The PETZL Elia is one of the helmets on the market that is designed specifically for women. It’s the best helmet out there for women. While most of the other helmets designed for women just feature different colors and sizes, this one is actually made for women.
Petzl have created a cutout for a ponytail, which really benefits women (or even men) with long hair. Hair really can be a struggle sometimes when rock climbing. This helmet solves all the problems for people with long hair.
While being designed for women, this helmet is still made from ABS shell. ABS shell helmets are a little heavier but are extremely durable.
Design
The Petzl Elia is designed specifically for women. Petzl’s Omega innovative Omega headband system makes putting on and removing the helmet easy even with a large volume of hair. Adjusting the helmet is also quite easy.
The headband can be adjusted using 2 sliders. They are positioned on the outer shell of the helmet, allowing you to adjust the headband without having to remove the helmet from your head. You can also put your hair through the ponytail hole in the back to keep it out of the way.
Safety
There’s a protective foam under the plastic shell, which absorbs impacts. The helmet might look easy to break, but it is designed to absorb bigger impacts than traditional helmets. Also, it is certified by UIAA.
The material used here is ABS, which is more durable than polycarbonate helmets. These ABS helmets are also much less expensive at the cost of being a bit heavier.
Comfort
This helmet is the most comfortable out of all ABS helmets on the market. The first reason behind the comfort, being the ponytail system. All women climbers (and guys with long hair) know the struggle of having to squish their ponytail under the back.
Sometimes pigtails could be a solution, but they get in the way as well. You cannot have long hair flowing over your shoulders while climbing.
That’s where Petzl Elia comes in! It solves this problem and makes climbing with a ponytail or braid more comfortable than ever. Petzl have taken the band that goes around the back of the head and made an upward curve so that there is a perfect place for a ponytail. This band adjusts up and down, so you can choose the optimal height on your head.
Features
The Petzl Elia takes some time to get used to. The adjustability system may be a little confusing at first, but you’ll understand it quickly. The helmet is available in just 1 size, so it might be hard to get a good fit. Every time you use this helmet, you have to adjust it a little bit, which might be difficult if you’re wearing gloves.
It has a single chin strap, which can be adjusted without needing to use both of your hands. It does not have slider buckles like other helmets for adjustability but makes up for this with its overall comfort level.
Despite being the lightest ABS helmet, it does weigh more than the higher-end polycarbonate models. While not being as light as ESP or EPP foam helmets, it has the smallest profile. The circumference is just 27 inches.
Also, the ventilation is very good for an ABS style helmet, which are usually known for their poor ventilation. This one has much better ventilation than other hard plastic models. It features seven different vents at different levels on each side to provide fresh air.
The headlamp attachment is also pretty easy to use. The clips are fairly tight, making it secure, but not impossible to get a headlamp strap under it. Once you get a headlamp on it, it sits over the adjustment tabs.
Durability
The durability of the ABS plastic used on this Petzl Elia helmet is pretty impressive, which makes the helmet quite reliable. It is slightly heavy due to the hard shell, but you don’t have to worry about any denting or dinging it up. Without a problem, it could stay on the bottom of your pack and it won’t crack or break at any point.
Conclusion on the Petzl Elia
The Petzl Elia maximizes comfort and fit by adjusting to the circumference and height of your head. The ponytail system makes it perfect for women (or even men) with long hair that have felt the struggle of having to wear a helmet for a long day with their long hair.
The ponytail system also does eliminate awkward pressure on the back of the head. That’s also a reason many people find this helmet pretty comfortable.
It is a great choice if you’re looking for an ABS hardshell helmet. The ponytail system makes it also a great choice if have a lot of hair. The value you get for the price is more than worth it. That being said, in the future, we might also see the ponytail design on a lighter and more breathable helmet.
- EASY TO USE: The new OMEGA headband system has more pronounced notch that is specifically designed for easy donning and removal of helmet.
- COMFORT IS KEY: The ELIA has great stability on the head thanks to new foam liners.
- ADJUSTS TO YOUR HEAD: Simple, quick headband adjustment while helmet is worn, thanks to two easily accessible adjustment buttons on the outer shell.
- DURABLE DESIGN: Features a lightweight, durable shell of injection molded ABS and expanded polystyrene liner.
- ADAPTS TO YOUR ACTIVITY: A headlamp can be attached using the four integrated clips and is also compatible with the VIZION eye shield.
