I’m looking for the coolest, lightest helmet I can find that offers long oval. In the summer I frequently riding in temperatures 95 F + with high humidity.
I currently ride in a IRH Elite Xtreme but it needs to be replaced due to age and it rolled off a shelf in my tack locker and dropped on concrete recently.
Any suggestions?
I wear a Charles Owen AYR8, and recently got a Uvex for summer riding. It’s well ventilated and surprisingly adjustable. I was able to use the dial fit and vertical adjustments to get a comfortable fit.
I also have a CO AYR8, and I don’t find it hot in the summer at all. It’s my favorite helmet I’ve ever owned; I rode in the IRHs for many years before this helmet.
I wear on my oval head a Tipperary Sportage:
https://www.doversaddlery.com/tipperary-sportage-8500-15/p/X1-36569/
Unfortunately the Tipperarys don’t work for me or I’d gladly go with one of those as they are very cool and light weight. One size gives me a headache and the next size up just falls off my head. Going to a tack store and physically trying on multiple brands was how I finally discovered I’m a long oval. I had a Tipperary in a size too large before I figured out why I couldn’t get it to work for me. GPAs, Troxels and Aegis also don’t work.
Brands I’m interested in but haven’t gotten to try in person: One K, Samshield, Ovation, Uvex, CO. Of those I think One K, Ovation and CO actually offer long oval. They had CO at the tack store but they are major $$$. I’m willing to spend it if they’re that much cooler than the IRH I have. But they look like they have even less air vents so I’m thinking it’d be warmer.
I really like my Ovation Deluxe Schooler. It’s light weight and very affordable. I’m pretty darn oval, but no pain or pressure points in this helmet. I used it to school and to show (was eventing for a while but horse is now indefinitely sidelined) and it’s cheap enough that I bought one every International Helmet Day and now have several spares in my closet in case of calamity.
I have a long oval One K. It’s comfortable, the fit is great. But it’s still hot. I was at Dover trying the fancier brands (Kask, GPA, Samshield), and while I was waiting for the sales associate to bring them out in my size, I tried on a Troxel Intrepid. It was super comfortable, flattering, and $55. Of the others, the Kask was the only one that wasn’t too round. It was $640. I couldn’t do it. I left without a helmet. This weekend, I went back and bought the Intrepid. Looking forward to wearing it today. 
One K for sure! I got mine last year on Black Friday and it is great! It was like 150-175$ which isn’t bad when looking at other helmets. It replaced my CO AYR8. I was MISERABLE in the CO. It was great for about 6 months out of the year here, but during the summer it was so hot - it gave me headaches, made me feel faint and made me sweat so much all (which is ALOT) of my hair would be soaked after my ride. There were days when I just wouldn’t wear it during the summer because it was so bad. I think it depends on your weather, but the One K definitely out performs it IMO
Love that helmet.
If I needed a long oval, well-vented helmet, I’d look at Uvex and Ovation. I love my OneK, but I don’t find it super cool although it’s super comfortable otherwise. I just bought a Trauma Void that I love, but I cannot see how it would work for an oval head.
I use the ovation dial with the most amount of air vents. (can’t recall the exact name) and it fits as well as my long oval IRH helmet (beautiful, brown leather, not for summer use LOL). The ovation has become my go to helmet. I had a schooling show this weekend, meant to use my GPA speed air and just thought hell no and went for the cooler more comfortable one!
(ETA - I have the sync, it looks like the protege has more vents, so I’ll probably switch to that one when this one is due to be replaced)
As a rule of thumb I find the bigger helmets hotter than the slimmer profile ones (well duh) but also the thicker helmets fare better in the safety testing as there is more padding (also obvious)
I ride in a cheapie GPA at home with vents and a OneK at comps. Im unhappy with the OneK for a variety of reasons (and one is my dealings with Onek as the helmet was a recall they wont take back, because i shipped it in from the UK)
Im planning to upgrade it too, and im planning to look at the back on track ones with the MIPS technology. There are a lot of threads on here about them that suggest they are cool. We get to 113F here in summer for days on end, so cooling is a huge thing for us.
I have a UVEX Perfexxion Active… and it is sand colored. Love it for schooling in the summer… I don’t have a covered arena here in FL. (BTW I have an extra one NIB for sale - it’s M-L size and I needed S-M… PM me for info. Less than half list price).
I have the protege, and it is definitely not oval. I have tons of room on the sides, not sure why I bought it other than all the vents. I wear an IRH Elite long oval and it fits perfectly. Sometimes I can feel a breeze through the vents.
Does Ovation actually have some long ovals? Wish either Tipperary or the Protege were made with a long oval option. I should replace my IRH soon.
I think I might have understood that the newest Trauma Void helmet, the EQ3 Lynx, might be more oval than the EQ3. That would be super because I find my EQ3 very cool. I wear it despite the pain it causes me because it is round-oval and I have a long oval head. I just tear it off my head the minute I get off the horse.
Another person with a true long oval head reading with interest.
@MuddyHalter Do you have a real long oval head or are you the head shape that long oval is better but a regular helmet works OK? I ask because I like the sound of the Troxel, but I have never had a Troxel come close to being comfortable or fitting on this head of mine. So I am curious if the one you mentioned fits a head that will not fit in anything that is round.
Any of you have have the One K Defender ever tried the IRH Elite? From looking at the venting in the pictures, the IRH looks cooler than the One K based just on the pictures. The One K looks like the next closest in number and size of vents. The vents on the IRH are larger but I’m not sure if that translates to it feeling cooler. I assume it would though.
The only ones that look like they’d be cooler are the Tipperary and GPAs, which of course are out due to the round shape.
I have oval head - not sure if long or not, lol. First rode in CO Ayr8, found it not cool, and the helmet outside got very gross from sweat, salt in sweat, etc. Never seemed to dry out. Cleaned it up and use only at shows. Bought an Ovation Schooler a few years ago, little adjustment dial in back. It is MUCH better IMO for here in Florida. I stick it in the sink periodically with soap and water, sun dry, no problems. And they are not expensive!!
I have a big melon, and I LOVE my Troxel Cheyenne. Of course, I.m in AK, so my hot days are nowhere near as warm and muggy as yours, but it seems well vented, it was inexpensive, and it is SO comfy. I can easily wear it all day.
I don’t think so. I originally bought one for trail riding/schooling at home and it was just comfy enough* to use regularly. (didn’t want to leave my Speed Air or IRH long oval elite ultra out at the hot humid barn 24/7). Along the way I just started using it all the time (although right now I am just doing schooling dressage shows so I’m less picky about my helmet choice)
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