Roller skate buying guide
Skate Helmets: What Top Skaters Wear and Recommend
Of the 20 named skaters and coaches in our compilation who talk about helmets or list one in their setup — derby champions, park pros, an aggressive pro, downhill racers and inline coaches — every one who gives a beginner advice says to wear a helmet from the first session, and park skater Estro Jen puts it first. What they wear is a hard-shell skate helmet (S1, Triple Eight, Pro-Tec in the derby and park gear lists) or, in downhill, a full-face helmet; Alex Shulgan prefers a skate helmet to a bike helmet because skaters fall backwards, and Viktor Thorup says to choose on fit and try it on. Nobody in the compilation tests helmets or compares their protection: this page reports what they wear and say, nothing more.
Gear on this page: seven helmets are named further down — Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet (two listings), S1 Lifer Helmet, Pro-Tec Classic Skate Helmet, S1 Mega Lifer Helmet, Triple Eight Lil 8 Kids Helmet and a generic OutdoorMaster full-face mountain bike helmet. They are optional, the page works without them, and the links to them are Amazon affiliate links.
Amazon prices were read on the listing on 7 October 2026, for the size and colour Amazon shows by default; other sizes and colours can cost more or less. Price and availability are set by Amazon and can change.
What top skaters and coaches recommend
Features first, brands only where a skater wears or names one. Where a skater rides for the brand they wear, or the source is the brand's own blog, we say so.
Wear one from the first session
- Estro Jen (Michelle Steilen, founder of Moxi Skates and a leading figure of quad park skating; the video is on her own channel, and Moxi is her brand) tells beginners at the skatepark to wear all their pads and ranks the helmet first, then wrist guards, knee pads and elbow pads (Estro Jen, 9 Jan 2021; again in Moxi, 29 Apr 2026).
- Bobi Spassov, aggressive pro with signature Roces skates (sponsor: Roces; competition record not verified here), wore a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads and shin guards for his first six years; in the same video coach Ricardo Lino calls the helmet the piece that can save your life (Ricardo Lino, 12 May 2024).
- Dustin Werbeski, street, big-wheel and off-road rider (sponsors Xsjado, Powerslide, Undercover), tells off-road beginners to wear a helmet (Big Wheel Blading, 27 Jul 2017, updated 8 Jun 2023).
- Klaudia (presents herself as a freestyle slalom world champion; the link to Klaudia Hartmanis is not verified) asks for full protection at the start, helmet included (Klaudia & Michał, 3 Mar 2025).
- Coaches of older beginners say the same: Liz Miller, IISA-certified inline instructor and author of three skating books, wants a helmet worn every time (Get Rolling FAQ, undated), and speed coach Bill Begg lists a helmet with knee pads and wrist guards for older skaters (Inline Planet, 24 Jul 2013). More in protective gear that actually fits.
A hard-shell skate helmet, not a bike helmet (with one dissent)
- Alex Shulgan, professional freestyle skater and co-owner of In Move Skates (commercial interest; no title verified), calls a helmet essential and prefers a skate helmet to a bike helmet, because skaters fall backwards (NBC News Select, 9 Sep 2024).
- Slam, founder of Chuffed Skates (brand voice, no verified competition record; she recommends S1), asks for a certified hard-shell helmet with adjustable foam pads (Chuffed, 18 Aug 2022).
- Dissent, for children: the London skate school Skatefresh (an ICP-registered school; the FAQ names no author) makes a helmet compulsory in its lessons but accepts a bike helmet (Skatefresh FAQ, updated 4 Oct 2026). Shulgan and Skatefresh disagree; we report both.
- What "certified" means on our product list: Triple Eight states its Certified Sweatsaver meets the US CPSC standard and ASTM F1492, the skateboarding helmet standard (Triple Eight product page, read 7 Oct 2026). That is the maker's statement; we did not check certifications ourselves, and none of the skaters names a standard. A UK junior derby pack asks for helmets meeting the WFTDA/MRDA rules (Exeter Roller Derby, undated club document), a club source, not a named skater.
What the derby and park pros wear
- Derby (WFTDA “Featured Skater” gear lists, 2010-2016 — old setups, sponsorship often unstated): Bonnie Thunders, often called the greatest player of modern derby (8 WFTDA titles), a Triple Eight helmet (WFTDA, Aug 2010); Scald Eagle, WFTDA champion 2015 and 2016 and Team USA, an S1 (WFTDA, Oct 2015); Snot Rocket Science, Team USA 2011 and 2014, an S1 Lifer (WFTDA, 4 Oct 2016); Satan's Little Helper, three straight championships with the Arizona Derby Dames, an S-One (WFTDA, 10 Jun 2016); Nina Erwes, Helsinki captain, an S1 (WFTDA, 8 Sep 2016); Jackie Daniels, Windy City Rollers and coach, a Pro-Tec Ace (WFTDA, 1 Mar 2010).
