With superior coverage and a precise, consistent fit, the newly updated woom kids helmet is one of the most unique bike helmets on the market… and also one of our favorites. Like all of woom’s products, this helmet was designed and constructed based on years of research and testing.
The result is an adorable, high-quality helmet that is ridiculously easy to adjust. As an added bonus, the helmet comes in six different colors that correspond to all of woom’s bikes – even a black matte color to match the OFF!
From fit to adjustability, rubber visor to magnetic buckle, read our full review below to learn about all the features that make the woom kid’s helmet exceptional.
Woom Helmet Overview
RATING: Exceptional
MSRP: $69
BEST FOR: Parents who want a full coverage helmet that stays in place
SIZE: XS (46 – 50 cm), Small (50 – 53 cm) , Medium (53 – 56 cm)
ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM: Dial adjust
WEIGHT: 300 grams (size Medium)
PROS:
- Extended coverage makes the helmet stay in place better
- Easy-to-use dial adjust
- Rubber bumper visor for face-plant protection
- Rounded side straps are fixed and never have to be adjusted
- Tons of vents for excellent airflow
- Magnetic fid-lock buckle
- Soft chin strap pad
CONS:
- Helmet not a great fit for kids with naturally wide heads or shallow foreheads
woom Helmet Review – Results of our Testing
For as simple as helmets should be, there are some pretty common complaints from kids and parents.
From kids:
1) My head is so sweaty!
2) These side straps are all twisted!
3) This buckle keeps pinching me!
From parents (and ourselves!):
4) How do I adjust this thing?
5) Why don’t these helmets just stay put on my kid’s head??
This last parent complaint is usually because the helmet was either never adjusted correctly in the first place or because over time, straps become loose as kids tug, pull, and yank the helmet off. (For help on adjusting helmets for a proper fit, check out our guide on Kids Helmets Size and Fit.)
But the woom helmet addresses all of these frustrations. Just like woom has done with bikes, they’ve paid attention to the small details and as a result, produced an exemplary helmet. The woom helmet is, quite simply, BEST IN CLASS. Best in class fit. Best in class coverage. Best in class comfort.
Extended Coverage for a Better Fit
The more coverage a helmet has, the more it can protect your child’s head in the event of a crash. Full coverage also improves fit. The woom helmet has the most coverage of any helmet we’ve ever seen. (Outside of a full-face helmet, of course!)
And because of that extended coverage, it’s really hard to wear it wrong or have it move out of place, which in turn means that your child is more likely to be protected.
What’s a helmet for after all? It’s certainly not a fashion accessory. woom has designed a helmet that will fit right every time, despite how many times your child takes it on or off, or if you’re supervising them or not.
We see soooo many kids wearing helmets that are tilted too far back, or are perched on top of their heads instead of surrounding them in protection. With the woom, your child’s head will fit snuggly and comfortably inside this little noggin’ protector. 🙂
Helmet Coverage – woom vs. Skater-Style vs. Cycling Helmets
As you can see above, the extended coverage of the woom kids helmet does make it deeper than many helmets. If your child has a very short forehead, this helmet may come too low and obstruct their vision.
Rubber Visor for Facial Protection
The visor is also part of the extended coverage system of the woom helmet. It’s made of a “non-toxic elastomer with a progressive, honeycomb structure”, which (for non-scientists like me) is just a firm, durable, yet soft rubber that absorbs and dampens the force of any impact.
In addition to shielding a child’s eyes and face from the sun, rain, and the elements, it prevents facial injuries in the event of a face plant. The visor is NOT removable.
woom Helmet’s Impact-Absorbing Visor
woom partnered with a university specializing in sports equipment technology, putting significant resources into designing and testing this proprietary visor. Trying to improve upon the standard helmets in the marketplace, woom wanted to offer a helmet that offered more protection than anything else available.
While the visor helps prevent facial injuries at any age, it was implemented specifically with small children in mind, given that their reflexes have not yet fully developed and they are less likely to raise their hands to protect their face during a fall.
As parents and bike professionals, we’ve seen plenty of times where a visor prevented a scraped face or major facial injury. While a visor may not seem like a big deal, what woom is offering here is uniquely helpful.
Sizing
The woom helmet is available in the US in three sizes. XS fits head circumferences from 46 cm – 50 cm, while small fits 50 cm – 53 cm, and medium fits head circumferences from 53 cm – 56 cm.
One detail to be aware of – always measure your child’s head to ensure a proper fit! Perhaps the only drawback (if you can even call it that) of the woom helmet is that the extended coverage can make it appear to fit on kids whose heads are technically too small.
We had two testers that we initially thought were a good fit for the helmet because the helmet covers so much of the head. However, the fit wasn’t actually snug enough which is critical for proper protection in the case of a crash.
Adjustability
Once you have the right size helmet, you still need to make sure that the helmet is properly adjusted to snuggly fit your child’s head. If the fit isn’t snug enough, a helmet can shift during a crash and fail to provide proper protection.
