Something new · Rider to rider
Replacing a Tipperary Sportage? Helmets Riders Try Next
The helmet that answers why you are leaving your Sportage: forehead pressure, heat or weight.
Match the reason you are leaving. The Troxel Spirit is the first to try if the Sportage pressed on your forehead, the Ovation Deluxe Schooler is the cool, vented schooling pick, and the TuffRider Carbon Fiber and Equinavia Gardian are the lightweight vented options.
The short version
If you wore a Sportage: the helmets riders try next
The Troxel Spirit suits a Sportage that pressed on your forehead, the Ovation Deluxe Schooler suits cool, vented schooling, and the TuffRider Carbon Fiber and Equinavia Gardian suit a lightweight helmet like the Sportage Hybrid.
If they wore
Sportage that pressed on your forehead
Riders switch to
Troxel Spirit HelmetA low profile and a DialFit system for a variety of head shapes.
Shop nowIf they wore
Sportage 8500 for hot-weather schooling
Riders switch to
Ovation Deluxe SchoolerLightweight and low profile, with high-flow vents and a dial.
Shop nowIf they wore
Sportage on a rounder head, wanting MIPS
If they wore
Sportage Hybrid for its light, vented shape
Riders switch to
Carbon Fiber Shell HelmetA carbon fiber shell, vents and an adjustable dial.
Shop nowIf they wore
Sportage Hybrid, vents front and back
Riders switch to
Gardian Riding HelmetAirflow vents at the front and back and an easy-adjust dial.
Shop nowIf they wore
A Sportage you want to replace for less
Rider voices
What riders say after moving on from a Sportage
Riders tell us two things decide the switch: a Sportage that pressed on the forehead, and the question of whether a new helmet runs as cool.
When the Sportage presses on your forehead
The helmets they point to
Troxel SpiritTrauma Void Lynx Smooth Top
Riders who got a headache in a Sportage point to Troxel, and describe Tipperary as a different head shape.
See the round-head picksCool enough to replace a Sportage
The helmets they point to
Ovation Deluxe SchoolerTrauma Void EQ3 NEOZ
Riders compare the Ovation Schooler, Trauma Void and One K helmets with the Sportage for airflow.
See the cool schooling picksWhen the Sportage presses on your forehead
Two of these riders say the Troxel fits where the Sportage did not.
Troxel helmets
I loved the look of the Tip Sportages and bought one, but it pressed on my forehead so that I had a headache within an hour. I never have this problem with Troxels.
Tipperary Sportage 8500
My last Sportage (the 8500 version) would press on my forehead a bit and after a period of time it would start to hurt.
Troxel helmets
Tipperary is for oval heads, doesn't fit me, I have tried them. Troxel fits round heads, it does mine, if you need one more option.
Troxel helmets
I also had a Tip Sportage and it was the instant-headache helmet for me as well. I couldn't give it away fast enough. I'm told that Tips are for a different head shape than Troxels.
Cool enough to replace a Sportage
One rider ranks the Ovation Schooler first for ventilation among the helmets she has worn.
I have an oval head, but I find in terms of ventilation my CO AYR8 is better than the old velvet helmets; the OneK (oval) is better than the AYR8; the Ovation Schooler is the best (maybe even a bit better than Tipperary, but it's been a while since I had one of those as they didn't quite work on my head after they changed it).
I find the Trauma Void eq3 to be no hotter than the Sportage
One K helmets
One k. Cooler than my Tipperary sportage was, much cooler than my ayr8, love the washable liner. Love the fit- only helmet I've ever worn where I forget I'm wearing a helmet.
One K helmets
My Tipperary Sportage was the first helmet I had with such good ventilation that I could feel the wind in my hair. My One K also has the same effect (but is more presentable!)
Independent lab ratings
How the lighter, vented helmets we carry rate at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech's 2026 equestrian helmet table rates the Trauma Void NEOZ EQ3 at 4 stars, sixth of 54 helmets, and the Trauma Void Pardus and the Equinavia Gardian and Skylar at 3 stars. The same table lists the Tipperary Sportage Hybrid at 3 stars, seventeenth; the classic Sportage 8500 is not in it.
| Helmet | As Virginia Tech lists it | Rank of 54 | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trauma Void EQ3 NEOZ Helmet | TRAUMA VOID NEOZ EQ3 | 6 | 4 stars |
| Trauma Void Pardus Smooth Helmet | TRAUMA VOID PARDUS MIPS | 18 | 3 stars |
| Equinavia Gardian Riding Helmet | EQUINAVIA GARDIAN | 20 | 3 stars |
| Equinavia Skylar Riding Helmet | EQUINAVIA SKYLAR | 26 | 3 stars |
Ranks, stars and model names as Virginia Tech's 2026 table lists them. A rating belongs to that model, not the whole brand, and the table does not measure fit or comfort.
Swap guide
Swap guide: your Sportage reason and the helmet to try
Find the reason you are leaving the Sportage in the left column. The helmets riders move to sit beside it, with a price tier for each.
