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OutdoorMaster Kelvin 2 Ski Helmet Review – Great Starter Ski Helmet

Are you a skier looking for a new ski helmet but don’t want to break the bank in the process? The OutdoorMaster Kelvin 2 ski helmet could be for you. Let’s take a detailed look at this ski helmet and see how it stacks up to other low cost helmets. Keep reading for our review of the OutdoorMaster ski helmet.


What we liked:

  • Rugged construction and ASTM 2040F certified
  • Available in a regular or MIPS version
  • Very low cost
  • Stylish appearance
  • Good ventilation
  • Comfortable to wear with or without hats
  • It works with a variety of goggles with no goggle gap
  • Audio compatible ear pads

What we didn’t like:

  • There is no XL size available
  • The vents can’t be closed

Video Review

OutdoorMaster Kelvin 2 Ski Helmet Review and Test

Price

The OutdoorMaster Kelvin 2 snow helmet retails for $59.99. It is available direct to consumer from OutdoorMaster or by Amazon. This puts it as one of the cheapest ski helmets available today.

There are a few cheaper helmets out there on Amazon from no name sellers but none from a brand you’ve heard of. Helmets and safety equipment in general are not the place I’d choose to experiment with a company I’ve never heard of.

What do you get from one of the cheapest ski and snowboard helmets on the market?

ASTM F2040 Certified

The helmet is ASTM F2040 certified. This is the same certification standard as the much higher cost Smith helmet I’ve been skiing with for years has. You should not consider buying any helmet that is not ASTM 2040F certified. No reputable ski shop will sell a helmet without this certification. It is an impactor test to prove out the safety of the helmet. You can read more about the ASTM F2040 standard here.

The Kelvin 2 is available in a regular or MIPS version. MIPS helps reduce injuries from glancing or sideways impacts to the head. You can learn more about MIPS here.

Rugged construction

The helmet is constructed of a plastic reinforced ABS shell and EPS foam liner. This is pretty standard ski helmet construction. The molding looks clean with no gaps between the shell and liner. The helmet feels rugged and solid. The outer shell is thick enough plastic that I can’t dent or deform it with my hands pushing or hitting it. It feels as rugged and tough as any higher priced ski helmet.

The straps are attached to the shell with metal rivets. The fleece lined padded chin strap has adjustable ear straps and an adjustable chin strap.

Removable fleece liner

There is a removable fleece mesh inner liner inside the helmet. It is held in place with several velcro pads. The inner fleece liner can be removed if you want to clean it or wear the helmet with a thicker hat. It is very easy to get in and to put back in again.

Size adjustment dial

There is an adjustable dial for fine tuning the size of the helmet. This adjuster looks as good and feels as smooth as the adjuster on any $100-$200 ski helmet. The adjustment dial broke on my Smith helmet before I even used it the first time. Paying more doesn’t always get you better quality or durability.

Removable fleece lined ear flaps

There are removable fleece lined ear flaps. These snap into the shell of the helmet with plastic tabs. The Kelvin 2 now has audio compatible ear pads that with velcro pockets for installing speakers.

Venting

The helmet has 14 individual vents for keeping your head ventilated and dry. More vents help get you more airflow through your goggles and help prevent fogging. The vents aren’t adjustable and can’t be closed for colder days.

Goggle clip

There is a bungee clip goggle holder. This is a nice upgrade over the plastic clip the original Kelvin had. Bungee’s are easier to clip when your wearing the helmet. They work better if your goggle has a clip or size adjuster on the back of the strap.

goggle clip

Appearance

The helmet looks better than a basic dome helmet such as the Anon Raider 3 and Smith Scout. It has a character line giving it more surface and shape and a more dynamic appearance. It is available in a bunch of different colors.

OutdoorMaster Kelvin side view
OutdoorMaster Ski Helmet
low end competitive helmets
Low cost no shape plastic bucket helmets from other brands
OM Ultra XL and Pro

How does it fit, feel and perform?

The Kelvin 2 is offered in 3 different sizes. The have increased the sizing of the Kelvin 2 from the original Kelvin. The original Kelvin barely fit me and I had the chin strap maxed out. The Kelvin 2 is very comfortable and I have plenty of chin strap adjustment left.

The Kelvin 2 is very comfortable to wear and does not give me any ear headaches. I can even wear it all day with helmet speakers installed.

ear pads attached 2

Goggle compatibility

The helmet has a very good fit with OutdoorMaster Pro, Ultra XL and Vision XL goggles. There is very minimal goggle gap. The slope of the front of the helmet closely matches the goggles.

See our review of the OutdoorMaster Ski Goggles Pro to learn more. See our review of the OutdoorMaster Ultra Zeiss Goggles and Vision XL Goggles to learn more.

OutdoorMaster Kelvin Ski and Snowboard Helmet

See Best Deals! – Kelvin 2

See Best Deals! – Kelvin 2 MIPS

OutdoorMaster Discount Code

Use the Coupon Code RC20 for 20% off at OutdoorMaster.com

The Verdict

I think the Kelvin helmet from OutdoorMaster represents a terrific value. I would recommend it to any of my skiing friends. The construction feels solid and rugged. It looks good with a set of frameless goggles. The features are more than competitive considering the very low price.

Doug Ryan Portrait Skiing 200x200

Ryan Craig
Chief Editor

I am a total gear nerd and love learning how things work and thinking about how they could be improved. Nothing excites me more than trying out new gear. I’d rather spend 3 hours taking my bike apart and learning how to change something than go to a bike shop. These days, I reside in Michigan by the Great Lakes and go skiing, biking, and boating as much as possible. Visit our About Us page and learn more.

ryan@greatlakesbikeskiboat.com

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