Although we have 3 other children, all of whom love to ride bikes, scooters and anything else on wheels, none of them were ready to ride a trike or scooter at such a young age. My twin boys were born prematurely and it took a number of years before they reached the 50th centile on growth charts. My daughter was, and remains, a very petite little girl.
So, my wife and I have never actually had to buy a safety helmet for a child as young as 1 year old and we needed to get searching for one. Obviously a 1 year old child’s head is much smaller than the head of a 4 year old child and so the usual list of safety helmets for kids was’t going to be much help.
My 1-year old son Felix is a very different build of child. He is a very robust and physically mature little boy who is already walking around and showing a lot of interest in the Micro Mini Scooters that his older siblings have outgrown some time ago.
Whilst carrying out extensive research to find the best safety helmets for kids as young as 1, the product that stood out from the crowd was the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet. It is marketed as a bike helmet, but it is also suitable for scooters and so I bought one.
Although I was looking for a toddler’s safety helmet, they also make similar helmets for older children and adults.
So, why did I buy the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet for my 1-year old child?
Safety Helmets For Toddlers
In my opinion, safety helmets for toddlers need to have the following important features.
1. Suitable For Small Heads
Although I am a big fan of the Micro Scooter and Nutty Nutcase helmets, they are only suitable for head sizes of about 48 cm and above. They are also too large and heavy for a toddler to wear comfortably.
Even the Baby Nutty helmets start at 47 cm in head size, although they are much lighter and would be suitable for an older toddler with a larger head size.
Felix has a head circumference of about 45 cm and so neither the Baby Nutty nor the standard Micro Scooter or Nutty Nutcase helmets would be suitable for him.
The Giro Scamp MIPS helmet comes in an extra small size that is suitable for head sizes of between 45 and 49 cm, so it was likely to be a perfect fit for Felix.
2. Size Adjustment Dial
You don’t need to be a medical expert to appreciate that a child’s head size grows over time. This means that you need to find a safety helmet that can be adjusted to the constantly changing size of your child’s head.
Apart from the very cheap and nasty helmets that can be found for $10 or less, child safety helmets come with 2 different types of size adjustment system.
Firstly, there are those that are supplied with inserts of different thicknesses and the idea is that you change the insert to a thicker one as your child’s head grows.
I have bought one of these helmets for a 5-year old before and it was a mistake. It came with 2 inserts, but for most of the time the helmet didn’t fit as well as I would have liked. I should have been a bit smarter and stuck with the other type, but my son wanted the particular style of the helmet and I allowed him to have the final say. I would not recommend this type and I would not buy an “insert adjustment” safety helmet for a child again.
The second type of adjustment mechanism, and the one that I recommend, is the “dial adjustment wheel”. These size adjustment dials are so easy to use and you can ensure a good snug fit to your child’s head for the entire time that they own the helmet. Rather than just having 1 or 2 inserts to change, there is a wide range of incremental settings to adjust perfectly to your child’s head.
The Giro Scamp MIPS helmet comes with their patented “Roc Loc Jr. ft” size adjustment dial and it works perfectly.
The helmet fits Felix’s head like a glove and I can see that the adjustment dial will continue to ensure a perfect fit until he outgrows it.
3. Strong & Comfortable Shell
Ultimately, the most important feature of a kids safety helmet (in addition to fitting properly) is that it is strong and comfortable.
It must have passed the relevant safety regulations for your country (which the Giro Scamp MIPS does) and be comfortable to wear.
The Giro Scamp MIP helmet is constructed with a polycarbonate shell with an EPS foam liner. It also boasts a Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS), which is explained in the video towards the bottom of this page.
It also very lightweight, which helps to make it comfortable for small kids to wear.
There are also 8 vents in the helmet to ensure that your child’s head does not overheat after prolonged use, especially if you live in a hot climate.
If you are looking to buy a helmet for a young girl who wears a ponytail, the Giro Scamp MIPS also claims to be “ponytail compatible”. Since Felix is a little boy who does not have enough hair for a ponytail, I cannot comment upon the accuracy of this claim!
4. Pinch-Guard Chin Buckle
I am embarrassed to admit that I have accidentally pinched a few chins in my time as a parent and it is not a nice feeling as you realise that you are responsible for their howling. Trapping the skin on your child’s chin or neck area is the perfect way to spoil what was intended to be an enjoyable outdoors adventure!
So, one of the great things about the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet is that is comes with a pinch-chin guard to reduce the chances of hurting your child whilst doing up their helmet buckle.
The Giro Scamp MIPS Helmet – Full Specifications
I have already mentioned the most important features of the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet, but here is a list of the full specifications.
- Sizes: extra small (45-49 cm), small (49-53 cm)
- Pinch-guard buckle
- Ponytail compatible
- Roc Loc Jr adjustable fit system
- In-mold polycarbonate shell with EPS liner
- 8 air vents
- Engineered, tested, and CPSC certified for 1 year and older
- Lightweight
Video of the Giro Scamp MIPS Helmet
Here is a video that introduces the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet’s main features.
The Giro Scamp MIPS Helmet – My Verdict
As you have probably worked out by now, I absolutely love the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet and have no regrets about buying one for Felix.
I will update this post as he continues to use the helmet and be sure to let you know if I come across any negative issues.
For the moment, I am completely satisfied, and I am not alone in thinking that the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet is an excellent product, because it gets fantastic user reviews from other parents as well.
Check Price of the Giro Scamp MIPS helmet.
Find the Giro Scamp MIPS Helmet in the UK.
Get in Touch
If you have any thoughts to share about my Giro Scamp MIPS Helmet Review, please just leave a comment in the box below. Also, if you have any experiences with other safety helmets for kids, I would love to hear about them.
I agree the Scamp is a really nice helmet and makes a perfect first helmet for little ones just starting out. Combined with the Mips liner its one of the best helmets on the market for kids.