Price tiers among these picks: $ (lowest) to $$$$ (highest)
| If your Sportage | Riders switch to | Why riders choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Pressed on your forehead | A low profile and a DialFit system for a variety of head shapes. | |
| Rounder head, and you want MIPS | Trauma Void lists a round fit, a rear dial and a washable Coolmax liner. | |
| 8500 for hot-weather schooling | High-flow vents, an easy-adjust dial and a removable, washable liner. | |
| Hybrid for its light, vented shape | Each pairs an adjustable dial with vents and a removable liner. | |
| Any Sportage, for less | IRH's front vent design and a dial fit, at the lowest tier here. |
Fit tip
Measure around your head about an inch above your eyebrows and size to the new maker's chart, not your Tipperary size. Compare front-to-back with ear-to-ear: nearly equal points to a rounder helmet such as the Troxel Spirit. Wear the helmet at home for 10 minutes; it should sit level with no pressure points.Closest match
Troxel Spirit for a Sportage that pressed on your forehead
The Troxel Spirit is the helmet to try first when a Sportage presses on your forehead. Troxel lists the Spirit with a low profile and a DialFit system that adjusts for a variety of head shapes, and with a removable, washable headliner.
For MIPS in a rounder fit, Trauma Void lists the Lynx Smooth Top with a round fit, a rear dial and a washable Coolmax liner, in small, medium and large.
In fairness
If your head is longer front to back than ear to ear, a Sportage may simply suit you; measure before you switch.Shop Troxel Spirit helmets
Shop all ›Hot-weather schooling
Ovation Deluxe Schooler for cool, vented schooling
The Ovation Deluxe Schooler is the closest swap for a Sportage in hot-weather schooling: a lightweight, low-profile helmet with high-flow vents and an easy-adjust dial. Ovation lists a removable, washable liner, breakaway visors and a rubberized finish, and says it is certified to ASTM standards.
The Trauma Void EQ3 NEOZ adds MIPS and a washable Coolmax liner, for riders who want a step up from the schooling tier.
In fairness
The Deluxe Schooler is one of the lowest-priced helmets on this page; the Trauma Void helmets are a tier or two higher.Shop Ovation Schooler helmets
Shop all ›Sportage Hybrid
Lightweight, vented helmets to try in place of a Sportage Hybrid
The TuffRider Carbon Fiber and the Equinavia Gardian are the lightweight vented helmets to try in place of a Sportage Hybrid. The Carbon Fiber has a carbon fiber shell, a Coolmax lining and an adjustable dial; the Gardian has airflow vents at the front and back and an easy-adjust dial.
The Hybrid (8700) and the classic Sportage (8500) are different Tipperary helmets, so check the model on your helmet's label first. For the 8500, start with the Ovation Deluxe Schooler; for the Hybrid, compare these two.
In fairness
The Equinavia Skylar adds a ponytail cut-out and a removable breakaway peak if you school with your hair up.Shop Equinavia helmets
Shop all ›In fairness
What the Sportage does well
Riders chose the Sportage for good reasons, and some of them may still apply to you.
If your head is a long oval, riders describe Tipperary as the shape made for it, so try any replacement on before you retire the Sportage.
If you school in summer, riders praise its airflow, and retailers list the 8500 with 11 mesh vents.
If you want a light, vented helmet, retailers list the Sportage Hybrid with vents at the top and rear and a removable liner.
Tipperary Sportage alternatives: FAQ
What is a good alternative to the Tipperary Sportage?
The Ovation Deluxe Schooler is the closest swap for the Sportage 8500 in hot-weather schooling, and the Troxel Spirit is the one to try if the Sportage pressed on your forehead. For a lightweight vented helmet like the Hybrid, compare the TuffRider Carbon Fiber and the Equinavia Gardian.
CloseWhy does a Tipperary Sportage press on my forehead?
Riders describe it as a shape made for oval heads, and those with rounder heads report pressure at the forehead after a short time. Compare front-to-back with ear-to-ear measured about an inch above your eyebrows; nearly equal points to a rounder fit such as the Troxel Spirit.
CloseWhat is the difference between the Sportage and the Sportage Hybrid?
They are different Tipperary helmets: the Hybrid (8700) and the classic Sportage (8500). Only the Hybrid is in Virginia Tech's 2026 table, at 3 stars and seventeenth of 54 helmets, so a rating for one does not carry over to the other.
CloseWhat helmet is like a Sportage but fits round heads?
The Troxel Spirit, with a low profile and a DialFit system, is the round-head option, and the Trauma Void Lynx Smooth Top is the MIPS option, listed with a round fit and a rear dial. Try both on.
CloseWill my Sportage size be the same in another brand?
Not always, because sizes and shells differ between makers. One rider says she always needed a size smaller than Tipperary's chart. Measure your head, compare the reading with the new brand's chart, and wear the helmet at home for 10 minutes before you commit.
CloseWhere can I read more comparisons like this?
Riders replacing a Sportage also read these guides to compare fit and ratings across helmet brands.
- Shopping for alternatives? Tipperary helmets
- Tipperary Windsor Alternatives: Wide-Brim and MIPS Helmets Riders Try
- Champion helmets no longer sold in the US? Alternatives
- Can't find Charles Owen? Alternatives
- Shopping for alternatives? KASK helmets
- Shopping for alternatives: Samshield helmets
- Champion Revolve X-Air MIPS alternatives
- Charles Owen AYR8 Plus, Halo MIPS and velvet-look show helmets: alternatives
Brands we carry
Helmet brands riders chose after a Sportage
Every helmet on this page comes from a brand we carry: Troxel, Ovation, Trauma Void, TuffRider, Equinavia and IRH.
How we built this guide: Virginia Tech ratings from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab's 2026 equestrian table of 54 helmets, checked October 2026. Product details as listed by each maker, checked November 2026.