You ask for it by name. Here's what those four letters mean and what that yellow dot is actually doing inside your helmet.
Mips shows up on more riding helmets every season, from schooling helmets to show helmets. It's a thin, low-friction layer inside the helmet, designed for angled impacts, which Mips' research finds are far more common than straight-on hits. Here's what a Mips riding helmet does, what it doesn't do, and how to choose one.
Mips is a technology licensed to helmet makers. One K, Troxel, Equinavia, Ovation and others build it into specific models.
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Built for Angled Falls
Mips' research finds most head impacts come at an angle, so the head stops and twists. Mips is designed to reduce that twist.
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On Top of Certification
Mips isn't a safety standard. A Mips helmet still needs its ASTM/SEI or equivalent tag.
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Fit Still Comes First
A helmet that doesn't fit can't work as designed, with or without Mips.
Section 01
What Mips Stands For
Mips stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. It's a safety technology, not a helmet brand, and it's licensed to helmet makers who build it into specific models.
The work behind it started in 1995, when brain surgeon Hans von Holst of Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm began researching helmet construction, then brought in researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Today the company, Mips AB, licenses its system to more than 150 helmet brands. On a riding helmet, "Mips" in the name means that model carries the licensed system.
Section 02
Why Angled Falls Matter
Certification tests like ASTM F1163 drop a helmet straight down onto an anvil, which measures linear impact: how hard the head stops. Mips' research finds that most head impacts are angled rather than straight on. Coming off a horse, you're usually moving, so your head can hit the ground and twist at the same time.
That twist is rotational motion, and Mips' research points to it as a common cause of concussion and more serious brain injury in angled impacts. Mips was built for the twist. It works alongside the helmet's foam, which is still what absorbs the straight-on force.
Section 03
How a Mips Helmet Works
Inside a Mips helmet, a low-friction layer usually sits between the padding and the protective foam. In certain angled impacts, that layer lets the helmet move 10–15 mm relative to your head. That small slip is designed to reduce the rotational motion that reaches the brain.
What you'll notice
Very little. The layer is thin and sits under the comfort padding, so a Mips riding helmet is designed to fit and feel like the same helmet without it. Fit it the same way: level, about an inch above your eyebrows, snug all the way around.
Mips is designed to add protection for angled falls. It doesn't replace the basics.
It isn't a safety certification
Always look for the certification tag inside the helmet: ASTM F1163 with SEI in the US, or a recognized equivalent such as PAS 015 or VG1. Every riding helmet we sell carries at least one recognized certification. What the certification tags mean →
It doesn't replace fit
A helmet that doesn't fit can't work as designed, with or without Mips.
No helmet prevents every injury
Mips says so itself. Replace your helmet after any fall where it takes a hit, even if it looks fine.
A note on the research
Independent equestrian testing of rotational systems is still limited, and results so far are mixed: some lab tests show less rotational motion with a rotational layer, others found no measurable reduction. That's one more reason to choose a certified helmet that fits, then add Mips on top.
Section 06
How Mips Helmets Rate
Virginia Tech's Helmet Lab rates equestrian helmets on both linear and rotational impacts, using test impacts modeled on riding falls. In its current ratings, seven of the eight top-scoring helmets include Mips. That list includes the Champion Revolve X-Air Mips skull cap, the Champion Revolve Ventair Mips and the Trauma Void NEOZ, all of which we carry.
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of the top-scoring helmets in Virginia Tech's equestrian ratings include Mips.
I have a big oval head and this is the first Mips helmet that I’ve been able to forget I’m wearing. It fits so well, is so comfortable, and actually fits - no more forehead indents.
Love this helmet. It is honestly the most comfortable helmet I own (yes I own several). I bought it to be my competition helmet but have been riding in it at home and it fits well and feels great.
Mips is designed to reduce rotational motion in angled impacts, which a standard certification test doesn't measure. It's designed to add protection on top of a certified helmet, and it doesn't replace certification or fit.
Do I need a Mips helmet for schooling, or only for showing and jumping?
A fall at home is the same fall as one at a show. Mips now starts at schooling-helmet prices with the Troxel Spirit Mips and TuffRider R50 Mips, so you don't have to save it for the show ring.
Is a Mips helmet heavier or hotter?
The Mips layer is thin and sits under the padding, and it's designed to fit and feel like the same helmet without it. Airflow comes from the helmet's vents, so compare those the way you would on any helmet.
Can I add Mips to the helmet I already have?
No. Mips is built into specific models. Refit liners for One K CCS Mips and Ovation M Class Mips helmets change the size of a helmet that already has Mips.
Is Mips required for competition?
No. Where US Equestrian or FEI rules require a helmet, it must be certified to an approved standard. Neither requires Mips.
How often should I replace a Mips helmet?
The same as any riding helmet: right away after a fall where it takes a hit, and otherwise on the maker's schedule. Troxel, for example, recommends at least every five years from purchase.
What's the best Mips equestrian helmet?
The one that fits you, carries the certification you need and suits how you ride. Start with the price ladder above, then check fit with our helmet guide. Helmet fit guide →
Section 07
Shop Mips Riding Helmets
Mips isn't just for top-of-the-line helmets anymore. Today you can find it from schooling helmets up to show helmets.
One K builds Mips into its CCS line, which uses interchangeable liners to fine-tune fit. Choose the Mips CCS, the Avance Wide Brim, or the Defender Mips CCS with crystals for the show ring.
Champion's Revolve Mips helmets hold some of the highest spots in Virginia Tech's equestrian ratings. Champion is no longer distributed in the US, so these are closeout while sizes last.
Premium brands for less, with Mips from schooling to the show ring. Shop Mips riding helmets from One K, Troxel, Equinavia, Trauma Void, Ovation and TuffRider.
Look for the yellow dot
