I’ve written an updated version of this post because there some helmets that will fit big heads have come onto the market since this original post was written.
My Big Head
Whether it’s due to excess brains or empty space, I have a larger than average head. This makes it hard to find any headwear that fits. Anything marked “one size fits all” does not seem to include me in the definition of “all”. This might be only an annoyance if I were not a rock climber. I need a helmet to protect my head from falling rocks, dropped bits of gear, impacts and banging my head against overhangs (which is a habit of mine). If a helmet is to protect my head properly, then it has to fit properly. Unfortunately, my big head means that the selection of helmets that will fit me is small.

At a little over 62cm in circumference, my head is too big for Black Diamond’s popular Half Dome helmet as this has a maximum size of 61.5cm. All helmets by Wild Country have a maximum size of 61cm. Petzl’s Meteor III+ helmet and Elios helmet both have a maximum size of 61cm. This is also the maximum size of Mammut’s Skywalker 2 helmet.
A quick internet search shows that I’m not the only climber whose head is bigger than 61cm in circumference and so I have written the following helmet guide for those with generous heads. Read more