"...did a Snell-certified helmet work better at protecting a person in the real world than a plain old DOT-certified or equivalent helmet? The answer was no. In real street conditions, the DOT or equivalent helmets worked just as well as the Snell-certified helmets.

In the case of fatal accidents, there was one more important discovery in the Hurt Report: There were essentially no deaths to helmeted riders from head injuries alone. 

Some people in the study, those involved in truly awful, bone-crushing, aorta-popping crashes, did sustain potentially fatal head injuries even though they were wearing helmets. The problem was that they also had, on average, three other injuries that would have killed them if the head injury hadn't.

In other words, a crash violent enough to overwhelm any decent helmet will usually destroy the rest of the body as well."  ... end excerpt.

Now, if you are a helmet wearer and want to know the best helmets for your money... here is a list of the best helmets per test results.  I listed the best helmet for each Standards category.  DOT is our standard here in the states, while BSI and ECE are standards used overseas, and SNELL is the optional higher test rating that some manufacturers choose to reach for. (and charge more for the sticker)  Look at the end number that is followed by a G.  The lower that number, the better the helmet is at absorbing impact/shock. 

Brand: Z1R, Model: ZRP, best test results for DOT cert only helmets at 152Gs

Brand: AGV, Model: Ti-Tech, BSI/DOT helmet standard tested at 169Gs

Brand: Shuberth, Model: S-1, ECE 22-05/DOT helmet standard tested at 161Gs

Brand: Icon, Model: Mainframe, SNELL 2000/DOT standard tested at 181Gs

The real surprise here?  Is that the best helmet showed here, costs less than $100.00.  Also SNELL standards hold helmets to a 300G test rating... which means that most helmets that wear a SNELL sticker have a harder impact rating... which then means more pain to your brain.  And, SNELL is almost non-existant on helmets overseas.

MY THOUGHTS:  Buy the Z1R or AGV (I own an AGV).  The numbers show the truth behind the helmet, not the money behind the helmet manufacturer.  Plus you pay less, that way when you drop it on the concrete getting ready for a ride, it doesn't hurt your pocket book so much to replace it.  

Thanks to Alicia at Wiccid Sickles for sending us this story if you have stories to share feel free to e-mail me.