Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet

Curated from 92 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: December 27, 2023

Product Image 1
Product Image 2

Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet

Brand: Black Diamond
Price: $59
Snoop Score:
6.2
Sentiment
8.0
Popularity
8.9
Technical
3.4
Buy on Amazon for $59See All Helmets Reviews
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Snoop's Take

The Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing and Safety Helmet is designed for climbers and outdoor enthusiasts seeking reliable head protection during activities like rock climbing and caving. With a focus on comfort and safety, this helmet features a lightweight and durable design that is suitable for various head sizes, particularly medium to large ones. Consumer feedback highlights several strengths of the Half Dome helmet, such as its comfort for extended wear, with one user noting, "super comfy to me." Many users appreciate its good side impact protection and value for money, mentioning that it is an excellent choice for beginners and those transitioning from gym to outdoor climbing. Additionally, the helmet's lightweight design encourages consistent use, as one user remarked, "I honestly forget it is on my head." Based on user reviews and feedback, the Black Diamond Half Dome helmet is highly recommended for climbers and outdoor adventurers looking for a reliable, comfortable, and budget-friendly option in head protection. Its strengths in comfort and value make it a standout choice in its category.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Helmets

petzl meteor is either s/m or m/l. of you are in fact a straight m i recommend the black diamond one.

Positive Feedback

The foam on the inside of the thing is too hard! Do they not make a decent helmet that fits comfortably onto a person’s noggin?

Negative Feedback
Product
6.2
Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet
Buy on Amazon for $59
Sport Climbing
7 / 10
Mountaineering
7 / 10
Caving
9 / 10
Via Ferrata
7 / 10
See how this compares to all Helmets

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Recommended for size medium users
“petzl meteor is either s/m or m/l. of you are in fact a straight m i recommend the black diamond one.”➕
Comfortable for extended wear
“super comfy to me.”➕
Good side impact protection
“This is one of the better helmets at the lower price bracket.”➕
Comfort encourages longer wear
“This. For me a slight reduction in durability (mainly cosmetic) is a small price to pay for comfort, which in turn encourages me to keep my helmet on more.”➕
Durability of helmet material
“It's not polystyrene that makes up the bulk of the helmet, but polypropylene.”➕
“Mine stays pretty clean. It isn't very porous. Also it feels surprisingly durable.”➕
Comfortable and lightweight
“This is what we use, works well, comfortable and lightweight, ability to hook a head torch on”➕
“It's comfortable, has held up well, and is all around totally fine.”➕
“Well done on your decision to wear a helmet. The Half Dome saved my wife's life last year, though many others on the market are great picks.”➕
Good value for price
“First Helmet? I'm starting to take a look at finally getting out of the gym and was wondering what recommendations you lot have for a first helmet, preferably not too expensive.”➕
“Black Diamond Half-Dome. $60, everything you need in a helmet.”➕
Good fit for medium/large head sizes
“it’s not just the circumference but also the volume and I wear a M/L BD half dome.”➕
Good for caving use
“I have been using a black diamond halfdome helmet that I have from rock climbing as my caving helmet, but is there anything more suited to caving specifically?”➕
“There’s not really any reason to change from a half dome.”➕
“The vertex vent is an excellent helmet. I’ve used one for years.”➕
Comfortable and warm compared to knit hats
“The thing with helmets is that they look nice, are very comfortable, don’t itch, and are warmer than knit hats.”➕
Encourages helmet use for safety
“Best wishes to your daughter for a quick recovery and kudos to you for insisting she wear a helmet.”➕
Good for hard use
“I like it.”➕
Comfortable fit for large heads
“I have a older model BD foam model (tracer) primarily because it was the only foam model that fit my large head well even with a hat when I was shopping.”➕
First helmet for beginners
“I just bought a half dome as my first helmet, should I be worried?”➕
Lightweight and comfortable
“I honestly forget it is on my head.”➕
“the helmet performed pretty well!”➕

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Foam inside the helmet is too hard
“The foam on the inside of the thing is too hard! Do they not make a decent helmet that fits comfortably onto a person’s noggin?”➕
Cosmetic durability concerns
“All up, given the significant weight savings, I'm really glad for the Sirocco.”➕
Holds smells badly
“my only complaint is it seems to hold smells pretty bad.”➕
Not rated for ski crash impacts
“Technically it isn't rated for the sort of impacts often sustained in a ski crash.”➕
“Climbing helmets only protect you from stuff falling onto the top of your head.”➕
“I think there’s a fairly large difference between helmets designed for your head impacting something vs. something impacting your head.”➕
Soft shell design not suitable for caving
“It has a soft shell like a bike helmet, so it is not good for caving.”➕
“Like rebo2 said, the soft shell of the helmet makes it too lightweight for caving use.”➕

