No ‘gaper gap’ with the Giro Ricochet for kids

There is sure to be a day when my 3-year-old son will care what he looks like on the slopes. Until then, though, his father and I get to decide what he wears skiing. Currently that means a hand-me-down coat and a pair of too-tight bibs. His socks and gloves are similarly pathetic. But not Zachary’s helmet. It’s state-of-the-art, baby.

If I was a good mother, I’d say nothing less than the best will do to protect my little boy’s noggin. But that’d be a lie, as I’m not one of those moms who pores over Consumer Reports’ research on car seats, high chairs or ski helmets. Rather, we got Zach the Giro Ricochet because it doesn’t have a “gaper gap.”Not familiar with the term? Scan a group of helmet-wearing skiers and you’ll see it everywhere: that strip of exposed skin between the helmet and the goggles. The problem is particularly pronounced in children, who either fidget too much or fuss with their helmet so much that it won’t stay on right, or, more likely, because the helmet and goggles just don’t fit.Our 6-year-old daughter Hannah has long suffered from gaper gap. So when it came time to suit up her little brother this winter, my husband Rob put his foot down. Zach would get a helmet and goggles that fit. Period.

Thankfully, Rob manages a ski shop, so he has access to the latest and greatest ski gear. In kids’ helmets, we learned that was the Giro Ricochet. The Ricochet “value pack” is a two-piece helmet-and-goggle system designed to fit kids’ heads and faces (Giro claims the helmet will work with almost any child’s goggle, but we didn’t take the risk).In its review, skihelmets.com gave the Ricochet value pack at 4.7 out of a possible 5 points. We’re inclined to agree.The helmet is snug on Zach’s melon and will grow with him, thanks to the adjustable in-helmet sizing system. The goggles fit perfectly with the helmet, and the patented “Goggle Notch” on the back of the helmet guarantees they’ll stay in place. And best of all, there is no gaper gap. My little skier looks good and he won’t get frostbite! (In fact, Zach is quite the sweat pig when he takes the helmet off; the Ricochet’s only real drawback is that it doesn’t have vents like the company’s adult models.)

Plus, the Ricochet comes in an array of colors and patterns; some even include stickers to soup things up. Zach’s helmet is black with red flames. Needless to say, we’ve ordered a pink one for Hannah.Jeanne McGovern’s e-mail address is jmcgovern@aspentimes.com