REASONS TO BUY
Adjustable
Good headlamp clips
Ventilates well
REASONS TO AVOID
Easy to over-tighten
Chin strap buckles under chin and not to the side
CAMP USA Storm Review
A lightweight EPS foam helmet that's good for a variety of uses
Credit: CAMP USA
RELATED: Best Climbing Helmet of 2023
Our Verdict
The CAMP USA Storm is a good lightweight EPS/polycarbonate helmet. It has a similar construction to other popular helmets on the market, but with a slightly different shape. There's a lot of similar helmets out there that are all in the same price range and made with the same materials, but each fits a little differently — so if this one fits your noggin well then it's a great purchase. The Storm is a great choice for a variety of climbing pursuits, from sport cragging to long days in the alpine where you want something light on your head. We can't think of any climbing that this helmet for which this would not be useful.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The CAMP USA Storm features an EPS liner and a polycarbonate shell, and it weighs 8.7 ounces in the Large size that we tested. The Small helmet fits a 48-56 cm range, and the Large a 56-62 cm range.
Performance Comparison
The new Storm is a great addition to the helmet market. It doesn't break any new ground, but offers some variety in shape and sizing for those who can't get a good fit from another manufacturer.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Comfort
The CAMP USA Storm feels lightweight and comfortable initially, but after two hours in it, we started to get a headache from the tensioning system and pressure from the click-wheel. As with most wheel-tensioned helmets, we found it easy to overtighten them, and the knob pushes down your ponytail (if you have one). There is a nice, soft fleece liner on the forehead and top of the helmet, and it is lighter than the hardshell helmets that we tested, which makes a difference over a long day.
The click-wheel makes adjusting the helmet easy, but be careful not to overtighten it. It sits really low on our heads too, which is an issue if you have a ponytail.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Adjustability
Like other helmets that also use a click wheel tensioning system, this is one of the easiest helmets to adjust. The click-wheel at the back tightens quickly and efficiently, and there are clips on the V-yoke to adjust the positioning around the ears. Some of our testers felt this helmet was a bit tight under the chin, which affected our comfort a bit. CAMP includes a nice fleece cover for the buckle, but that makes the chin strap even bulkier, and none of us like the feel of something bulky under our chins.
The sliding buckle moves up easily to secure the straps around our ears and make it more stable. While the tester pictured got a good fit from the chin strap, those with slightly smaller heads ended up with the buckle under their chins, which was not comfortable.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Weight
This helmet weighs 8.7 ounces in the Size Large that we tested. That makes it slightly heavier than some of the other EPS foam helmets that we tested, but not by much. Other helmets in the same weight range use a slider bar in the back instead of a knob, so it's up to you to decide which features you prefer and if you can handle an extra ounce or two on your head to get them.
We liked the looks and profile of this helmet, and the extra ounce was worth the better adjustability in our estimation.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Ventilation
This helmet ventilates well, with 21 vents located all around the helmet. While it feels significantly cooler than most of the hardshells that we tested.That said, the vents themselves are relatively small, and other EPS models seem to feature much larger vents throughout, thus offering better ventilation in general.
There's a lot of vents in this helmet, which is great for hot days.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Headlamp Attachment
The headlamp attachments on the Storm feel secure and are easy to use. We tried putting a headlamp on while still wearing the helmet and struggled a bit to find the clips because they are so low profile. This aspect makes them less likely to snag on clothing or slings though, which is a good thing.
The headlamp clips worked well during out nighttime test, though it's easier to put it on with the helmet off your head.
Credit: Scott Ring
Durability
We noticed no major issues or design flaws while testing this helmet. We expect this helmet to hold up similarly to other polycarbonate shell helmets, which is to say you can put it in your pack without cracking it and drop it a few feet without shattering it. It is surely a bit more durable than Black Diamond models, which use a similar EPS/polycarbonate shell design, but which gets dented and dinged seemingly just by touching it. While we aren't commenting on the ability of the helmet to withstand repeated heavy impacts, it will certainly live up to the everyday abuse that you would expect of a climbing helmet.
Clipping bolts but worried about fragile rock? A lightweight foam helmet like this will protect your head without weighing you down.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Value
This helmet retails for about the same as all of the other EPS helmets on the market. Our best recommendation is to try it on, as well as the others, and then go with the model that is the most comfortable on your head. In our opinion, at least one other helmet in this price range performed better, and thus offered a better value, but the deciding factor will be individual comfort.
Conclusion
The Storm takes some of the popular elements of their Speed 2.0 helmet (a combination climbing and ski mountaineering helmet), and puts them in a climbing specific helmet. We liked what they've created, and it's a great option for a variety of uses.
—
Cam McKenzie Ring
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