Helmet sizing woes - a rant

[xstartxtodayx 343]

Figured I'd vent and maybe see if anyone else had similar issues or insight.

Helmet sizing, is there any rhyme or reason?!?  I've been shopping around for a new helmet, bought a couple on SLS and tried a bunch on in a store and I am now convinced my head is just odd or something.

CCM - wore a V08 in the past (and 450''s way back in the day), size small, fit perfect.  More recently wear a 910 size small, fits almost perfectly... get some pressure above the temples at times, removing the ear guards was necessary and alleviated most of that pressure but still bothers me at times.  Started shopping because other than the slight fit issues of the 910 I also hate how the forehead padding traps sweat and absorbs the smell like crazy, even after soaking multiple times to clean it still smells, it's like a sponge that just won't dry and is kind of nasty.

Helmets tried:

CCM Tacks X - loved how light and airy it was, a small was way too tight everywhere at the largest setting, squeezed the heck out of my head (wore it one game and loved how well it breathed but it was way too tight).  Tried a medium and at the smallest setting it sort of fit but came down too low and just felt like my head was swimming (felt like Lord Helmet).

Warrior CF100 - size small fit in the middle of the adjustment, it's light and breathes well but sweat pours down my face.  The "heat moldable" padding seems like a gimmick since it's so thin, don't see the use at all, also the harder foam rests on my forehead so not sure the padding could do much at all.  Don't care for the harder style foam, I grew up with VN style helmets so prefer something softer, this leaves marks on my head after playing.  I don't mind the style which is why I tried it, can't say the same for the other Warrior helmets.

Warrior RS Pro - same shell as the CF100 but with more of a VF style foam... tried a small and it felt like a little kids helmet, wayyyy too tight.  I returned that and have a medium on the way to try but I'm not too optimistic.

Bauer IMS9.0 - had one for a season or two, size medium fit ok but always felt a little too large height wise, also I was never happy with the style, not a fan of how Bauer helmets look so that always irked me.

CCM 720 - tried on in store, size small (same as my 910) I couldn't even get my head in at the largest setting, it felt 4" narrower.  Size medium at the smallest setting didn't feel snug enough.

CCM 920 - tried on in store, wanted to love this and was willing to spend way too much on a helmet if it felt good but I wasn't confident in the fit.  The small at the largest setting fit on my head but was super snug, the padding felt really nice so I wasn't sure if it was maybe supposed to be this snug?  The medium at the smallest setting was a touch too big, I could push my head up and down and back and forth in it a bit.  The padding was unlike other helmets, it had more give and was softer to the touch, so maybe this stuff will break in more and the small will work?  $400 is a lot to gamble on that so for now I'll see how the Warrior RS Pro fits and also rotate the 910 until the smell is unbearable.

Anyone else have this much trouble finding a helmet that fits?  Or am I the Goldilocks of hockey helmets?  I believe the top half of my head is shorter than most if that makes sense, and my face longish (I normally wear a large Profile III cage which fits great, the CCM larges are usually too long and the CCM and Bauer bubbles are a bit too short).

[Sniper9 556]

13 hours ago, xstartxtodayx said:

Figured I'd vent and maybe see if anyone else had similar issues or insight.

Helmet sizing, is there any rhyme or reason?!?  I've been shopping around for a new helmet, bought a couple on SLS and tried a bunch on in a store and I am now convinced my head is just odd or something.

CCM - wore a V08 in the past (and 450''s way back in the day), size small, fit perfect.  More recently wear a 910 size small, fits almost perfectly... get some pressure above the temples at times, removing the ear guards was necessary and alleviated most of that pressure but still bothers me at times.  Started shopping because other than the slight fit issues of the 910 I also hate how the forehead padding traps sweat and absorbs the smell like crazy, even after soaking multiple times to clean it still smells, it's like a sponge that just won't dry and is kind of nasty.

