Enhanced helmet protection

Petzl is manufacturing helmets that guarantee a certain level of protection throughout the entire helmet and not just the top. These helmets carry Petzl’s proprietary label--TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION--for easy identification.

What kind of protection do mountaineering and climbing helmets provide?

Currently, all climbing and mountaineering helmets provide a certain level of protection that helps protect the top of the head from falling objects. This level of protection is guaranteed by the requirements of the EN 12492 and UIAA 106 standards.

However, impacts to the front, rear, and sides of the head occur just as frequently as impacts to the top of the head. For this reason, Petzl is manufacturing helmets that guarantee a certain level of protection throughout the entire helmet and not just the top. These helmets carry Petzl’s proprietary label--TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION--for easy identification.

What are the requirements for a helmet to have the TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION label?

When a helmet has the TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION label, it means that it meets both the testing requirements of the EN 12492 and UIAA 106 standards as well as Petzl’s in-house testing protocol. The EN 12492 and UIAA 106 tests focus on the top portion of the helmet while Petzl’s in-house testing protocol extends to all areas of the helmet.

EN and UIAA energy absorption testing is as follows:

A 5 kg (11 lbs) mass is dropped on the top of the helmet from a height of 2 m (6.5 ft) as well as on the upper sides of the helmet from 50 cm (19.6 in). To pass the test, the helmet must not transmit a force greater than 10 kN to the headform to meet the EN standard or 8 kN to meet the UIAA standard.

Petzl’s additional in-house energy absorption testing is as follows:

A 5 kg (11 lbs) mass is dropped on the lower front, rear, and side parts of the helmet from a height of 50 cm (19.6 in). To pass the test, the helmet must not transmit a force greater than 10 kN to the headform to carry Petzl’s TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION label.

Which helmets on the market meet the TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION requirements?

With the TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION label, Petzl is the only climbing helmet manufacturer that guarantees a certain level of protection against impacts from above, as well as from the front, rear, and sides.