Hockey Helmets

Choosing a good hockey helmet is important. You don’t want something too big and clunky, but you also don’t want an undersized helmet that will not protect you properly. With that said, our experts have created a list of the 6 best hockey helmets for 2023 that'll keep you safe in style.

The correct way to size a hockey helmet is to measure the circumference of your head. Once you determine this measurement, find the helmet size that corresponds. Each manufacturer will have its own sizing chart, so be sure that you consult the correct chart. As a general sizing range, most players who have a head circumference of 21" will wear a small helmet, while players with heads measuring 24" around would probably need an extra large. Youth hockey helmets operate along similar sizing guidelines. To fit your helmet, place it on your head so that the rim is just above your eyebrows. Then adjust the straps until you have a comfortable, snug fit.

CCM and Bauer are widely recognized as the leading manufacturers of hockey equipment. For helmets, this rule remains unchanged. The CCM Fitlite, which incorporates HD PE Shell technology and an R.E.D liner System, is a comfortable, flexible and ultra-protective option. The Bauer Re-Akt helmet is marketed as 25 percent more protective than any other hockey helmet currently available on the market. The patented Suspend-Tech NG Liner incorporated into the helmet molds to the shape of your head to offer great protection from any impact.

Today, players at all levels of the game are required to wear a helmet. But the first hockey player to ever wear a helmet was Boston’s Eddie Shore in the 1930s. The need to protect your head was made very evident in the 1960s, when Bill Masterson tragically died after hitting his head on the ice during a game. The NHL officially made helmets mandatory in 1979, but incumbent players had the choice to wear one or not. Early versions of helmets were primitive compared to what players wear today. Modern hockey helmets allow you to have the option of no mask, or provide the option of a visor, full shield, or cage. Youth hockey players are almost always required to wear a cage to protect their entire face and head.

Typical hockey helmets are going to range from $50 to $150, and your average helmet is going to run somewhere between $100 and $200. Premium, top-of-the-line helmets such as the will run a bit more expensive around the $300 to even $400 mark.

Although many hockey players believed that helmets would provide them with better protection, they were reluctant to wear them initially. The NHL only mandated helmets for all players in 1979. Many players believed that their breathing and hearing would be impaired by helmets while others thought that wearing a helmet would take away from their style or make them look like a “clown” or “joke” on the ice.

Visors are mandatory for any player who entered the NHL after the 2013-2014 season. Since most players began their careers at a younger age, they have been conditioned to wear a visor although some players who started before the 2013-2014 season, such as Jamie Benn from the Dallas Stars, opt not to wear a visor.

The last NHL player to play without a helmet was Craig MacTavish during the 1996–97 season.