# Helmet for 1 year old



## liberal_chick (May 22, 2005)

Ds is going to be 1 on Friday and I'm SO excited to be able to use my bike trailer again.









Do I need to do anything besides make sure the helmet fits properly? I'm just planning to hit Wal-Mart or Target to get one, but can certainly go elsewhere if need be.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

I'm not sure where you are, but around us there are several places to get a helmet fitted very inexpensively. I'd call around to your police station, fire station and closest hospital and see if they know where.

Around here, they run $5-10 and include a very good helmet and a fitting.


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## cschick (Aug 28, 2007)

When the kid was 1, it was almost impossible to find helmets for kids under age 3 at either Walmart or Target (or even Dick's Sporting Goods). And the helmets for kids 3+ were definitely far too large for him (he started to fit into those helmets at 2.5).

We finally found one rated for 18 months+ at Toys R Us. And it was literally the ONLY helmet they had that was that small (they had a single one in the whole store). With quite a bit of additional padding, it fit him.

A little later that year, we visited our local small bike shop and learned that Bell Helmets is the only company that produces helmets for kids under about 24 months in any quantity, and Bell is only really sold in dedicated bike shops. So, you may want to look up a bike shop in your area and ask if they carry the Lil Bell Shells.

Oh yeah: and the 18+ months one we found above had a pointed back, which proved to be a rather bad thing--the kid HATED the way the helmet pushed his head forward when he tried to lean it back. For a small kid in a bike trailer, you really want a rounded-back helmet (which the Lil Bell Shells are).


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## To-Fu (May 23, 2007)

We got ours at REI and had it fitted (for free). The brand was Giro, and it was similar to one of these.


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

It depends on what size your kids head is. If its a small to normal 1 yo, you'll probably need an true infant helmet, and those are hard to find. Try an upscale bike shop. Now...my giant-headed child (lol) easily wore a toddler (3+) helmet when he was 1, and now that he is 2, we had to move up to a child (5+) size helmet. His head has the same circumference at barely 2 as my almost-6 yo.


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## cschick (Aug 28, 2007)

An update to my post above: It looks like the Lil Bell Shell has been replaced by the Bell Splash. The Giro ME2 is also a similar-sized helmet.


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## dmpmercury (Mar 31, 2008)

I don't know if you have an REI by you but they have both Giros and Bells for infants. I got a bell one I use with my kids.


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## BlackSheepPDX (Aug 28, 2008)

We got a Giro Rodeo (red flames) at REI, too.


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## medicmama (May 5, 2006)

any bike store will fit kids for helmets. you don't even have to buy them. a good helmet will be adjustable in the back and fit for more than 1 season. my kids have huge heads and Walmart ones don't fit well too shallow.


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## liberal_chick (May 22, 2005)

Great info. Thanks!

My MIL is an avid biker and lives within easy driving distance of lots of bike shops (I live in the sticks), so I'll wait until we go visit to get him fitted. I certainly want something safe!


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