Gear Review

Petzl Elios

1. simple and smart
2. durable
3. economical
4. two sizes

The Elios is the workhorse of Petzl's climbing helmet lineup, offering perhaps the best mix of performance, durability, and price.

While not as light as the ephemeral Meteor III, the Elios is hardly a burden to carry, weighing a modest 11.1/12.2 ounces (sizes 1 and 2). Unlike the Meteor (and other ultralight designs), the Elios is rugged enough to survive the usual knocks and dings of a climbing season without needing an early retirement.

Like Black Diamond's Half Dome helmet, the Elios' is a traditionally-shaped climbing helmet.

Of the two, however, the Elios has the more modern feel and look—and perhaps a lower profile.

Ventilation with the Elios is not on par with an ultralight helmet, but it is a tad better than the Half Dome's. With either helmet, note that less ventilation will be preferred in some contexts (for example, winter climbing).

Despite the helmet's classic look, Petzl has given the Elios a fully modern feature set, including an improved dial-adjustment system that is easy to change while wearing the helmet, and an impressively adjustable suspension. That plus two available sizing options make it likely you'll enjoy a comfortable fit regardless of your head size.

Petzl has also added little details that further enhance comfort, including narrower straps overall, and a redesigned chin strap buckle that is offset to keep it from bugging you. Inside the helmet is an expanded polypropylene liner to help absorb impacts. The Elios is also compatible with Petzl's Vizion face shield.

Additional features include four well-placed headlamp clips for secure headlamp attachment, and of course CE/UIAA safety certification. If style is on your mind, the Elios comes in a variety of colors, including plain white and high-visibility orange, plus a pretty darn sporty blue, green, and 'anthracite'.

The Elios' combination of a simple yet fully-featured design plus low pricing make this a very attractive helmet. If you're looking for an all-around climbing and mountaineering helmet (and an ultralight design is not suitable for your needs), this is the helmet to beat.

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