Melissa DeVaughn

On the store shelf sit three helmets. One is $40. Another is $80. The third is $145. They look identical -- same brand, same box, same color and shape. Only a small tag above the price differentiates them by name.

So why the price difference ?

You're not the only person asking this question, and it may seem that "you get what you pay for." So why not buy the best ?

But slow down.

There are a few things to consider before forking over the cash for a long-term purchase such as a helmet. Unless you crash, a helmet should last five years, so be sure the money is spent well.

Randy Swart, director of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute in Arlington, Va., said the bottom line is this : All helmets on today's market are made to specified safety guidelines outlined by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

That means they're all safe. That applies to the $7.14 Bell-brand cartoon-covered helmets available at Wal-Mart and to the $189 Giro-brand Atmos, made popular by cycling superstar Lance Armstrong.

Helmets must meet standards
"The good thing now is the cheap stuff all works," Swart said. "It's not as sexy, it's not as light, but it's made under the same guidelines."

In 1999, The Consumer Product Safety Commission mandated that all helmets sold in the U.S. meet its safety standards, which take into account helmet thickness, amount of foam used, smoothness to avoid snagging on obstacles and other safety features.

The result, Swart said, is an array of helmets -- from the high-end models on display in cycling shops to the basic models in discount stores.

If safety is a cyclist's only concern, he said, there's no reason to spend the extra money.

But ask experienced cyclists, and they will tout weight and ventilation of high-end helmets as reasons to pay more.

Some models weigh only 8 ounces. Some come with extra ventilation. Both have merits.

Eagle River cyclist Ben Couturier, for example, used an ultralight, well-ventilated helmet when he completed his Race Across America in 2005.

For a 3,000-mile event like that, saving an ounce or two -- and having added ventilation while riding through sections of the country that reached 110 degrees -- was a small-but-useful advantage.

"They are just enough lighter, just enough cooler," Couturier said. "But for the average cyclist, they're all rated to the same safety guidelines, and they are all good."

Couturier and Swart agreed that style is a key factor behind helmet purchases.

"We always say fashion always sells more than safety, and that's fine with us as long as they get a helmet and they use it," Swart said.

Take the Atmos helmet made by Giro.

The Atmos was made legendary by Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner who is now retired.

A hot seller, the helmet retailed for $220 at the peak of its popularity. Today it can be purchased for as little as $139, but it's still a hit.

And it still protects the head as much as a $10 helmet from Wal-Mart.

"Some people need that (style) so they'll actually wear the thing," said Couturier, who has his own Atmos, which he said was a gift.

Still he likes it, and it fits well, which is a third argument for choosing a specific type of helmet, Swart said.

Tough to buy online
Helmets fit and fasten differently and it's important to choose one that matches your head, he said.

That makes buying them online -- where helmets often are discounted -- a challenge.

Arguments for or against a particular brand are subjective, Swart said, but he offers these suggestions based on his years as director of the institute :

• Unless you're traveling faster than 20 mph, the shape of a helmet will neither hinder nor help aerodynamics.

• The more vents a helmet has, the harder and more sporadic the foam must be to make up for the holes in the helmet. Never choose a helmet with too many vents for the way your body transmits heat or the climate in which you're riding.

• Lighter helmets can save weight, but the spare change in a rider's pocket can eliminate that savings. Before spending wads of money to save an ounce or two, try streamlining the way you ride.

Avoid too many vents
Finally, Swart said, the only agency that has produced measurable statistics on helmet comparisons is Consumer Reports. Its studies showed that when a helmet has numerous vents, makers must create harder foam to distribute throughout the remainder of the helmet to make up for structural strength lost to vents.

"What you want between you and the road is a lot of foam. If the foam is too hard, it will work the same but it will put more pressure in some places and less in others," Swart said.

As a result, Consumer Reports suggests balancing a need for ventilation and overall protection.

"And Consumer Reports has found that Giro's lower-cost helmets, which have fewer vents and more foam, work better in lab settings," he said.

"If you have more vents than you need, aside from the fashion point, you are not doing yourself any favors."

That's what Couturier suggested too. "I'd say the perfect price range is $60 to $80," he said. "You can get a really good helmet for $60 that is stylish enough."

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