Lazer BOB Infant Helmet Review

The Lazer BOB infant helmet offers cute designs for a decent price, but the adjustment system makes us a bit nervous. While we love Lazer helmets in general, the BOB isn’t our favorite. Read the review below for all the pros and cons!

stock image of a white lazer bob kids bike helmet with dots

Lazer BOB

RATING: Highly Recommended

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BEST FOR: Babies and toddlers riding in a bike seat or a trailer. BOB stands for “Baby on Board”

SIZE: 46 – 52 cm

ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM: Sliding plastic tab

WEIGHT: 277 g

PROS:

  • One of few helmets small enough for babies and toddlers
  • Several cute designs to choose from
  • Locking sliders keep helmet better centered over head

CONS:

  • Adjustment system can be unreliable
  • Doesn’t fit some heads within head circumference range
  • Back isn’t as flat as other baby helmets
  • Few vents leads to sweatier heads

Lazer BOB Infant Helmet Review – Results of our Testing

With several adorable designs to choose from, the Lazer BOB (Baby on Board) helmet is a fun option for your littlest riders. Whether in a bike seat, bike trailer, or on a balance bike, the Lazer BOB will help keep those tiny noggins safe.

Lazer BOB helmets in different patterns
Lazer BOB helmets in different patterns

Coverage and Size

Extended Coverage

There are very few helmets that are CPSC 1+ certified, and the Lazer BOB is one of them. Why should you care? Helmets that are CPSC 1+ certified offer extended coverage in the rear of the helmet to protect more of the head and neck of babies and toddlers.

Size

The Lazer BOB comes in one size and fits a heads with circumferences ranging from 46 – 52 cm. While the BOB is specifically designed for babies, it’s not actually the smallest helmet on the market. If your baby has a head smaller than 46 cm, you’ll need to get the Giro Scamp (XS), which has a circumference range of 45 – 49 cm. If your child’s head is smaller than 45 cm, you can try the Schwinn Infant, which is the smallest helmet we’ve found. Head circumference is king when it comes to finding the proper bike helmet fit!

Be aware that head shape can also affect whether or not your child fits in the helmet. Our 7-year-old tester with a 51 cm head didn’t remotely fit in the helmet. It also didn’t fit our 3-year-old tester with a 52 cm head or even our 4-year-old tester with a 50.5 cm head. As you can see in the image below, it’s too narrow and is perched more on top of her head.

After the BOB didn’t fit that many testers, I can’t confidently say it actually fits kids with heads larger than 50 cm. The largest head we tested and fit it on was 49.5″.

Helmet Coverage – 16 Month Old, 2 Year Old, and 4 Year Old

3 different girls wearing Lazer BOB helmet for sizing comparison - 16-month-old, 2.5-year-old, and 4-year-old

Flat Back

Because most baby bike helmets are used in bike trailers or bike seats, it’s important for them to have a flat back. The flat back prevents the back of the child’s head from being pushed forward, which can lead to an uncomfortable ride, and can also be unsafe if it shifts the helmet forward on your child’s head.

While the Lazer BOB has a flatter back than many helmets designed for older kids, it’s not actually that flat compared to helmets like the better-quality Giro Scamp, or even the super-budget Schwinn Infant helmet. Depending on the design of your child bike seat or bike trailer, this may not be an issue, but is definitely something you should consider.

Schwinn Infant and Giro Scamp Have Flatter Backs than BOB

Lazer BOB, Schwinn Infant, and Giro Scamp side by side, showing the Schwinn and Scamp have flatter backs than the BOB.
Lazer Bob, Schwinn Infant, and Giro Scamp Helmets

Adjustability 

The best and most accurate adjustability system is usually a dial-adjust, as featured on the Giro Scamp. It’s easy to “dial” in the right fit by turning a knob, and then your size setting stays put. As is common with more budget-friendly helmets, the BOB doesn’t feature a dial-adjust, but instead has what Lazer calls Comfit3. Unique to Lazer, it’s a sliding plastic tab system along with plastic strap sliders.

Comfit3: The problem with the sliding plastic tab system is that nothing is actually locking it in place. So if your child has a head smaller than the maximum size and you narrow in the back of the helmet, it’s possible for the mechanism to come loose if your child pulls on their helmet or bangs it against the back of a seat.  The system is honestly a bit puzzling to us, especially since the sub-$20 Schwinn Infant features a snug fit with a much better dial-adjust system.

If your child’s head is on the large end, this won’t be as much of an issue, but may be a problem for many. To be fair, there are tons of really favorable reviews on Amazon for the BOB. But for those unfavorable reviews, it usually mentions this exact issue. Because it’s a potential safety issue, we need to mention it here. I would consider the helmet we purchased on Amazon for testing unsafe. However, one of our testers already had a BOB of their own and the Comfit3 system was much more secure, and I would consider it safe. If you order a BOB and receive one with a loose Comfit3 system, please exchange it!