Helmets tried:

CCM Tacks X - loved how light and airy it was, a small was way too tight everywhere at the largest setting, squeezed the heck out of my head (wore it one game and loved how well it breathed but it was way too tight).  Tried a medium and at the smallest setting it sort of fit but came down too low and just felt like my head was swimming (felt like Lord Helmet).

Warrior CF100 - size small fit in the middle of the adjustment, it's light and breathes well but sweat pours down my face.  The "heat moldable" padding seems like a gimmick since it's so thin, don't see the use at all, also the harder foam rests on my forehead so not sure the padding could do much at all.  Don't care for the harder style foam, I grew up with VN style helmets so prefer something softer, this leaves marks on my head after playing.  I don't mind the style which is why I tried it, can't say the same for the other Warrior helmets.

Warrior RS Pro - same shell as the CF100 but with more of a VF style foam... tried a small and it felt like a little kids helmet, wayyyy too tight.  I returned that and have a medium on the way to try but I'm not too optimistic.

Bauer IMS9.0 - had one for a season or two, size medium fit ok but always felt a little too large height wise, also I was never happy with the style, not a fan of how Bauer helmets look so that always irked me.

CCM 720 - tried on in store, size small (same as my 910) I couldn't even get my head in at the largest setting, it felt 4" narrower.  Size medium at the smallest setting didn't feel snug enough.

CCM 920 - tried on in store, wanted to love this and was willing to spend way too much on a helmet if it felt good but I wasn't confident in the fit.  The small at the largest setting fit on my head but was super snug, the padding felt really nice so I wasn't sure if it was maybe supposed to be this snug?  The medium at the smallest setting was a touch too big, I could push my head up and down and back and forth in it a bit.  The padding was unlike other helmets, it had more give and was softer to the touch, so maybe this stuff will break in more and the small will work?  $400 is a lot to gamble on that so for now I'll see how the Warrior RS Pro fits and also rotate the 910 until the smell is unbearable.

Anyone else have this much trouble finding a helmet that fits?  Or am I the Goldilocks of hockey helmets?  I believe the top half of my head is shorter than most if that makes sense, and my face longish (I normally wear a large Profile III cage which fits great, the CCM larges are usually too long and the CCM and Bauer bubbles are a bit too short).

I'm similar but not to your degree. I wore a small v08 as well but medium in everything else (never wore 4500 bc it didn't fit my head shape at all). 

My experience with the 910, tacks x, and 720 were similar too. Where small at largest was too tight and medium at smallest was a touch too big. Although the tacks x and 910 felt like it could work depending how long my hair was lol. 

What had worked for me well were these:

-  warrior alpha one pro. It uses a boa dial to adjust like a bike helmet. 

- CCM 310/710 it has an occipital adjustment and isn't just forward and back like the tacks x, 910 and 720. 

- 920. Unlike you, this actually worked for me, but I am at the smallest setting. Initially I thought this wouldn't work but realized I could actually make the medium go smaller with a bit more effort pushing the sides of the helmets together. Right now the setting has 2 vertical lines on each side of the locking tab. Just nonchalantly pushing the shell together and stopping with the first sign of resistance, the sizing was at around 3-4 lines on each side of the locking tab. Hope that makes sense but if you look at the rear of the helmet where the locking tab is, it'll make sense. 

Imo the 310 should work for you unless your head size is smaller than a 7 hat size.  I'm 7 1/8 hat size so medium in the 310 fits me well near the middle to smallest setting. the smallest end of the size range for the 310 is 6 7/8". So I would assume the 310 is your best bet if the 920 doesn't work on the smallest setting.  What's weird about the sizing is that the 920 is actually advertised as a starting size of 6 3/4 for medium, which is smaller than the 310, but I can confirm that the 310 definitely fits tighter. 

You should also try the Bauer reakt 85 and up as they have good adjustability. 

ive attached a picture of the back of the 920 where it has the vertical lines by the locking tab that I talked about 

 

Edited Tuesday at 05:52 AM by Sniper9

[helmet91 19]

My sons love the Bauer Re-Akt 85.  You can adjust the sizing four ways...  Maybe give that a try.  Pretty sure it's been recently discontinued so you might be able to find a deal.

