Review: Black Diamond Vapor Helmet

Review: Black Diamond Vapor Helmet

Podcast review of Black Diamond's Vapor Helmet with our partners Chalk Talk, The Climbing Industry Podcast:

We set out to review the Black Diamond Vapor helmet. In June of 2012, Black Diamond Equipment bought out the Swedish helmet and safety equipment manufacturer POC. POC is a high-tech innovator in the field, and Black Diamond's new Vapor helmet is clearly a result of the acquisition.

The Black Diamond Vapor Helmet appears to be visually inspired by bicycle helmets. It has 20 vents on the sides and back, making the Vapor one of the most breathable helmets on the market. It is also lightweight and low-profile. At 6.6 ounces it is the second lightest climbing helmet (the lightest being the extremely stupid-looking Petzl Sirocco Ultralight Climbing Helmet ($110.00 on Amazon)); most other helmets weigh almost twice as much as the Vapor. The Vapor's pricetag is unique, too. At $139.95 it costs more than twice as much as some of its competition.

The Vapor has an extremely low profile compared to other helmets I've worn. This is great for a few reasons. By staying low and close to your head the helmet doesn't get in your way when you're trying to maneuver your way through a tight roof section of a route. Nothing's worse than being focused and scared and trying to figure out how to climb past an overhanging part of a climb and then jarringly bonking your dumb helmet on the rock. ::bonk:: ... TAKE! The Vapor's low profile limits head bonking.

I have a few notes about the Vapor's fit. The Vapor is relatively easy to adjust with the adjusters on the back of the webbing. It fits snugly and does not move front to back. This is important because if the helmet were to slide backward on your head during a fall you could smash your forehead. You should always make sure your helmets don't slide this way. The Vapor helmet does have a bit of side-to-side give, but I don't think it's enough to compromise safety.

One thing I don't like about the Vapor is that the the back of the helmet does not really cover the base of my skull adequately.  Maybe I just have a funny shaped head -- I dunno. I prefer the fuller back-of-head coverage offered by helmets like the Mammut El Cap Helmet ($55.96 on Amazon). Look at the picture on the right in the triptych below: brain stem = unprotected! Dislike.

Front, Side and Rear Views of the Black Diamond Vapor Helmet

The construction of the helmet is fairly unique as well. The outer layer is composed of two sheets of Kevlar -- the same stuff that bulletproof vests are made with. Below the Kevlar layers you have a polycarbonate shell that holds the Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam. The foam itself contains a matrix of carbon rods for stability and strength. Given all the technology jammed in this headgear it's pretty remarkable that it only weighs 6.6 ounces. When you're wearing the helmet it feels thin, not bulky or dense -- and it certainly doesn't feel like there's a four-ingredient sandwich of protective tech on your head. An interesting note is that the Black Diamond Vapor passed the CE safety rating tests but did not pass the UIAA tests. I am not sure this is practically important, but I am curious why BD didn't spring for the extra material/R&D to make it pass. However, they have correctly assumed that I just don't really care that much.

The Black Diamond Vapor Helmet At a Glance:

The Hot:

• At 6.6 ounces it's the lightest on the market.
• Low profile, high strength construction.
• Highly vented for excellent breathability; sunny-weather climbers rejoice.
• Innovative construction makes it the only helmet of its kind (Kevlar?!)

The Not:

• $139.95 price tag makes it more than twice the price of some similar helmets. Yeesh.
• Poor base-of-skull coverage.
• Did not pass UIAA safety tests (it did pass CE tests, though, which I think is plenty).
• A small amount of lateral movement even when snugly adjusted.

Bottom line:

The Black Diamond Vapor Helmet ($139.95 on Amazon) is a great helmet for hot-weather sport and trad climbing. It's one of the lightest and lowest-profile helmet on the market. If you're an aggressive sport climber who never wears a helmet, the lightweight, breathable, comfortable, low-profile Vapor might change your mind. At $139.95, you better mean business; some comparable helmets from other companies cost half as much. If you're looking for a cheaper option, I recommend the Mammut El Cap ($55.96 on Amazon). If you want a lightweight helmet and don't care about looks, the Petzl Sirocco ($110.00 on Amazon) is the lightest on the market... It does look really stupid, though. The Black Diamond Vapor is a great high performance, high temperature sport and trad helmet.