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
Mammut Skywalker 3.0 Climbing HelmetMammut Skywalker 3.0 Climbing Helmet$69
8.8
DetailsBuy
Black Diamond Capitan Rock Climbing HelmetBlack Diamond Capitan Rock Climbing Helmet$69
8.3
DetailsBuy
Singing Rock Penta 2 Lightweight Climbing HelmetSinging Rock Penta 2 Lightweight Climbing Helmet$79
8.3
DetailsBuy
OutdoorMaster Rock Climbing HelmetOutdoorMaster Rock Climbing Helmet$39
7.7
DetailsBuy
Black Diamond Capitan Rock Climbing HelmetBlack Diamond Capitan Rock Climbing Helmet$69
7.4
DetailsBuy
PETZL BOREA Women's Durable HelmetPETZL BOREA Women's Durable Helmet$69
7.0
DetailsBuy
Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing HelmetBlack Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet$59
6.9
DetailsBuy
Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing HelmetBlack Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet$59
6.3
DetailsBuy
Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing HelmetBlack Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet$59
6.2
DetailsBuy
Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing HelmetBlack Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet$59
5.9
DetailsBuy
OutdoorMaster Climbing Helmet - Rock Rescue HelmetOutdoorMaster Climbing Helmet - Rock Rescue Helmet$49
5.8
DetailsBuy
Mammut Crag Sender HelmetMammut Crag Sender Helmet$79
5.7
DetailsBuy
KAILAS Selma Ⅱ Rock Climbing HelmetKAILAS Selma Ⅱ Rock Climbing Helmet$58
5.0
DetailsBuy
Pfanner Protos Integral Arborist HelmetPfanner Protos Integral Arborist Helmet$334
5.0
DetailsBuy
Petzl BOREO Men's HelmetPetzl BOREO Men's Helmet$69
4.0
DetailsBuy
ipoob Adult Safety Hiking Climbing Caving Work Helmetipoob Adult Safety Hiking Climbing Caving Work Helmet$69
4.0
DetailsBuy
Fusion Climb Meka II Climbing and Zipline Safety HelmetFusion Climb Meka II Climbing and Zipline Safety Helmet$54
2.6
DetailsBuy
Tontron Climbing Caving Helmet (Blue, Large)Tontron Climbing Caving Helmet (Blue, Large)$43
0.6
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Discussion about comfort and quality of helmets
“There are plenty of comfy helmets, I would go with a reputable climbing helmet though and not one from Amazon”➕
“What brand / model of helmet?”➕
Discussion about MIPS technology and its effectiveness
“the important thing is they wouldn’t be worse than a standard but they can be better for specific cases.”➕
“MIPS helmets basically let the shell of the helmet slide slightly over the foam/cushioning layer.”➕
“MIPS helps.”➕
“https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html”➕
Discussion about helmet specifications and safety
“I was considering a Grivel Salamander or a Black Diamond Vector for my first but I want to take any advice available for such an important decision”➕
“They're more in the hardhat category than anything.”➕
“A lot of the research goes into getting people to wear helmets.”➕
Discussion about finding a comfortable helmet
“The best helmet is the one you're going to wear. They're all safe, go to a store and try some on, see which one is the most comfortable and buy it.”➕
“Can't stress this enough. You want a helmet that you're going to wear. If that means you pay a little extra, so be it.”➕

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Different uses of climbing helmets
“Personally I just take off my helmet when I’m going up and put it on for when I’m starting the descent.”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Discussion about cleaning helmets
“Clean? Who tf “cleans” their helmet?”➕
Discussion about fitting issues for large heads
“any help would be recommended. I wear a 7 3/4 New Era hat size if that helps.”➕
“I’m a member of the big head club too and have a hard time with hats/helmets!.”➕
“I bought a Petzl Sirocco mountaineering helmet. Petzl's sizing is annoyingly small, the M/L I have is for a head circumference up to only 24".”➕
“I have a big ass head and west a mammut wall rider mips.”➕
Discussion about suitability for caving vs climbing
“I use the petzl boreo, hasn’t let me down.”➕
“Yeah it doesn't completely cover the back. But also, if there isn't some big advantage to using a helmet made specifically for caving, I'll probably keep using the one I have.”➕
Discussion about alternative helmet options
“If you're looking for a low profile helmet that's hard shell (with ventilation and clips) then I'd highly recommend the [Edelrid Targa].”➕
“I used to wear the Black Diamond Half Dome for caving, which is a great low-cost, lightweight, vented option.”➕
Inquiry about alternative helmet options
“Thoughts on Black Diamond Vector/similar helmets? My helmet is in need of replacement after 3 years of use and abuse.”➕
Preference for different helmet types
“Many climbing helmets are mainly for impacts from the top.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Discussion about various helmet brands
“Helmets What helmets do people recommend for year round usage, from summer climbing to winter mountaineering and climbing?”➕
“I use the Petzl Meteor. I like it quite a lot.”➕
“Mammut has a new triple certified helmet coming out next year they just previewed at [ISPO to be the replacement to the Wall Rider].”➕
“It doesn't feel as solid as my SP Ascender MIPS. I'm a bit paranoid in that department as I have had a few concussions while snowboarding despite wearing a helmet.”➕
Preference for Black Diamond over Petzl helmets
“Black Diamond half dome. Team has petzel helmets, but I don’t really like them.”➕
Discussion on helmet safety ratings for ski touring
“Climbing helmet for ski touring I was thinking about buying black diamond vapor helmet or any other climbing helmet for ski touring.”➕
“There are now lots of dual rated helmets specifically for ski mountaineering, and petzl is trying to get a new rating established particularly for ski mountaineering with the meteor helmet.”➕
Concerns about helmet safety data and effectiveness
“I'm a doctor, I wear MIPS, but have never seen any data to particularly support it over any non-MIPS helmet.”➕
“Thank you for sharing this. More people need to wear helmets.”➕
General helmet safety discussions and experiences
“I wear helmets for everything. That first one was a TBI.”➕

You May Also Like

Explore more Categories
Helmets
Top-Rated Helmets for Skating, Biking, and Riding Safety
Top-Rated Helmets for Skating, Biking, and Riding Safety
Explore Helmets
Helmets
Top Paintball Helmets for Outdoor Adventure
Top Paintball Helmets for Outdoor Adventure
Explore Helmets