Best Helmets to buy in India below 5000

So if it is that time of the year when you absolutely need a new helmet, because your old one broke - you are a horrible person. But fortunately that doesn't mean you have come to wrong place.

Let me start by saying, this post isn't for those who do not care about helmets at all. If the only thing that matters to you is that you wear something for legal reasons and do not care what it is - then by all means, give this a miss. Pick the cheapest from Amazon/Flipkart or from your nearest store.

For the rest, please read on. For the impatient ones, you can find this Full list in amazon,of course except the ones that I have marked as retail-only. I will try and keep this list updated.

First - the boring stuff:

• A helmet needs to have some weight. Contrary to what most people like in a helmet, it is not supposed to be feather light. So unless you have a condition or a weak neck, do not pick the lightest one.

• In case you weren't aware, living in India makes it mandatory to get an ISI- certified helmet. Some of the premium options listed here also have international standard certifications like DOT and ECE.

• A helmet should not be loose. I don't just mean the strap, I mean the helmet should wrap around your head a bit tightly than just stay on it. If it moves on it's own, you are defeating the purpose of wearing one.

• A helmet is best bought after trying one on. Yes the prices might not be cheaper in offline stores, depending on where you live. But it is mostly safer to buy one from a retail store than online.

• Helmet 'features' are usually overrated. Except for removable(and washable) pads, cheap Visors, there is not much you need to look for in a helmet. If you ride very long distances, I recommend getting one with air inlets. But that is about it.

Now -the cool stuff:

As a reward for enduring that, here is what you can buy. Remember the helmets usually serve you for about 3-4 years. So try not to cheap out on one. This list doesn't necessarily list the best helmets but more of the popular options as it is very hard to objectively judge which helmet is better. There are numerous options with different designs and graphics on each of these, so you can browse further to get the helmet of your choice.

Below 2000

As you can imagine, this is the most popular budget for helmet. I strongly recommend you spend at least 800 rupees on your piece.

The ones listed below have very good design, mostly good cushioning and high durability. I understand that all of them have removable cushions and air vents. Please check for individual models prior to buying them.

Studds Thunder

This is my personal helmet, hence the first on this list. It retails and sells online for Rs.1795. I think this is the best model below 2000. The size availability might be a problem, but It is a great buy nonetheless.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✗

Features - ✔

Price - 1795

Vega Ryker

Another option that rivals the Studds is the Vega Ryker. I found this more comfortable than the Studds. The price and features are just as impressive as the Thunder. Retails for 1800, very similar to the previous model.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 1800

Steelbird SBA 1 R2K models

Steelbird offers a decent helmet in this budget. This is a popular option that comes up on high discounts when on sale. This model has an air booster system, but does not come with removable flaps. This in my opinion is not worth the regular selling price. But can be picked up on a deal.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✗

Price - 1700

Steelbird Adonis

Probably the most popular option sub-2000 is the Adonis. Stylish and well modeled - this is possibly the best one you can buy (or order) on a budget. It is basic, light and does they job if your budget it less than 1000.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✗

Price - 850

Studds Shifter

Listing this one last as it doesn't really retail below 2000, but hits our budget when on a sale. This is the big brother of the Studds thunder and is another great buy with premium features. Its boils down to personal preference, but if you are all about using up your full budget, this one is perfect.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ~

Features - ✔

Price - 2150

Steelbird Air

A wildly popular choice among urban commuters is the steelbird air. As you would expect, this is a comfy piece of hardware. It is feather-light and does the job for most of you readers. It is great for stop-start traffic and also has fans among female commuters. So recommended for the ladies too due to it's build and weight.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✗

Price - 900

Vega Cliff

If Vega is a brand you like, then the Cliff is a great option under 1000. Vega helmets are known for being light and supremely comfortable. The helmet comes with no features just like the Adonis, but does the job. Again recommended for the ladies

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✗

Price - 1150

Steelbird Wings

A budget Steelbird offering that is fast becoming a helmet of choice for SB fans are the wings. Finished with a no-nonsense design and simple, cheap visors this is another easy choice for those who don't want to sweat it.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✗

Price - 800

Royal Enfield Open face

Like a lot of things in life, Royal Enfield is one brand that you cannot ignore even if you badly want to. Yeah sure it looks comfortable, like slouching-over-the-couch-while-crunching-chips comfortable. But its open. I mean why? And if you want to show your face to everyone in smoky signal stops and glorious bumper to bumper traffic, et this one. Also RE riders are bound by blood to only buy helmets that say Royal enfield, so no escaping that I guess.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✗

Below 5000

For those who just had a heart-attack, get in line. Most helmets either come under the 2000 range or go directly under 5000, so there is no point in listing any other ranges like sub-3000 or 4000. This is for people who want to invest decent dough for their helmets. Please remember that expensive helmets alone do not mean better safety. Also, I highly recommend trying these helmets out as most of them are super-heavy. In the long run they may cause neck or shoulder pain if bought without proper research.