[Sniper9 556]

Op, I also found this video interesting. They talk about the ftw helmet being available soon which is essentially the 920 but shaped a bit different for women. This might be a good option for you. I am definitely going to try it out when it comes out as well to see how the fit is vs the unisex version out now. 

 

 

 

[shoeshine boy 250]

these look great but I just can't spend $400 on a helmet.

[Sniper9 556]

1 hour ago, shoeshine boy said:

these look great but I just can't spend $400 on a helmet.

I'm from Canada and used a bunch of my Canadian tire money on it at sport chek, so I paid about half price. For those unaware , can tire money is like rewards money back that you can use at certain stores owned by the same corporation. 

[xstartxtodayx 343]

23 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

 

I didn't ever try a 310/710.  I had a Resistance years ago, the same style shell as those models, and it was too round/flat on the forehead for me, but that only had a one way adjustment, I may have to look for a 310/710 to try.

The 920 I did wrestle in the store to get closed down all the way, I wasn't a fan of that lock/gear thing, it was not as user friendly as the normal side tabs, def could be improved.  

As for the Bauer, I just can't stomach the look of them, same with the Alpha models, I'm shallow what can I say 🤣

 

9 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

Op, I also found this video interesting. They talk about the ftw helmet being available soon which is essentially the 920 but shaped a bit different for women. This might be a good option for you. I am definitely going to try it out when it comes out as well to see how the fit is vs the unisex version out now. 

 

Hmm that's a good idea, I think they had one in the store I went to, I might have to try one on next time.  I read the description about what makes it a "women's fit" and honestly I don't buy it, I think it's just marketing in this case and they did make a slightly different fitting helmet since many people have heads that are different shapes/sizes.

 

8 hours ago, shoeshine boy said:

these look great but I just can't spend $400 on a helmet.

yea, I miss the days of $60 top end helmets and $350 pro level skates.  All of my past helmets I got as pro stock at a fraction of retail or deeply discounted retail ones, so I'm hoping by the time I figure out sizing and models I can find one on SLS or or PSH for much less than retail.

[Sniper9 556]

3 hours ago, xstartxtodayx said:

I didn't ever try a 310/710.  I had a Resistance years ago, the same style shell as those models, and it was too round/flat on the forehead for me, but that only had a one way adjustment, I may have to look for a 310/710 to try.

The 920 I did wrestle in the store to get closed down all the way, I wasn't a fan of that lock/gear thing, it was not as user friendly as the normal side tabs, def could be improved.  

As for the Bauer, I just can't stomach the look of them, same with the Alpha models, I'm shallow what can I say 🤣

 

Hmm that's a good idea, I think they had one in the store I went to, I might have to try one on next time.  I read the description about what makes it a "women's fit" and honestly I don't buy it, I think it's just marketing in this case and they did make a slightly different fitting helmet since many people have heads that are different shapes/sizes.

 

yea, I miss the days of $60 top end helmets and $350 pro level skates.  All of my past helmets I got as pro stock at a fraction of retail or deeply discounted retail ones, so I'm hoping by the time I figure out sizing and models I can find one on SLS or or PSH for much less than retail.

I ended up returning my 920. It fit great on the smallest setting but what made me change my mind was the possibility of the foams breaking in a bit and it would make it a bit looser and I wouldn't be able to make it smaller. I've read the nest tech does pack in a touch and these memory foam things in the 920 seem like it will as well vs traditional eva foams.

The 920 also sat a bit lower than I'd like. With a bubble, it would also weight the helmet down more as well. If I were to rock a visor it would have been fine since I could've worn it at the second smallest setting. Oh well. I may just get a new 310 since I'm a fan and my current one needs replacing. I just wanted to treat myself. 

If the ftw's shell doesn't sit as deep as the 920, that would also be a bonus. It seems like the trend for all newer helmets is that they sit lower and the rear comes down more on the back of the head. 

I've yet to try the reakt 155 in a medium but the small was definitely too small. 