Be aware that if your child has an extra wide head, the woom helmet may actually be too snug. This was the case with one of our testers that can only fit in skater-style helmets that are rounder and thus wider. If your child’s head is too wide for kids’ hats, they likely need a skater helmet.
Dial Adjust
A dial adjust system allows you to “dial in” the fit for your child. The dial adjust system on the woom is super easy to use because of the large dial knob in the back. Other dial adjust systems have flat wheels you have to turn – it’s often difficult to get your fingers around the wheel when the helmet in on the head. The woom’s knob removes that frustration!
Pads of Various Thickness
In addition to the dial adjust (which adjusts for size front to back), woom also comes with two sets of pads to create the most precise fit (and increase the comfort factor!) for different head shapes or for the same head as it grows.
One set is 3mm thick while the other is 6mm. There are 4 pads in each set – front, top, and two sides – which can be used in any combination together. The helmets come shipped with the thicker 6mm pads in place.
For some of our testers, the 3mm pads offered better comfort on the sides, making the difference between the helmet being too tight and just right. But for all of our testers, we found it was best to leave the thicker 6mm at the top. While minimal, replacing the top 6mm pad with the 3mm pad made the helmet too deep for some kids.
The woom’s pads are high quality, soft, and have sealed edges that absorb sweat and keep it locked in rather than running down your child’s face.
Side Cords
Adjusting the side straps on a child’s helmet is something that is commonly done wrong. A huge part of the issue is that side straps on helmets are notoriosuly hard to adjust and rarely stay in place once properly adjusted.
Thinking outside the box, woom’s helmet side straps are one single cord loop on each side that never has to be adjusted. As seen on the pink helmet below, most helmets have two straps on each side that come together below a child’s ear. The plastic piece below the ear must be adjusted to keep the straps centered.
Woom Side Straps vs. Standard Helmet Straps
The woom helmet’s side cords are also genius because they are practically un-twistable. When I asked our tester what he liked about the helmet, the first thing he said was, “I love that the side straps don’t get all twisted!” When kids can point out features without being prompted, you know they’re legit.
Normally, how well a helmet stays put is highly affected by whether or not the sliding adjusters on the side straps are adjusted correctly and stay in place, because they’re used to keep a helmet centered on a child’s head.
The side straps, along with a dial-adjust system and any interchangeable pads all play a factor in having a helmet with a superior fit. Getting all three elements just right can be daunting.
woom, once again paying attention to the pain points of parents and kids, wanted to make the entire process of adjusting for a proper fit easier.
Because they designed the shape of the helmet to be virtually impossible to put on wrong (it can’t really shift out of place), they removed the need for the side straps be a part of the adjustment system. This removes the major annoyance of constantly having to check, readjust, and untangle your child’s side straps!
Magnetic “Pinch-Free” Buckle
The woom helmet features the magnetic, pinch-free Fidlock buckle. It does take a little getting used to because kids (and parents) are usually more acquainted with cheap, standard buckles. However, once you “get” it, the buckle is a cinch to use, and obviously, prevents most (but not all) pinching. It can also be done or undone with just one hand!
The chin strap features a super soft pad for added comfort.
Lightweight
Weight
At 300 grams, the 2022 re-designed woom helmet weighs about as much as a standard style helmet, and is actually lighter than its original version. (The popular Giro Tremor is 306 grams.) Especially considering how much coverage it offers, its low weight is very impressive. The lighter the helmet, the more comfortable it will be for your child to wear for long periods of time.
High-quality, In-Mold Construction
The woom helmet keeps its weight down but its durability high by way of its in-mold construction, in which the outer shell is fused with the inner foam core so the helmet is one solid piece.
woom took its durability one step further by extending the coverage of the shell over the traditionally exposed edges of the foam core. You can see in the collage below – on the right is a high-end helmet with the gray foam core exposed for potential damage. While it’s harder to see on the woom because the shell and the foam are both white, the plastic shell covers the entire inside edge of the foam core.
Outer Shell
The shell is a scratch-resistant polycarbonate plastic that comes in six colors that match the woom bikes – blue, red, green, yellow, purple… and matte black (matches the woom OFF).
Venting and Airflow
With 24 vents and 4 internal air channels that run from front to back, the woom helmet is certainly focused on sweaty head prevention! When asked what he liked or didn’t like about the woom helmet, our 11-year-old tester quickly responded that this helmet wasn’t nearly as sweaty as his other helmets.
woom’s 24 Vents and 4 Air Channels Provide Great Ventilation
Bottom Line on the woom Kids Helmet
The woom helmet’s extended coverage, dial-adjust system, and rubber visor provide better protection and a more precise fit every time, while its “un-twistable” side cords, pinch-free buckle, and superior ventilation make it easy and comfortable to wear. woom’s attention to the small details make the sum whole of this helmet a superior choice.
To view a full selection of helmets, check out our Kids’ Helmets Comparison Chart and Ratings and Best Kids Bike Helmets page.
FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review. No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, the reviewed product was supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this review. 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.
