Finding the right path in the jungle of riding helmets is not entirely easy, first of all, it's important to find which riding helmet fits your head shape best, while also being comfortable and meeting the safety requirements for riding helmets in Sweden.
But what are the safety requirements for helmets in Sweden?
First, all riding helmets must have a marking called CE, which is a marking that certifies that the riding helmet meets the EU's basic environmental, health and safety requirements. When new riding helmets are manufactured, they are tested to see if they meet the requirements to receive a CE marking. They are also tested against the various standards available to determine which standard they should be marked with.
The EU has now developed a new standard for testing riding helmets, and all new riding helmets must be tested against this standard from now on. The new standard is called EN1384:2023, which might sound familiar. This marking exists, but this is an updated version with slightly higher safety testing compared to its predecessor. EN1384:2023 will apply throughout the entire EU and is the new standard that all new helmets will be tested against to receive their CE marking.
What the new standard means is that riding helmets are tested to provide better shock absorption and mechanical strength, as well as increased protection against penetration, which enhances safety for us riders. There will be a transition period where riding helmets with the previous VG1 marking will be approved for competition until 2031. This means that if you have a riding helmet with the old marking, you don’t need to feel stressed to replace it immediately. Riding helmet manufacturers recommend replacing a helmet approximately every 5 years, even if you haven't fallen off, as the materials in the helmets age.
VG1 is probably something you have heard of, but what is actually a security standard?
All riding helmet manufacturers must produce their riding helmets in such a way that they meet one of three international safety standards. These safety standards are called PAS015:2011, EN1384:2023 (which replaces VG1) and ASTM F1163:2015.
Each standard has a range of tests that the riding helmet must pass to be labeled and approved within that standard. When these tests are conducted, the riding helmet is tested for different impacts and accident scenarios involving a horse. This means that the more safety standards a riding helmet is labeled with, the more tests have been conducted on the helmet that it has subsequently passed. This means that if you want to find the safest riding helmet, you should look for the one with the most standard markings.
What should one consider when choosing a riding helmet?
When trying on a riding helmet, it is important and a real safety tip to get help from knowledgeable staff to try on a riding helmet that fits your head as perfectly as possible.
All riding helmet brands and their helmets have different fits, and if you have an idea of which riding helmet you want, you might need to reconsider because that particular model might not fit your head. Choosing a riding helmet that fits properly on your head is very important for your safety when handling and riding horses.
What is tested for in the different standards?
When it comes to the different standards, they test for different things, some test to protect against the most serious head injuries while others test for more common injuries that can occur in a horseback riding accident. A riding helmet manufacturer can never predict what kind of fall you will have from a horse as there are many different scenarios, you might fall off at a gallop on a hard gravel road, at a walk on asphalt, into the arena wall, or get kicked in the head by the horse.
All the different standards have various criteria that the riding helmets must meet in order to receive that certification. Among other things, they will examine how much of the head is covered by the riding helmet, how the riding helmet is affected by how the rider falls and on what surface, how the riding helmet moves, and how severe an injury might be in the event of a fall. The tests are conducted to ensure that the riding helmets meet one or more safety standards.
Choosing a riding helmet that meets several different standards has proven to provide the most comprehensive protection and covers more potential accident scenarios that we riders may encounter.
Which riding helmets in our range have which standard?
At Charles Owen, almost all riding helmets have a triple standard: PAS015, VG1 01.040 2014-12 and ASTM.
Charles Owen riding helmets are the ones with the most standards and the ones we can sell worldwide, which we cannot do with all riding helmet brands since different parts of the world have different requirements for safety markings and what is required for an approved riding helmet.
KEP has standard VG1 01.040 2014-12, SEI/ASTM F1163 / 2015 and ISO 9001:2015
Samshield has slightly different depending on the model, Shadowmatt/Miss Shield Matt and Premium have CE EN 1384:2017, VG1 01.040 2014-12 and ASTM/SEI. Their new 2.0 riding helmets in the same design have EN1384:2023, VG1 01.040 2014-12 and ASTM 2023
Helmet CE VG1 01.040 2014-12 and ASTM/SEI
OneK has VG1 01.040 2014-12 (EN1384:2023)
Hansbo has CE VG1 01.040 2014-12 (EN1384:2023)
Uvex has all riding helmets marked EN 1384:2012 + VG1 01.040 2014-12, and the new ones being manufactured will receive the new marking EN 1384:2023
All of the above riding helmets that have VG1 01.040 2014-12 will get the new standard EN1384:2023
Here you see a good and simple list of the different riding helmet standards.
Then there is a standard that we do not see too often in riding helmets, it is a standard that tests many different scenarios (as you see in the list below) and it is often used in motorcycle helmets. Although it is a standard that provides very good protection, the helmets become very cumbersome and bulky and are not entirely optimal for us riders.
Mips? Is not a safety standard but a Swedish invention that has created a demand to have the protection in riding helmets sold in the Swedish market, it is not something that is in demand abroad. Several riding helmet manufacturers choose to have helmets both with and without MIPS to meet demand. Riding helmets such as KEP, KASK, Samshield, and those helmets from Charles Owen that do not have MIPS, have their helmets tested for rotational falls and have passed those tests, and they do not see the need to also have MIPS in their helmets.
At Hogsta Ridsport, we are passionate about riding helmets. Our focus is on helping our customers to try out and find the helmet that fits most optimally. All the riding helmets we have chosen for our range are selected because they are safe and have undergone thorough testing. All this so that you as a customer can feel secure with us and your choice of your new riding helmet!
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