Petzl Meteor Review

Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Lightweight, easily adjustable with slider bar, not as expensive as Sirocco, well ventilated
Cons: Magnetic buckle collects dirt, not as cheap as BD Half Dome
Manufacturer: Petzl
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
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Petzl Meteor | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Price | $89.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $150 List | $109.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $114.59 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $74.96 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Lightweight, easily adjustable with slider bar, not as expensive as Sirocco, well ventilated | Pros: Includes the MIPS BPS, comfortable fit, highly adjustable, more durable than most foam helmets | Super light, very comfortable, great ventilation, versatile for use while ski mountaineering, protects all sides of head | Lightweight, great ventilation | Adjustable, good headlamp clips, ventilates well |
Cons | Magnetic buckle collects dirt, not as cheap as BD Half Dome | Not super light, pricey, black absorbs heat from sun | Not as durable as ABS options, expensive, less easily adjustable, magnetic buckle not for everyone | Fragile, chin strap doesn't adjust forward, removable headlamp clips are easy to lose or forget | Easy to over-tighten, chin strap buckles under chin and not to the side |
Bottom Line | A highly adjustable climbing and ski mountaineering helmet made of EPS foam | The optimal combination of the MIPS harness with EPP foam for side impact and a durable ABS plastic shell | You want a helmet that you are never annoyed to wear, and this is that helmet | Lightweight and comfortable but can't even be put in your pack without denting it | Not the lightest foam helmet but more adjustable than others |
Rating Categories | Petzl Meteor | Black Diamond Vision MIPS | Petzl Sirocco | Black Diamond Vapor | CAMP USA Storm |
Comfort (30%) | |||||
Adjustability (20%) | |||||
Weight (20%) | |||||
Ventilation (10%) | |||||
Headlamp Attachment (10%) | |||||
Durability (10%) | |||||
Specs | Petzl Meteor | Black Diamond... | Petzl Sirocco | Black Diamond Vapor | CAMP USA Storm |
Measured Weight in Ounces (largest size) | 8.5 oz | 9.7 oz | 6.1 oz | 7.0 oz | 8.7 oz |
Shell Style | EPS, Polycarbonate | EPP and EPS foam, ABS shell, with MIPS liner | EPP and EPS foam, polycabonate top piece | EPS foam with Polycarbonate | EPS foam with Polycarbonate |
Number of Sizes | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Number of Colors | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Warranty | 3 year | 1 year limited to defects only | 3 year | 1 year | 3 year limited |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Meteor is made entirely of molded EPS foam covered in a shell of polycarbonate plastic to protect it from the outside. It uses a plastic slider bar adjustment system in the back which is both simple and convenient and provides a broader range of adjustment than the super minimalist webbing adjustments found on most of the pricier and lighter, helmets. This helmet suits both climbing and ski mountaineering, with a rear elastic bungee that can hold a headlamp strap or ski goggles, and with CE certification for ski mountaineering use. It also has attachment holes pre-drilled for either of Petzl's two visor options to be added on, a nice feature for ice climbing that some ski-mo racers also use. We want to recognize this helmet specifically because it is a more affordable option for those who don't want to lug around and wear an overly heavy ABS style helmet, but we also must point out that it's still not that less expensive than our top overall award winners.
Performance Comparison
Comfort
The Meteor sits on top of the head cushioned by a couple of foam pads, one on top and one across the front of the forehead. In the rear, the head is held in place by the adjustable plastic slider band, discussed more below. The helmet is deep and elongated, but we still felt some contact between our head and the inside of the helmet in places where there isn't padding, in particular in the back of the head. We also bought a large version of this helmet but found that for our head tester's particularly large head, it is only comfortable when maxed out adjustment wise, so people with especially large heads might be wary and make another choice.
There is no doubt that this is a comfortable helmet, but we have to get nitpicky to differentiate grading between all these great options. There are a couple options that are slightly more comfortable. How a helmet actually feels on your head has a lot to do with head shape, and so don't take our word for it. Some may find this to be the most comfortable choice of all, and others may find it un-wearable!
Adjustability
This helmet is more adjustable than options which use nothing but light webbing to hold the helmet firmly in place on the head. One can adjust the Meteor by tightening or loosening a sliding plastic band across the back of the head. There are adjustable sliders on each end of the band that click into tiny notches as you push them together to tighten, or slide apart to loosen as you depress orange release buttons.

This system is easy to use with the helmet in your hands or on your head. It also provides an extensive range of adjustability, so it makes an excellent choice for more than one person using the same helmet. However, we bought a large size helmet, and one tester couldn't tighten it at all because it was already max size for his head, so people with extra large head sizes may not find the adjustability very helpful. This system is also sort of easy to over-tighten, leading to a headache after a couple of hours, so be sure to fine-tune the fit, so it's snug but not applying pressure. In addition to the rear adjustment, the v-yoke slings that go around the ears are easily adjustable, which isn't the case with the Black Diamond helmets, as is the chin strap.
Weight
Our large size Meteor weighed 8.5 ounces on our independent scale, roughly average among EPS foam helmets.
This weight is relatively light, but nowhere near as light as the very lightest choices available. That said, its EPS and polycarbonate construction is still over four ounces lighter than the ABS plastic choices, which may not seem like all that much on paper, but is quite significant when on the head.
Ventilation
With 21 ventilation holes spread out over the front, sides, and rear of the helmet, the Meteor is one of the most ventilated helmets that you can choose.
In particular, there are two large and wide vents on the front of the helmet, a location that seems to have a greater bearing on how cool one feels while wearing it, as it allows wind or air to enter over the forehead and pass out the sides or rear of the helmet.
Headlamp Attachment
We found the headlamp attachment system on this helmet to be one of the best. It features two low-profile orange clips with small teeth on the front that are relatively flexible and easy to slide a headlamp strap up underneath. On the back of the helmet is found a single V-shaped elastic bungee held in place with a small hook that closes over the top of a headlamp strap, and can hold ski goggle straps in place.
We like this versatile system, which holds both ski goggles and headlamps alike.
Durability
We can't comment on the long-term durability of this helmet, or how durable it is when taking a long fall where you hit your head or when a rock lands on the helmet. However, this helmet does meet both CE and UIAA specs for climbing helmets and is also CE certified as a ski mountaineering helmet. We can say that its polycarbonate shell, designed to protect the EPS foam beneath from daily abuse, is thick and sturdy, and doesn't show a single blemish after our testing period.
Compared to the polycarbonate shells found on Black Diamond helmets, which become very easily dinged and dented from just setting them on the ground, the shell of this helmet seems much harder and more durable. We didn't feel the need to be overly protective about babying it in our pack or when setting it on the ground. Be aware, however, that EPS foam can crack and break when absorbing the impact from a blow, so be sure to carefully check your helmet if something happens to it, and retire it after sustaining a significant impact.
Value
This helmet is not cheap, but is right around average for a lighter weight EPS foam helmet. There are several other helmets in this review that have a similar design and price. However, among these, we feel the Meteor is the best, and so think it presents solid value.
Conclusion
The Petzl Meteor wins our Best Bang for the Buck award for lightweight helmets because it offers good value while still cutting down on weight as much as possible. If you need a new helmet, want something light, but don't want to buy the most expensive one you can find, then the Meteor is an ideal choice for you.
— Andy Wellman