Axor Rage

The de-facto choice for anyone looking for a premium helmet is the Axor Rage. This comes within touching-distance of high end Indian brands like Vega, Studds, SB and such. On offers, I have seen this come as close as 2500, which is a bargain for this piece of hardware right here. So if you are looking to venture out into entry-level high end, this is where you start. This is DOT certified.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 3500

SMK Stellar

SMK is an Indian brand who have gone out and sought international helmet certifications. They are at present offering great VFM helmets in India at sub-5000 prices. Most offline shops push SMK ahead of brands like MT, LS2, Axor and such since Indians love the graphics and options that come with the SMKs. This one is ECE-022 certified and ships with an anti-fog coating. So a very safe bet for the Indian market.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 3800

SMK Twister

Yep, we already have another SMK cannibalizing the Stellar. The only feature that this one boasts over the Stellar model is a quick-release Visor and embedded speaker-pocket provisions for bluetooth devices. So if you ride in groups or need bluetooth, it might be worth getting the Twister over the Stellar. For most users, the previous model would do the job.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 4200

LS2 Rookie

No list can be complete without a trusty LS2 helmet. LS or Liaos's System offers helmets that are wildly popular among the biker community. Based out of Spain, the company has been offering imported models in India for years now. Rookie is their entry-level Variant. It still comes with features like UV-resistant visor and ECE 22-05 certification.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 4800

Axor Apex Turbine

Another popular Axor option that falls slightly lower than 5000 is the Turbine. This one is as well is DOT certified and ships with an anti-fog coating. Get this only if you are particular about the model.For most riders, the Rage would work every day of the week.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 5000

Royal Enfield Full face helmet

Yes, full face. Just in case you got confused with the open face model. Another one that really beats me. I have no clue why these helmets sell. I mean if you remove the 'Royal Enfield' branding, people wouldn't touch this with a 2 meter-long stick. But hey you are bound by blood, remember. However this one also has a DOT certification. So its not all bad. The one thing... oh forget it. If you want RE, get this. end of story.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✗

Price - 3500

The helmets listed below are not showing up on online sites, so you may have to pick them from retailers close by.

MT Mugello

A very popular option for MT helmet lovers. MT is a Spanish company and is one of the most respected brands in the world. The Mugello is a rare sub-5000 option that offers both ECE and DOT certification. The piece ships with quick release visors and anti-fog inserts. For this price, this is the best VFM offering out there if brand is not a preference.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 4600

LS2 Rapid

A classy, quality helmet from LS is the Rapid. I do not find any listings of this in common sites, but you can check out Motardinn.com for a bargain deal of this beauty. Its light, comes with superior ventilation and obviously ECE certification. Check the prices as they seem to have gone up recently.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 3900(Motardinn.com) Store prices - 6000+

For her

This list should give you a good idea about which of the helmets are suitable for the ladies. While all helmets in the list are technically unisex, women tend to prefer slightly lightweight and open-faced options. So the key features in this list are comfort and the ability to dock them inside scooters like Dio, Scooty and Activa. Just to be clear though,I do not recommend open-faced helmets.

SMK Derby

A great offering from SMK with open-faced design is the Derby. This is an ECE certified model that also comes in XL-size for comfort. Other typical SMK features like scratch resistant visors and quick release straps are thrown in for good measure.

Quality - ✔

Comfort - ✔

Features - ✔

Price - 2750

Vega Verve

This is the leader in this pack. Possibly the most popular or rather the only popular helmet amongst the ladies is the Verve. It is super compact, light weight and cheap. For the price, you get a no-nonsense helmet from a good Indian brand. Get this if you want no fuss.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ~

Price - 950

Vega Crux

This is a cheaper unisex alternative to the Verve. You can commonly spot this among casually-clad dads and moms who ride with their kids. Another basic option for normal commuters or ladies who ride long distances(15kms+) on a regular basis. Vega Cruiser is very similar to this one.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ~

Price - 800

Studds Jetstar Vintage

If you were looking for a studds option, they got you covered! The Jetstar vintage is a pricey but neat open-faced option in this segment. The prices are lower in retail shops so I would highly recommend taking a ride to a store.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ~

Price - 1350

Steelbird SB33 Wings

Hey dont look at me. I dont make these names. The SB33 is another fine piece of hardware from Steebird. But as we have seen from the brand, they skimp a lot on the looks and padding. This is one of the most compact helmets you can get and it pops up on sales all the time.

Quality - ~

Comfort - ✔

Features - ~

Price - 850

Apart from these options, helmets like Steebird Adonis, Vega Cliff and all the other lightweight options are all open to the ladies, but if you want to keep your piece in the trunk - pick one that fist there.

Think we have missed something you like more than your first born son? Don't we all? Please comment your choice below.