- Park: Caro Hernandez, Colombian bowl skater, and Tia Pitman, winner of Concrete Waves 2023 and S1-sponsored, both wear the S1 Lifer — both lists are on S1's own blog (S1, 6 Dec 2021; S1, 3 Nov 2023).
- Source bias: S1 comes up most, but several of these lists come from S1's blog or from riders S1 sponsors. That is a count of gear lists, not a verdict on which helmet protects best.
Fit first
- Viktor Thorup, two-time Olympic speed skater on ice and Rollerblade World Team member (he also owns a skate shop), wears a light, close-fitting helmet and tells beginners that fit comes first: try the helmet on in a shop (Viktor Thorup, 25 Jul 2023; 21 Apr 2021).
- A Swiss teaching document for children gives a fitting cue: the helmet sits two fingers above the bridge of the nose, straps tight (mobilesport.ch, Jan-Feb 2021; an institutional source, not a titled skater). Bonnie Thunders recorded a helmet-fitting video for WFTDA (WFTDA, 12 Jul 2020), but we could not read its transcript, so we report nothing from it.
- Size by head circumference on the maker's chart; Triple Eight says to measure starting in the middle of your forehead, and to size up when in between (Triple Eight fit guide). The protective gear checklist has the charts.
Downhill: full-face
- Noel Jarillo, Spanish downhill skater (sponsor Flying Eagle), wears a full-face helmet with slide gloves (Big Wheel Blading, undated); Daniel Ladurner, five-time downhill world champion, lists a full-face helmet as compulsory in downhill (vienna.at, 4 Nov 2009, read in machine translation); Etienne Herreros, world no. 3 in downhill time trial in 2017 (sponsors EOskate, RollerN'co), races with a helmet plus a full set of pads and a back protector (Big Wheel Blading, 30 Aug 2017).
- Ladurner adds that the best wear less padding because it slows them: an elite racer's remark, not advice for a beginner.
What we could not find
- No skater in our compilation compares helmet models, gives a replacement rule after a crash, or names a safety standard. Thunders' fitting video is unread. Most derby gear lists date from 2010-2016.
From the skater behind this site
- A helmet: you wear it a hundred times for nothing, and once for everything.
- No ranking at the start: as a beginner, leave none of the four pieces out — helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads. Estro Jen ranks them; he does not, and says all of them matter at first. The fall that hurts is backwards, onto the tailbone or the back of the head (see how to fall safely).
The comparison
Only helmets read on Amazon.com on 7 October 2026. The one full-face helmet is a generic mountain bike model: no downhill skater in our compilation names it, and we could not find the full-face models the racers wear. No 187 Killer Pads helmet was found.
| Model | Price seen (date, where) | Who it is for | Recommendations it meets | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet | Amazon.com $54.99 (B077VYDVDY), read 2026-10-07 | Any beginner, quad or inline, first purchase | Hard-shell skate helmet (Shulgan, Slam); the maker states CPSC and ASTM F1492; Triple Eight is the make in Bonnie Thunders' 2010 list | Four sizes from 51 to 63 cm: measure first; not a full-face helmet for downhill |
| S1 Lifer Helmet | Amazon.com $89.99 (B00A8QZU1A, Large 22", “only 1 left”), read 2026-10-07 | Park and derby skaters who want what the pros wear | The helmet in Caro Hernandez's, Tia Pitman's and Snot Rocket Science's lists; hard shell (Slam recommends S1) | Pricier; S1 sponsors or publishes several of those lists; 7 sizes, stock low in Large; not full-face |
| Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet for Skateboarding, BMX, Roller Derby, Roller Skating, Inline Skating, Scooter and Bike | Amazon.com $59.49 (B077VR8QGX, XS-S, Carbon Matte), read 2026-10-07 | Derby and rink skaters with a small head | Same Triple Eight make as Bonnie Thunders’ 2010 list; the listing says “triple-certified”, CPSC bike among them; hard shell (Shulgan, Slam) | XS/S is 51-54 cm only; other sizes and colours priced differently; not full-face |
| Pro-Tec Classic Skate Helmet | Amazon.com $63.00 (B01MYN9EM8, Medium, Matte Black, “only 5 left”), read 2026-10-07 | Skaters who want the classic Pro-Tec shape | Pro-Tec is the make in Jackie Daniels’ 2010 list (she wore an Ace, not this model); hard shell, Medium is 56-58 cm | The listing names no safety certification; sold by a third-party seller |
