Best in Show

The latest iteration in Petzl’s popular helmet line, the Meteor III+ was a favorite among testers. After climbing multiple pitches in Teton Canyon, one tester said he forgot he was even wearing it. Weighing in at 8.3 ounces, the Meteor III+ is the second-lightest among the bunch. It also proved to be impressively comfortable for a wide variety of heads, with an easy-to-maneuver dual-point adjustment system. This system, which engages by depressing two little tabs, does a great job at keeping the helmet in place, no matter if you’re wearing a ball cap or snow hat. Likewise, the chinstrap is easy to alter with a single yank. All of this can be done even with bulky gloves on. Three clips in the back and two in the front ensure that headlamps won’t slide around, and small vents throughout the helmet’s sides help keep your head cool despite the heat or difficulty of the pitch.
Best of all, this helmet is rated not only to take the impact of an object hitting you (like a rock whizzing down from above)—it’s also built to absorb the impact of your head hitting something (like smashing into a wall in a fall.) That means not just better protection for you when climbing, but also protection for your wallet—you can use the same helmet for biking and white-water sports, according to European standards.