took the entire brunt of the crash.
So while the Hornit Mini Lid isn’t the best helmet on the market, during our testing it excelled where it counts most – keeping our kid’s noggin safe and out of the ER! And for that, we happily recommend it to you!
Read our full review below to understand the Hornit Mini Lid’s pros and cons so you can determine if it’s the right helmet for your child.
Hornit Mini Lid Overview
RATING: Highly Recommended
MSRP: $39
BEST FOR: Kids who want a budget-friendly skater-style helmet with adorable designs
SIZE: 48 – 53 cm, 54 – 58 cm
ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM: Dial adjust
WEIGHT: 360 g
PROS:
- Good quality dial adjust that makes it easy to get a snug fit
- Adorable designs that make kids excited to wear a helmet
- LED light on the back for added safety
- Decent ventilation
CONS:
- No visor
- Basic padding
Hornit Mini Lid Review – Results of our Test Rides
With so many kids bike helmets on the market, it can be tough to explain why you should buy one helmet or another. The Hornit Mini Lid is a solid quality helmet that is far better than any helmet you’ll find at Walmart. It also has three specific things going for it: (1) Skater styling, (2) adorable designs, and (3) affordable price.
Skater style helmets are traditionally the most popular designs sold on Amazon. We get it – they definitely have a higher “cool” factor than other helmets. 🙂 Take that styling and add super fun designs like flamingos or sloths, and you’ve got a clear winner. If you want the coolest helmet around but you’re also on a budget, the Hornit Mini Lid may be for you.
Skater-Style Hardshell Construction
The Hornit Mini Lid features cool skater helmet styling, but it’s not actually certified for skateboard use. Many, many skater-style helmets are only CPSC safety certified for bicycling, including the Hornit.
If your child will also be skateboarding, they need to wear a dual-certified helmet that is CPSC certified for biking and ASTM certified for skateboarding, like the Nutcase Little Nutty. If that’s what you need, the Hornit is not for you. Check out our list of dual-certified helmets instead!
Dual-certified helmets tend to be much heavier, so if your child will NOT be skateboarding, you can take advantage of the Hornit helmet’s slightly lighter build. For example, the Hornit Mini Lid weighs 360 g while the same size Nutcase Little Nutty weighs 437 g.
That said, if you’re concerned about weight, skater-style helmets feature hardshell construction that is generally heavier than the in-mold construction of a helmet like the Giro Scamp, which weighs only 260 g! (On the right below.)
While hardshell and in-mold helmets differ in what’s on the outside, the inside of both styles features a foam core that is designed to absorb the impact from a crash. In the image below you can see how the foam compressed upon impact when our 3-year-old crashed. We’re pretty thankful that the foam compressed instead of sending all that impact energy to her skull and brain!
Size and Fit
The only way that a bike helmet can actually be helpful in a crash is if it fits properly. When our kid needed it, the Hornit Mini Lid stayed securely on her head. Even after impact, the helmet was still in its proper place!
A great fit is achieved through buying the right size and adjusting the helmet properly. But the design of the helmet plays a huge role as well.
It’s important to note that the Hornit Mini Lid was re-designed in 2021 and is a much more secure fit than its original design. We initially tested the Mini Lid in 2020 and did not recommend it because it slid off of our kids’ heads too easily. Both versions are still available on Amazon, so only order helmets through the links on our page if you want the better 2021 version!
Comes in 2 Sizes
The Hornit Mini Lid comes in two different sizes – Small (48 – 53 cm) and Medium (54 – 58 cm). Rule number one of buying a helmet – measure the circumference of your child’s head before you buy!
Wider than Other Helmets
The exterior of the Hornit kids helmet is quite wide compared to other popular helmets in its size range. As you can see below, it has more of a “bucket” fit compared to the much more narrow profile of the Giro Scamp.
While the exterior is much wider, we measured the interior of the Hornit helmet to be just 3/8″ wider than the Giro Scamp at the widest point. If your child has a slightly wider head, this extra room will be helpful.
However, it isn’t so wide that the helmet won’t fit well if your child’s head isn’t wide. The Hornit helmet was still a snug and safe fit on our 3-year-old’s average-shaped head.
Adjustability
The Hornit Mini Lid’s dial adjust system is solid-quality, dials in smoothly, and keeps that lid snugly on your kid’s head. The 2021 Hornit features an upgraded dial-adjust system that is a primary reason it fits much better than previous versions, and is on par with other similarly-priced helmets.
Compared to some of our favorite helmets like the Giro Scamp and Giro Tremor, the Hornit’s dial sits lower beneath the helmet’s shell. This makes the dial much easier to grab, and honestly more likely that you or your child will tighten it properly.
While we love the extended coverage on the back of the Giro Tremor (seen on the right above), because the helmet covers the dial, it’s significantly more difficult to reach my fingers up inside the helmet to tighten for a snug fit.
You can also see that the Hornit dial adjust knob double as an integrated LED light. It can blink at different speeds or remain solidly on, or be turned off entirely. It turns on and adjusts through modes by pushing the white button in the center. It’s easy to engage, and kids can do it on their own.
Side Straps, Chin Strap, and Buckle
The side straps’ plastic sliders are also basic, but basic sliders are more problematic than basic straps or buckles. Because the sliders don’t lock in place on the straps, you’ll need to re-adjust them regularly because they will slide down. Keeping those sliders about an inch below the ear is imperative for keeping the helmet centered on your child’s head.
At this price point, the buckle, straps, and plastic sliders are very common.
Pads
The internal pads on the Hornit helmet are basic, but do their job. They are thick and surround almost the entire circumference of the helmet for maximum kid comfort. They are not sweat-wicking or sealed like you’ll find in nicer helmets.
Ventilation
With 11 vents, the Hornit Mini Lid has decent ventilation. Many skater-style helmets only have vents on the top of the helmet, while the Hornit has 7 up top, and 2 on the front and 2 on the back.
Bottom Line
The Hornit Mini Lid is an adorable bike helmet that protected our kid’s noggin when we needed it most! If you’re looking for a budget-friendly skater-style helmet with super cute designs, the Hornit Mini Lid should top your list.
To view a full selection of helmets for kids, check out our 10 Best Helmets for Kids page.
FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review. No monetary compensation was provided for this review and the product was purchased by Two Wheeling Tots. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC. All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.
