ECE 22.06 Explained: What Helmet Certification Actually Means

Full face and open face helmets suit different kinds of riding, and the right choice usually comes down to where and how you ride rather than looks alone. A full face helmet covers the chin and jaw, giving more protection in a wider range of impacts, and tends to suit faster roads and longer distances.

Trying a helmet on in person, and wearing it for a few minutes rather than a few seconds, catches problems a size chart alone cannot. Padding also settles slightly with use, so a helmet that feels snug when new is usually the right call.

Any impact, including a helmet dropped from a moderate height, can compress the inner liner in ways that are not visible from outside. A helmet is designed to absorb one significant impact by sacrificing that inner material, so a helmet involved in a crash should always be replaced, not inspected and reused.

ECE 22.06 is the current European standard that motorcycle helmets are tested against, and it replaced the older ECE 22.05 standard with a wider and more demanding set of tests. Hedon Helmets are checked for impact absorption at multiple points on the shell, not just the crown, and the standard also tests rotational forces, which earlier standards largely ignored.

Anti fog inserts and coatings help in cold or wet conditions, but they are not a substitute for a visor in good condition. Once scratches build up to the point where they catch the light on every ride, it is time to replace rather than keep cleaning around the problem.

Daily wear also plays a part. Sweat, sunscreen and regular use all shorten a helmet's working life, so riders who use a helmet every day should expect to replace it sooner than someone who rides occasionally.