| S1 Mega Lifer Helmet for Skateboarding, BMX, and Roller Skating | Amazon.com $91.99 (B0814Z2N2Y, Large 24", Navy Matte), read 2026-10-07 | Skaters with a bigger head | Larger shell of the S1 Lifer worn by Caro Hernandez, Tia Pitman and Snot Rocket Science; the listing states CPSC and ASTM certification | Most expensive here; stock not stated on the listing; not full-face |
| Triple Eight Lil 8 Kids Helmet | Amazon.com $55.99 regular price (B00MA7XUO4, one size, Black Matte; a lower price was for Prime members only), read 2026-10-07 | Small children, toddler to about 5 | Hard shell with a fit dial; the listing states CPSC (bike, age 5+), ASTM F1447 and ASTM F1492 | One size, 46-52 cm only; no skater in our compilation names a kids’ helmet |
| OutdoorMaster Full Face Mountain Bike Helmet for Men & Women | Amazon.com $72.67 (B0F2HP6VHC, Large), read 2026-10-07 | Only as a placeholder for the full-face type downhill racers wear | Full-face shell, the helmet type Jarillo and Ladurner wear for downhill | A generic mountain bike helmet, not a skating model and not one any skater recommends; no certification stated on the listing |
Our pick
A hard-shell skate helmet that fits your head, worn from the first session with wrist guards, elbow pads and knee pads. The Triple Eight Sweatsaver is the cheaper route with a stated certification; the S1 Lifer is the one the park and derby pros in our compilation wear most. Going downhill fast is a different case: the racers wear full-face helmets.
Beginner FAQ
Do I really need a helmet as a beginner skater?
Every skater and coach in our compilation who gives beginners advice says yes, from the first session. Estro Jen puts it first among the pads, Bobi Spassov wore one for his first six years, and coach Ricardo Lino calls it the piece that can save your life.
Is a bike helmet fine for roller skating?
The sources disagree. Alex Shulgan prefers a skate helmet because skaters fall backwards, and Slam of Chuffed Skates asks for a certified hard shell; the Skatefresh school accepts a bike helmet for children's lessons.
Which helmet do pro roller skaters wear?
In the derby and park gear lists we compiled, S1 comes up most (Scald Eagle, Snot Rocket Science, Nina Erwes, Satan's Little Helper, Caro Hernandez, Tia Pitman), then Triple Eight (Bonnie Thunders) and Pro-Tec (Jackie Daniels). Several S1 lists come from S1's own blog or sponsored riders.
What certification should a skate helmet have?
None of the skaters names a standard. Triple Eight states its Certified Sweatsaver meets the US CPSC standard and ASTM F1492; a UK junior derby club asks for WFTDA/MRDA-compliant helmets. We have not checked any certification ourselves.
How should a skate helmet fit?
Viktor Thorup says fit comes first and to try it on in a shop. Measure your head circumference starting mid-forehead and follow the maker's chart, sizing up when in between (Triple Eight). A Swiss teaching guide places the helmet two fingers above the bridge of the nose, straps tight.
Do I need a full-face helmet?
Only the downhill racers in our compilation wear one: Noel Jarillo and Daniel Ladurner, who calls it compulsory in downhill. For rink, park, derby and street, the skaters wear open hard-shell helmets.
How this page was compiled: 20 skaters and coaches who talk about helmets or list one (Estro Jen, Bobi Spassov, Dustin Werbeski, Klaudia, Liz Miller, Bill Begg, Alex Shulgan, Slam, Bonnie Thunders, Scald Eagle, Snot Rocket Science, Satan's Little Helper, Nina Erwes, Jackie Daniels, Caro Hernandez, Tia Pitman, Viktor Thorup, Noel Jarillo, Daniel Ladurner, Etienne Herreros; Klaudia's title and Slam's record are unverified, as flagged above), plus a skate school, a club and a teaching document, drawn from our skater compilation of 7 October 2026. Each claim links to its source. Full compilation and method: the skater gear compilation.
Read next: protective gear that actually fits · protective gear checklist · first quad skates for the skatepark · first aggressive skates · first roller derby skates · best roller skates for adult beginners · how to fall safely · your body remembers the fall
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