Riding Helmets: When to Replace and How to Look After Them

Your riding helmet is one of the most important pieces of safety gear you own, but it is also easy to forget about once it is on the tack room shelf. Unlike boots or gloves, helmets do not always show obvious signs of wear, even when they are no longer offering full protection.

Helmet standards are also changing. The FEI is phasing in new testing standards from 2026 to 2028, and Equestrian Australia is following with its own national timeline. This guide covers how to read your helmet's labels, how to judge its age, and how to look after it in the meantime.

Reading the Labels Inside Your Helmet

Most of what you need to know is printed on labels inside the helmet, usually under the liner or padding, or on a sticker on the inside of the shell. You will normally find three different things.

The safety standard. A code such as PAS 015:2011, VG1 01.040 2014-12 or ASTM F1163:23 tells you which test the helmet was certified against. The year in the code is the year that version of the standard was published. It is not the year your helmet was made.
A quality-testing mark. Marks such as BSI Kitemark, Inspec, SAI Global, SEI or Snell show that an independent organisation tests the helmet against the standard. A CE mark on its own is not a quality-testing mark. It shows the manufacturer declares the product meets European requirements, but it is not independent batch testing.
The manufacture date. This is usually a month and year, such as 03/2019, printed on its own label or stamped into the shell. It is separate from the standard's date.

Rules on which standards are accepted change over time, so rather than relying on a list that may go out of date, check the current guidance from your governing body:

If you compete under Equestrian Australia rules, your helmet may also carry an EA helmet tag. The tag shows the helmet met EA's standard requirements when it was checked. It does not certify the helmet's condition, age or impact history.

When Should a Helmet Be Replaced?

After any significant impact

Replace your helmet straight away after a fall where your head hits the ground, or if the helmet is dropped onto a hard surface, even if it looks fine. Helmets are designed to absorb one serious impact, and the damage is often inside the shell where you cannot see it.

As it ages

Sweat, heat, UV exposure and everyday handling gradually break down the materials that protect your head. How long a helmet lasts depends on how often you ride, how it is stored and what the manufacturer says, and the guidance varies:

The FEI recommends replacing a helmet every three to five years, depending on how often it is used.
Equestrian Australia does not require helmets to be replaced after five years. An EA tag is about the standard, not the helmet's age.
Horse Safety Australia's standards state that helmets must be less than five years old from the date of manufacture.
Manufacturers set their own service life, and they do not all measure it the same way. Some count from the manufacture date, some from purchase or first use, and some also limit how long a helmet can sit unused in storage.

Your helmet's instructions are the best guide to its service life. If you no longer have them, check the manufacturer's website or ask the retailer.

Any reminder to replace a helmet after five years is a prompt to check it and consider replacing it. It is not the date a certification expires.

Buying a Helmet: Check the Manufacture Date First

A helmet can sit in a warehouse or shop for a long time before it is sold, so a brand-new helmet is not always a young one. Check the manufacture date on the label before you buy.

For example, a helmet made in 03/2019 and first sold in 08/2026 was already about seven years and five months old on the day it was bought. That is well past the five-year age limit in Horse Safety Australia's standards, and possibly past the manufacturer's own limits. If you find unusually old stock, ask the retailer or manufacturer how it was stored and whether it is still within its service life before you rely on it.

Under the Australian Consumer Law, products must be of acceptable quality and match their description. The ACCC's consumer guarantees guide explains your rights if something you buy is not what you expected.

Second-Hand Helmets

A second-hand helmet comes with a history you usually cannot check: when it was first used, how it was stored, and whether it has ever been dropped or taken a fall. Damage from an impact is not always visible.

When you work out a second-hand helmet's age, use the date it was first bought new, not the date you bought it. If you do not know that date or its history, you cannot reliably say how much life it has left, and a new helmet is the safer choice.

Signs Your Helmet May Need Replacing

Not all damage is easy to see. Watch for:

Cracks or dents in the shell.
Loose, frayed or worn straps, or buckles that no longer hold.
Padding that is compressed, cracked or no longer springs back.
Changes in fit or comfort.
Fading, brittleness or a chalky feel on the outer shell.

If your helmet feels different to how it used to feel, trust that feeling.

Fit and Adjustment

A helmet only protects you properly if it fits. It should sit level on your head, just above your eyebrows, and feel snug all the way around without pressure points. Fasten the harness every time you ride, and adjust the straps so the helmet does not move when you shake your head. Check the fit again after a haircut, a change of hairstyle or as padding wears.

How to Keep Your Helmet in Good Condition

Good care will not make a helmet last forever, but it helps it do its job properly while you are using it.

A few simple habits help keep it in good shape:

Store helmets somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sunlight.
Avoid leaving them in hot cars or float tack rooms in summer.
Do not hang them by the straps.
Clean gently with mild soap and water. Avoid solvents, harsh cleaners and sprays, which can damage the shell and foam.
Allow them to air dry naturally, away from heaters.
Use a helmet bag.

One Less Thing to Remember

Between horses, gear and everyday life, it is easy to forget when safety equipment was bought. In Fullstride you can record your helmet's safety standard, quality-testing mark, manufacture month and purchase date, including the original purchase date for a second-hand helmet.

Fullstride uses the first purchase date to suggest a date to consider replacing your helmet, five years later, and shows it in your reminders from 90 days before. Check that date against your helmet's instructions and the manufacture date, and replace it sooner if the manufacturer says so or the helmet has taken a knock.