Lazer BOB’s Comfit3 Adjustment System vs. Giro Scamp’s Dial-Adjust

Lazer BOB's Comfit3 adjustment system and Giro Scamp's dial adjust system

Pads: The adjustment system comes with an additional set of thicker internal pads. These pads can be swapped out with the standard pads that come installed with the helmet. This allows you to get a better fit for the smallest heads, but can be a pain to keep track of the extra set of pads.

The BOB’s pads are typical of budget helmets. Higher-quality helmets like the Giro Scamp come with lower-profile pads with air channels and sealed edges. These qualities help minimize sweating, but also help prevent the sweat that does occur from dripping down your child’s face. The Lazer BOB‘s pads are thicker, un-sealed, and are very basic compared to the Giro Scamp’s. The Schwinn’s pads are sealed and look similar to the Scamp’s, but don’t actually offer great padding.

Open Pads on Lazer BOB vs. Sealed Pads on Giro Scamp

Cheap, open inner pads on Lazer BOB helmet, vs. high-quality, sealed pads on Giro Scamp.

Side Straps: Adjusting your child’s helmet correctly is about more than just getting a snug fit on the head. The sliders on the side straps must be correctly set beneath the ears to keep your child’s helmet centered on their head.

When the sliders come loose, they slide down the straps and fail to keep the helmet centered. This is a really common problem with helmets, which is why it’s great that the Lazer BOB features locking sliders, which, as you can guess, keep the sliders locked in place. This a feature usually found on high-end helmets, and it a great surprise to find them on the budget-friendly BOB.

Lazer BOB’s Locking Sliders Stay in Place Better than Scamp’s

Locking sliders on Lazer BOB kid's helmet, vs standard sliders on Giro Scamp.

Buckle: The Lazer BOB features a standard-style buckle. While the Giro Scamp also has a standard buckle, it definitely feels more sturdy.

Construction, Vents, & Visor

Weight: At 277 grams, the BOB definitely isn’t too heavy, but also isn’t the lightest helmet. The Giro Scamp, by comparison, is 232 grams.

Construction: Part of the reason the BOB is heavier than the Scamp is because it’s hardshell construction, vs. in-mold. In-mold helmets are one piece – that helps decrease weight while increasing durability.

The BOB, as is typical with budget helmets, features hardshell construction. This means that the patterned portion of the helmet is a thin plastic shell taped over the foam core of the helmet.

Hardshell helmets are two pieces, which slightly increases weight while decreasing long-term durability. The plastic shell can eventually warp, crack, or come loose, and the exposed foam core can get damaged more easily. The BOB is also more bulky than the the lower-profile Scamp.

Lazer BOB’s Exposed Foam is Less Durable than Giro Scamp

Lazer BOB has much more exposed foam that the Giro Scamp

Vents: The more vents, the cooler your child’s head. The BOB features 6 vents on the top, but none along the back. This is sufficient, but the Scamp’s 11 vents along the top and sides would definitely be a better option for kids in hot climates.

Visor: The BOB doesn’t have a visor, which for kids this age is really about personal preference. Some parents love visors because they help keep the sun out of their baby’s eyes. Visors can also help prevent facial injuries if a child falls off a balance bike. Other parents have issues with helmet visors in bike trailers because their children have difficulty looking around.

Comparison

The Lazer BOB has been a popular helmet for many years, but both the Giro Scamp and Schwinn Infant are both good, if not better, options. The Giro and Schwinn feature a more secure dial-adjust system, and the Scamp comes with optional MIPS technology for the safest helmet around.

HelmetLazer BOBGiro Scamp w/MIPSSchwinn Infant
MSRP$38$35/55$18
Head Circumference46 – 52 cm45 – 49 cm (XS), 49 – 53 cm (S)44 – 49 cm
Adjustment SystemPlastic SliderDial AdjustDial Adjust
# of Vents6116
Flat BackSemiYesYes
PaddingStandardUpgradedStandard
MIPSNoOptionalNo

Lazer Bob Helmet Bottom Line

The Lazer BOB helmet offers cute designs and a comfortable fit for a very decent price. While the BOB is a quality helmet that fans of Lazer helmets may love, for just a few dollars more, (and often for less on Amazon!), the Giro Scamp is a higher-quality helmet that you should also consider. Additionally, the much cheaper Schwinn Infant is similar in quality but has a much easier to use (and more secure) adjustment system.

To view an a full selection of helmets for babies and toddlers, check out our 10 Best Helmets for Babies and Toddlers page.

FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review.  No monetary compensation was provided for this review.  The product reviewed was purchased by Two Wheeling Tots and not supplied by the manufacturer. 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.

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