[bikedreamer]

I see that variations of this question have been asked before, but not recently.

I recently came to a rather sudden halt while out riding my bike. The details are sketchy in my memory, but I went over the bars, and my head took a bit of a smack. Thankfully the open-faced helmet I was wearing (Specialized Max XL) reduced the injuries to a mild concussion and some abrasions and cuts. It could have been a lot worse.

I listened to my doc and my wife who both say a full face helmet is a very good investment. I am in complete agreement with them.

The issue now is finding a helmet to fit my large and tall head. As I will be wearing the helmet for all my riding (up, down, flats, city, trails), it needs to be well ventilated.

My head size is 25", or about 64 cm. The only ones that come close are the Fox Proframe (25 1/4"), Troy Lee Designs Stage (24.8"), and the Leatt DBX 4.0 (24.50 or 25 1/5").

One problem is that I live in a somewhat remote area of Canada, so accessing helmets to try on is difficult. Shops around here carry Giro and Bell, which are a no go, size wise.

Is there a helmet that I am missing here? Is there an online shop that would have no problem with taking the helmet back if it doesn't fit?

TIA

 

[XioGShep]

I honestly wouldnt know much about large/tall heads. I guess I have a normal head cause normal Medium/Large fits me.

Most, if not all direct sites (FOX, Giro, Troy Lee, etc.) all have return policies. FOX and Giro I know are 30 days, others not to sure. That said, as long as you try on the helmet, figure out if it fits or not, and then send it back to them without doing any damage or anything to it, they'll be happy to refund you, or exchange it for a different size if you are really liking a helmet. Can always do amazon as well, their return policy is fairly lax.

 

[kevinboyer]

I purchased the Fox Proframe, and the TLD Stage a few months ago to see which one would work best for me. My head is a pretty "normal" size as heads go. After wearing each helmet for a couple of hours each around the house, I kept the TLD Stage. They both "fit" me, but the Stage was more comfortable on my head than the Proframe. I liked the padding in the Stage better, and also the chin bar was better angled than the Proframe. YMMV, but if you buy online, make sure to ask if the helmet can be returned if it doesn't fit. I know many online sites will take returns, but a helmet might be different even f you don't take it out and ride with it. The Proframe I bought I ended up selling it on Pinkbike for a few dollars less than what I paid for it.

 

[bikedreamer]

So I tried an XL Proframe today, with the padding set up for the largest possible head size. It was so tight on my noggin that it was like tightening up a vice. That is the largest size of decently ventilated helmets I could find. I could still try the DBX 4 and the Stage, but their size chart is the same or smaller.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'm really grasping at straws here at this point,

 

[mpress]

So I tried an XL Proframe today, with the padding set up for the largest possible head size. It was so tight on my noggin that it was like tightening up a vice. That is the largest size of decently ventilated helmets I could find. I could still try the DBX 4 and the Stage, but their size chart is the same or smaller.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'm really grasping at straws here at this point,

Try the TLD Stage. I bought both the Fox Proframe and the TLD Stage. The Fox was a noticeably tighter fit than the TLD and was returned to the vendor. Maybe also check out the new MET Parachute...

 

[bikedreamer]

Try the TLD Stage. I bought both the Fox Proframe and the TLD Stage. The Fox was a noticeably tighter fit than the TLD and was returned to the vendor. Maybe also check out the new MET Parachute...

I looked up the Parachute online. They only go up to a 61 or 62 cm head size, so unfortunately not likely going to work for me.

What sizes of Proframe and Stage did you try on, btw?

 

[mpress]

I looked up the Parachute online. They only go up to a 61 or 62 cm head size, so unfortunately not likely going to work for me.

What sizes of Proframe and Stage did you try on, btw?

I tried the Proframe in medium and the Stage in M/Lg. I switched the pads in both helmets to the thinner pads. The Stage fit perfect while the Proframe fit, but pinched my ears. Wasn't able to try the Lg Proframe for comparison.

 

[ButteMTB]

The TLD Stage should also accommodate a larger range of head sizes since it comes with more extra pads of varying thickness. I'm betting the XL/XXL Stage will fit the bill for you.

I found the Stage M/L and the Fox Proframe in L to fit similarly.