[Buzz_LightBeer 977]

On 8/18/2025 at 11:20 AM, xstartxtodayx said:

More recently wear a 910 size small, fits almost perfectly... get some pressure above the temples at times, removing the ear guards was necessary and alleviated most of that pressure but still bothers me at times.

I'm sure you've done your share of troubleshooting on this, but that sounds like a cage issue more than a helmet issue. stretch out the cage so when you close it, the sides aren't compressed in?

[Sniper9 556]

Op, scroll down to the end for a bit more detail about the ftw lid

 

https://ca.ccmhockey.com/en/ftw-learnmore.html

 

 

[Sniper9 556]

I actually picked up the Bauer reakt 90. I went in thinking I'd just get another 310 but I tried the reakt 90 just for the hell of it and wow, a medium for perfect. I love how you can adjust the width and length completely independently. Perfect for my oval head shape too. I then tried on the 310 just for fun and realized how diff it fit and although comfy, there seemed to be gaps on the sides of my head since it's meant more for a round head shape. 

The reakt 90 fit just as comfortable as the 920 in terms of I could feel cushion and support around my entire head. Obviously the foams feel different but not in a bad way. I actually prefer the feel of the reakt. Feels more supported vs the nest tech. For the reakt, I'm a few slots away from the smallest and could technically make it a touch loser too so I'm very happy that I have some wiggle room to adjust. 

Only annoying thing is that I had to use some washers for my j clips for my fv1 bubble to fit into them properly, but no biggy. Overall very happy. It's probably the best fitting helmet I've ever had. 

Lesson learned to just try everything lol... Or I was just lucky and this year Bauer actually made a model that fit me great. Their adjustment system isn't new and in the past the reakts never fit me this well.  

[shoot_the_goalie 283]

If all else fails and you have the disposable funds (yes they are very expensive), I would highly recommend getting a CCM Total Custom.  It's the only helmet I have ever owned that didn't give me pain at my temples or anywhere else over a prolonged period of time wearing it.  Super comfy right away, perfect fit, super light, well constructed.  To me, definitely worth it.

[Sniper9 556]

1 hour ago, shoot_the_goalie said:

If all else fails and you have the disposable funds (yes they are very expensive), I would highly recommend getting a CCM Total Custom.  It's the only helmet I have ever owned that didn't give me pain at my temples or anywhere else over a prolonged period of time wearing it.  Super comfy right away, perfect fit, super light, well constructed.  To me, definitely worth it.

Bauer has a custom option as well.  And the Bauer reakt 3d is coming out soon which will compete with the tacks x as it'll have 3d foam. I have a feeling it'll be more comfy since the reakts adjustment system is better than what CCM has. 

Edited Thursday at 09:24 PM by Sniper9

[xstartxtodayx 343]

Thanks all for suggestions.  My son had a Bauer reakt 150 that I tried on and it fit but felt like a bucket with too much volume.  I also got a hold of a Warrior RS pro in a medium and it fit but also had way too much volume, the back sat so low I couldn't tilt my head up.  I'll stick with my 910's for now and will try on an FTW next time I make the trek to a store (the shops in the rinks I play in aren't usually open by the time my games are and the closest hockey store, Pure Hockey, is an hour drive).

[Sniper9 556]

3 hours ago, xstartxtodayx said:

Thanks all for suggestions.  My son had a Bauer reakt 150 that I tried on and it fit but felt like a bucket with too much volume.  I also got a hold of a Warrior RS pro in a medium and it fit but also had way too much volume, the back sat so low I couldn't tilt my head up.  I'll stick with my 910's for now and will try on an FTW next time I make the trek to a store (the shops in the rinks I play in aren't usually open by the time my games are and the closest hockey store, Pure Hockey, is an hour drive).

I found the 920 sat very low as well at the back of my head,like you described with the warrior. Honestly I think this is the trend for newer helmets now. The reakt 90 was lower than my 310 but it felt comfortable and not as low as the 920.  I'm really happy with my purchase