REASONS TO BUY
Super light
Comfortable
Great ventilation
Versatile for use while ski mountaineering
Protects all sides of head
REASONS TO AVOID
Not durable
Expensive
Magnetic buckle attracts dirt
Petzl Sirocco Review
One of the lightest, most comfortable, and most enjoyable climbing helmets to wear
Sure, most people don't wear helmets when sport climbing - but if you are looking to protect your head no matter what style of climbing, do it with the Sirocco.
Credit: Leici Hendrix
RELATED: Best Climbing Helmet
Our Verdict
The Petzl Sirocco is the lightest climbing helmet in our review — earning our Top Pick award for weight — and is also one of the most comfortable. Lighter helmets are inherently more comfortable than heavier ones, but we also found this helmet to be deeper and slightly more "head-shaped" than some other shallower and rounder versions. We applaud the mix of lightweight, resilient EPP foam, augmented with a more impact-resistant EPS plate over the top of the head where one might be hit by falling rocks or ice. In short, this helmet perfectly blends the competing desires of protection, weight, and comfort, making the Sirocco the helmet we will most likely wear for every pitch – sport climbing included. Get the skinny on how it stacks up against other top products in our article on the best climbing helmets.
Editors' Note: We updated this review on May 15, 2023, to adjust this helmet's award and to include more information about how it stacks up against the competition.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Petzl Sirocco | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $68.97 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $139.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $94.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $57.74 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $41.96 at Backcountry |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | You will barely notice wearing this comfortable, ultra-lightweight helmet | A relatively lightweight and super protective helmet with a great fit | A highly adjustable climbing and ski mountaineering helmet with a low weight and fair price | A very popular, albeit clunky helmet at an unbeatable price point | A great value that can take some serious abuse |
| Rating Categories | Petzl Sirocco | Black Diamond Visio... | Petzl Meteor | Black Diamond Half... | Petzl Boreo |
| Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Adjustability (20%) | |||||
| Weight (20%) | |||||
| Ventilation (10%) | |||||
| Features (10%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Petzl Sirocco | Black Diamond Visio... | Petzl Meteor | Black Diamond Half... | Petzl Boreo |
| Measured Weight (Size Medium or M/L) | 6.1 oz | 9.7 oz | 8.5 oz | 12.7 oz | 11.0 oz |
| Shell Style | EPP and EPS Foam, Polycabonate Top Piece | EPP and EPS Foam, ABS Shell, with MIPS Liner | EPS, Polycarbonate | EPS Foam with ABS Shell | ABS Shell with EPP and EPS Foam |
| Certifications | EN12492, CE Ski Touring | EN12492 | EN12492, CE Ski Touring | EN12492 | EN12492 |
| Number of Sizes | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Number of Colorways | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Warranty | 3 year | 1 year limited (defects only) |
3 year | 1 year | 3 year |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Petzl Sirocco is notable for its incredibly low weight and great comfort, making it an ideal choice for all types of climbing, including rock and ice – it is even CE-certified as a ski mountaineering helmet. One major downside to this weight is that the helmet lacks durability and doesn't last as long as other options.
Performance Comparison
If you're the type of person that hates helmets because they are too heavy or uncomfortable, check out the Sirocco!
Credit: Scott Ring
Comfort
Our testers all agreed that the Sirocco is one of the most comfortable climbing helmets on the market, thanks to its low weight and ergonomic shape. We can barely feel the weight of this helmet on our heads, which translates to increased mobility and less neck strain over the course of a day of climbing. The shape of the helmet cavity is perfectly contoured to fit the human skull, meaning there is no dead space on the inside and no part of the helmet that sticks out awkwardly.
Much like the other lightweight EPP foam options, the Sirocco pads the head on the inside with tiny cushion inserts, providing a replacement pair as well. While we thought these could be thicker, the reality is they are all that is needed to cushion the head. While plenty of other helmets are also very comfortable, they can't all claim to be as "unnoticeable" as the Sirocco.
This helmet is light and comfortable enough to convince even the most reluctant helmet users to wear it.
Credit: Leici Hendrix
Adjustability
This helmet uses a minimalist and lightweight webbing harness system to hold it on the head, and it works great. There is plenty of length in the webbing for large size adjustments, or to accommodate different hats and hoods worn inside the helmet. It isn't as simple to adjust as plastic slider bars or click wheels, but it is the most comfortable adjustment system of any helmet we tested. It is also the lightest. The Sirocco comes for sale in two different sizes, with some overlap between the two.
The other adjustable parts of the helmet are the location on the V-yoke of the chin strap, which is nice to fine-tune. This adjustment is easy to manipulate and is much appreciated. The chin strap itself is also adjustable, as you would expect. Ultimately, this helmet is adjustable enough. But if this is a primary consideration, far more adjustable models are probably worth checking out first.
