Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet

Curated from 94 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: December 27, 2023

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Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet

Brand: Black Diamond
Price: $59
Snoop Score:
6.3
Sentiment
6.7
Popularity
8.0
Technical
5.5
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Snoop's Take

The Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing and Safety Helmet is designed for climbers looking for a reliable and comfortable head protection solution. This helmet features a lightweight design and is suitable for both rock climbing and caving, making it a versatile choice for outdoor enthusiasts. Consumer feedback highlights several strengths of the helmet, such as comfort and value for money. Many users appreciate its fit for medium/large sizes, as one user noted, "I recommend the black diamond one." Comfort is a recurring theme, with comments like, "super comfy to me," suggesting that the helmet encourages extended wear, ultimately enhancing safety. Users also mention good side impact protection and durability, often stating it remains clean and functional over time. Overall, the Black Diamond Half Dome Helmet is highly recommended for its category, especially for those seeking a comfortable and affordable helmet for climbing and caving activities. While it has minor durability concerns, its strengths in comfort and functionality make it a popular choice among users.

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

It does invite minor scratches.

Negative Feedback
Product
6.3
Black Diamond Half Dome Rock Climbing Helmet
Buy on Amazon for $59
Sport Climbing
6 / 10
Mountaineering
5 / 10
Caving
8 / 10
Via Ferrata
6 / 10
See how this compares to all Helmets

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Recommended for Medium/Large sizes
“petzl meteor is either s/m or m/l. of you are in fact a straight m i recommend the black diamond one.”➕
“For me it’s not just the circumference but also the volume and I wear a M/L BD half dome.”➕
Comfortable for extended wear
“I have the BD half dome. super comfy to me.”➕
Good side impact protection
“This is one of the better helmets at the lower price bracket.”➕
Comfort encourages helmet usage
“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.”➕
Helmets remain clean and durable
“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.”➕
Good value for the price
“Black Diamond Half-Dome. $60, everything you need in a helmet.”➕
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?”➕
“I tried a Petzl Boreo but found that the adjuster dug into my head and got uncomfortable fairly quickly.”➕
Comfortable and warmer than knit hats
“The thing with helmets is that they look nice, are very comfortable, don’t itch, and are warmer than knit hats.”➕
Good for preventing serious injuries
“I felt the helmet rotated instead of my neck and could have prevented quite a bit.”➕

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Reduced durability due to exposed foam
“It does invite minor scratches.”➕
Holds smells badly
“my only complaint is it seems to hold smells pretty bad.”➕
Styrofoam lining deteriorates over time
“The vertex vent is an excellent helmet.”➕
Not rated for ski 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 not suitable for caving
“the soft shell of the helmet makes it too lightweight for caving use.”➕
Lightweight design too fragile
“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].”➕

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

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

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Material differences between helmet types
“It's pretty durable and won't show dents how you're envisioning.”➕
Various personal stories related to helmet usage
“I wear helmets for everything. That first one was a TBI.”➕
Discussion about low profile helmets
“Anybody have experience with Black Diamond Vapor helmet? Experienced caver looking for a new helmet, and was attracted to the Black Diamond vapor's low profile, ventilation, and headlamp clips.”➕
Inquiries about helmet specifications
“People are always commenting here about how everyone needs to wear a helmet and I've been convinced to purchase one from this sub.”➕
Discussion on the importance of helmet comfort
“Can't stress this enough. You want a helmet that you're going to wear.”➕

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Discussion on preferences between Black Diamond and Petzl helmets
“Petzyl vertex vent for regular stuff, not climbing.”➕
“Black Diamond half dome. Team has petzel helmets, but I don’t really like them.”➕
Climbing helmets used for ski touring
“The main reason that i consider switching from skiing to climbing helmet is the breath ability and the light weight that climbing helmets provide.”➕
“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.”➕
Discussion on MIPS helmets and their market presence
“Any thoughts on MIPS helmets? Have you seen any better outcomes or mostly just marketing?”➕
“Mips stands for "multidirectional impact protection system". Basically more recent concussion and TBI studies have shown that a lot of the damage in a head injury is caused by the brain rotating inside the skull.”➕
“I did undergrad research in university with football helmet testing for a materials lab - the important thing is they wouldn’t be worse than a standard but they can be better for specific cases.”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Discussion on various helmet brands
“Helmets What helmets do people recommend for year round usage, from summer climbing to winter mountaineering and climbing?”➕
“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 offers pretty solid protection. I haven't used it on the slopes yet but my guess is that it will do the job.”➕
Comparison of helmet weight and price
“Get the $100 black diamond one. The super ultralight ones little brother.”➕
Discussion about reputable climbing helmets
“There are plenty of comfy helmets, I would go with a reputable climbing helmet though and not one from Amazon”➕
Inquiry about specific helmet brands and models
“That foam is hard to protect your noggin from impact.”➕
Discussion on cleaning habits
“Clean? Who tf “cleans” their helmet?”➕
Discussion on helmet sizing for large heads
“I'm in the process of buying some gear and realized I have a huge head and it's hard to find a helmet that would fit me.”➕
“I will be listening in patiently to this thread. I’m a member of the big head club too and have a hard time with hats/helmets!.”➕
“Black Diamond's size M/L are for heads up to 25", and I see some reviews on REI for the BD Capitan and Vision helmets bitch about them being too big, so that sounds like what I need.”➕
“I have a big ass head and west a mammut wall rider mips.”➕
Comparison between Black Diamond and Petzl helmets
“I never wear a helmet climbing unless it’s trad/multi pitch.”➕
Comparisons to other helmet brands and models
“The Black Diamond Half Dome for caving, which is a great low-cost, lightweight, vented option.”➕
Discussion on alternatives to Black Diamond helmets
“Thoughts on Black Diamond Vector/similar helmets? My helmet is in need of replacement after 3 years of use and abuse.”➕
General conversation about helmet types and preferences
“Many climbing helmets are mainly for impacts from the top.”➕
“Finally, something that I didn't find obvious at first: the helmet is for rockfall.”➕
Advice on choosing a first helmet
“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.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Discussion on not needing to change helmets
“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.”➕
Helmet usage habits in climbing and skiing
“Personally I just take off my helmet when I’m going up and put it on for when I’m starting the descent.”➕
Discussion about helmet safety ratings
“They're more in the hardhat category than anything.”➕

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