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- Before your kid learns to ride a bike, a safe and properly fitted helmet is a must.
- My 6-year-old daughter tested Trek's new Bontrager Jet WaveCel Children's Helmet, which is designed with the same technology used in their adult helmets.
- Trek's adult WaveCel technology performed better than standard helmets in testing at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab.
- My daughter loved personalizing the Jet with the included stickers and wears it even when she's not riding her bike. That's a big win for me.
When I was a kid, no matter the activity, wearing a helmet was a sign of weakness and a guaranteed way to bring on jeers and insults from your friends. These days, however, wearing a helmet is considered cool. And as a parent, I couldn't be happier about that.
We know that helmets can protect children from serious injuries. Although only 22 states have bicycle helmet laws on the books, the CDC reports that a properly fitted helmet reduces head injuries and fatalities.
With that in mind, I started my search for a kids' helmet last month before my 6-year-old daughter began to learn how to ride a bike. The options were overwhelming. Did she want the bright pink one with a unicorn horn, the all-black skater-style helmet, or something in between with a thin plastic shell and a cartoon character painted on the top?
Around that time, Trek reached out about their new Bontrager Jet WaveCel Children's Helmet, which was designed by a biomechanical engineer and an orthopedic trauma surgeon. I was compelled to try it out with my daughter. For the purposes of this review, Trek sent me a complimentary helmet to test.
The design and specs for the Bontrager Jet WaveCel Children's Helmet
The Jet WaveCel helmet is a round shell with side and top vents available in two sizes: kids (48 to 52 centimeters) and youth (50 to 55 cm). It has a short front lip that gives it more of a skate and ski look than a traditional oval bike helmet. The rounder helmet can also be more protective.
"We have always advocated for rounder helmet designs to reduce friction when the head hits a paved surface," said Randy Swart, executive director of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute.
The Jet comes in four colorways: Black, White, Viz-Green, and Magenta, each with a contrasting interior color. Most importantly (to kids), it comes with a cool sticker pack to personalize the shell, something my daughter did right after opening the box.
The Fidlock buckle on the straps reduces pinching under the chin when securing the helmet. There's also a dial in the back, which easily turns to tighten the helmet for a more comfortable, snug fit. The soft, thin interior padding provides added comfort and can be easily removed for cleaning.
Notes on helmet safety
When it comes to helmets, "How does it look?" is the first question every kid asks, but every adult wants to know: "How safe is it?" Since 1999, every bike helmet that is imported or sold in the US must meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission standards. The CPSC is essentially the FDA of the consumer product world, overseeing everything from cribs to power tools.
In the case of the Jet helmet, it also meets ASTM standards, meaning the helmet was impact-tested using a head form closer to the size of a child in order to get more realistic results.
The real innovation is the WaveCel technology though — it is the honeycomb-like structure that you can see when you look inside the helmet. Essentially, it's a thin, collapsible structure that replaces that white hard foam (EPS) on the helmet you probably have at home.
In testing at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, researchers found that adult helmets utilizing technologies like WaveCel and MIPS perform better than standard helmets. Although the kids' Jet helmet has not been tested by the Helmet Lab, it utilizes the exact same technology.
In an accident, WaveCel protects the head in three stages. Upon impact, the first layer flexes, then the middle layer crumples like a car's bumper, then the layers glide against each other to redirect energy of the crash away from the head.
Getting the right fit
Although we've gotten a few helmets over the years, this is the first helmet my daughter will put on just for fun. She picked the Viz-Green color over the others because she likes how bright it is.
Every parent knows, more than half the battle is just getting your kid to put the helmet on, and the Jet takes care of that for me.
The day the Jet WaveCel arrived, my daughter opened it, stickered it up, and wore it around the house for about an hour while she played with dolls, ate her snack, and let me snap some photos. She hadn't even gone for a bike ride yet!
The other challenging aspect of getting your child to wear a helmet is making all the proper fit adjustments. "Helmets need to be snug enough to remain in place during an accident," Barry Miller, director of outreach and business development for the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, told Insider
We followed the National Highway Traffic Safety recommendations for fit and watched a quick University of Virginia Health System video that demonstrated proper fit. Children's Hospital of Los Angeles also has a blog post with helpful pictures.
We made sure the helmet was level and low on the forehead, the side straps made a "V" shape under and just a little forward of the ears, and the chin strap was tight enough that only one or two fingers could fit between the strap and the chin. Having the Fidlock was helpful because we didn't need to worry about sliding the two straps together and possibly pinching my daughter's neck. We simply tightened the straps with it unlocked and then brought the two sides of the chin strap together, and "click," it was on. Finally, we tightened the rear dial for added comfort and fit, and we were off!
What makes this helmet stand out
I've been so impressed with the Jet because of the amount of engineering and research that was put into the WaveCel technology itself. I love how easy it is to put on and adjust, and the fact it's comfortable enough that my daughter wears it just for fun makes me a happy parent.
Something else worth noting is Trek's crash-replacement guarantee. If your child gets in a wreck in the first year of ownership, Trek will send a new helmet, allaying concerns about a possible crack or less-visible problem. Trek takes the returned helmets to study the markings and scrapes and better inform how they make their helmets.
The cons
At nearly $100, the price is steep. Your child might not like it as much as mine does, so there's a bit of a risk involved spending that much only to have it hang in the garage unused. Thankfully, Trek offers a 30-day promise that you can return the helmet even if it's been used.
If your child prefers something designed more like a mountain bike helmet, Trek only offers this one WaveCel style for kids. Hopefully, they'll expand the line. Safety is the most important aspect of any protective device, so do your research no matter what helmet you choose. Turns out, Consumer Reports found some helmets being sold online did not even meet the CPSC standards. When in doubt, look elsewhere.
The bottom line
In recent years, a few brands like Bell, Nutcase, and Giro have really stepped up their game when it comes to bike helmets for kids, so there are certainly other well-styled, safe alternatives available.
When it comes to the Jet WaveCel helmet, though, I'm impressed by how easy it is to use, its modern clean look, and the fact that my daughter practically wants to live in it. And the ASTM certification brings extra peace of mind that my child is as protected as much as possible when she rides off.
Pros: Easy to put on and adjust, WaveCel safety technology, stickers for kids to personalize the helmet
Cons: Pricey, only offered in one style