The textile harness is comfortable and adjustable, but it takes a bit of time to adjust it to each individual head.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
The magnetic buckle feature is worth mentioning here. Our testers found this feature to be gimmicky for rock climbing. On a few occasions, magnetic properties in the sediment where we laid our helmet would attract to the buckle's magnet, making it harder to latch the buckle fully. This didn't happen every time, but it happens often enough to make life annoying.
Our testers with long hair liked the way they were able to fit their ponytail through the webbing harness.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
But there is also an advantage to this buckle system. Our testers reported that when wearing gloves (alpine climbing, ice climbing, etc.), it makes latching the buckle vastly easier than other models' simple, non-magnetic buckles. Again, nothing huge here, but it is worth noting, as it can be slightly frustrating or more appealing, depending on your usage.
The magnet in the buckle makes clipping the buckle easier to do with gloves on, but some sediment can get stuck to the magnet, potentially making it gum up into a small hassle.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Weight
The large version of this helmet weighs 6.1 ounces, as verified by our independent scale. That's crazy lightweight for a climbing helmet, and we've tested lots of them.
While some people may consider all of these helmets to be light, our experience is that the heavier ABS shell helmets add considerable fatigue to a long day and are thus less comfortable. Also, the lighter a helmet is, the more likely you are to wear it all the time, and this is the only way that it can truly protect you as a climber.
We like the updated look of this helmet more than the older model. It doesn't stick out quite as much as the all-orange foam from before, but it's still just as light.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Ventilation
This helmet offers incredible ventilation and, by our count, has 24 vents scattered throughout the front, sides, and back, providing ventilation coverage that is as good as any of the best helmets you can buy.
We particularly like the two large vent holes on the front of the helmet, which seem to cool our forehead a bit in a breeze and help provide an "airy-er" feel than the helmets that didn't include these front vents. Although the layout of vents and actual ventilated space is slightly different, this helmet is right in line with other top choices as some of the best ventilated you can choose.
It doesn't get much more ventilated than this! With large vents around the entire helmet, you're not likely to get overheated in this helmet.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Features
The Sirocco's headlamp attachment system combines two clips on the front of the helmet with one elastic bungee held in place by a hook on the back. While the front clips are slightly recessed, attaching our headlamps to the top is quick and easy. The bungee helps with headlamps with a large rear battery pack, and can also hold ski goggle straps. This helmet is so light that heavy headlamps can actually pull the helmet down over the user's eyes! So, we don't recommend walking long distances with this helmet in the dark.
The helmet comes with extra cushions for the front temple and center of the head, which is nice when the first pair of cushions get too sweaty or dirty. It also comes with a soft felt sack for storage, which helps protect the exposed EPP external foam. Lastly, attachment holes for Petzl's VIZION eye shield, a flip-down visor for ice climbing, are pre-drilled on the sides. In addition to being a fantastic climbing helmet, it is CE-certified as a ski mountaineering helmet (which, it is important to note, is different than the certification for downhill skiing helmets). This full-fledged feature set makes the Sirocco a great lightweight option for all types of mountain pursuits.
The Sirocco is so light that the weight of our headlamp dragged it down over our eyes.
Credit: Scott Ring
Durability
As with other helmets with exposed foam, this helmet is susceptible to dings and punctures. The foam is resilient, but if you cram the helmet into a backpack with carabiners, cams, crampons, and other sharp metal objects, you'll inevitably end up with a puncture in the foam somewhere. The hard polycarbonate shell top is protective and not prone to deformation.
It is worth pointing out that our assessment of the durability is only for the cosmetic durability and everyday wear and tear over the course of a few years of climbing. We are saying nothing about the ability to protect from impacts or falls. However, this helmet meets CE and UIAA standards for mountaineering and is certified for ski touring, although this latter certification program is vague.
This helmet offers more durability than the previous model thanks to the polycarbonate crown, but you'll still need to be careful how you treat it.
Credit: Scott Ring
Should You Buy the Petzl Sirocco?
This helmet is not cheap. It is among the most expensive helmets on the market, and the exposed foam will puncture sooner or later. That said, this is one of the best options if you are looking for the lightest helmet out there and are willing to be careful in how you treat your equipment. It presents a good value, especially if it inspires you to wear it more often, as it did for some of our testers.
What Other Climbing Helmets Should You Consider?
If the Sirocco's lightweight design entices you, but you want to save a little money, the excellent Black Diamond Vapor weighs the same and costs less, albeit with slight performance sacrifices. The Petzl Meteor is only a couple of ounces heavier, but it's much more durable and will save you a lot of money compared to these other two helmets. Our overall favorite helmet, the Black Diamond Vision MIPS, is less expensive, more protective, and a few ounces heavier, though this weight difference is, in reality, barely noticeable. And finally, if you are in the market for a dual-certified climbing and downhill skiing helmet, the Smith Summit MIPS is an excellent and protective choice.
—
Andy Wellman and Jeff Dobronyi
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