Black Diamond Vapor Helmet

A helmet so light you can’t not bring it along.

Yes, many of the activities we do in the backcountry simply demand a helmet. When ice or rock climbing it is a given we will be wearing our helmets. But, there are those times when the majority of the mission is just a really long hike with a “somewhat technical” “scramble” at the top. It was some of those situations in the past where I would have looked at the extra pound and a half of helmet and asked myself I would be better served turning that weight into food or water. I mean what does a helmet really do for me anyway? There have been plenty of times I haven’t worn a helmet in a somewhat “sporty” situation and nothing bad has happened. This may have been the mindset of my early 20s, but as I have endeavored so diligently to build a family that I’m glad to be a part of I would kind of hate to miss out on it. A helmet is one of those things you don’t need it until you need it and when you need it, you really need it.

Black Diamond has made this decision a little bit easier. At 155 g or 5.5 ounces. The vapor is one of the lightest climbing helmets on the market. In fact, I think I have worn wool beanies that have weighed this much. This exceptional lightweight makes it easy to strap on the outside of a backpack without any bouncing or flopping. You barely even notice it’s there.