In this blog: I bought the new Sandbox helmet with certified hard foam liner, so let’s test it out in this Sandbox helmet review.
Since their original release, Sandbox helmets have been insane popular.
In recent years, Sandbox has updated their classic brimmed Sandbox helmets to add a new model, so let’s see how the new sandbox helmet holds up.
Sandbox Helmet – A look at their new liner:
If there was one drawback of the original Sandbox helmet, it’s that they weren’t safety certified for snowboarding. It was a standard hard hat design with soft padding on the inside, but there was no safety certification for those helmets.
That original Sandbox helmet model is still for sale, which I reviewed here, but this season I picked up the certified version which includes a hard eps foam core that’s safety certified for sports like snowboarding.
Here’s a look at the different liners.
Original soft EVA foam liner:
New certified hard EPS foam liner:
Basically, they took the old liner out and put a new certified hard foam liner in it’s place. So how does the helmet perform with the new liner? Let’s break it down.
Appearance:
Firstly, it looks exactly the same as previous Sandbox helmets, which means it still sports the same low-profile design and the same baseball brim that originally made Sandbox helmets so popular.
From the outside, you can’t tell the helmet apart from the original soft liner Sandbox helmet. It looks identical to my previous uncertified Sandbox helmet.
I’ve always loved the colors available for Sandbox helmets and I’m happy to say that this helmet keeps with their tradition of having a wide range of color options.
The color choices range from your standard black or white, up to brighter colors like blue and light green or even colorful designs such as rasta or camo.
What’s in the box:
As well as the helmet, you also get:
- 3 sets of different sized fitting pads (thin, medium, thick) to fine tune the fit of your helmet
- Removable goggle clip
- Removable ear pads
- Sandbox stickers
Fit & Comfort:
Just like the previous models, the helmet comes in 2 sizing options:
- Small to Medium
- Large to Extra-Large
I went with the small/medium fit and was able to get a nice snug fit after swapping out some of the fitting pads. Depending on your head size, you may have to mix and match the foam fitting pads to get the perfect fit for your head.
Is it as comfortable as the original soft foam liner?
It’s not as comfortable as my original Sandbox helmet with the soft eva foam liner, but that was to be expected when I swapped to the new certified hard foam liner.
If you currently use any helmet with a hard foam liner, the feel is basically the same (since almost all certified helmets use the same hard foam lining anyway).
Overall, it’s still comfortable to wear all day long and it didn’t shift when I was riding throughout the day, so I’m pleased with the fit and comfort of the helmet.
Goggle compatibility:
The nice bonus of having a brim on the helmet is that it covers any gaps between your helmet and goggles. That way you don’t get the infamous gaper gap on your forehead.
The fit with my goggles is exactly the same as my previous uncertified Sandbox helmet (which is excellent):
Overall it fits with every goggle that I’ve tried, but if you want to be safe I always recommend taking your goggles with you when you try on helmets.
Helmet Durability:
Outer shell:
Just like the original Sandbox helmet, the outer shell is thin, hard plastic, which basically means it’s indestructible. I’ve fallen on my head, run into branches, trees and rails and the outer shell has never cracked.
I can’t realistically see a way for anyone to break or crack the outer shell unless you want to wack it with a sledgehammer.
Inner EPS hard foam liner:
Since it’s your standard hard foam liner, the foam liner will crack if you take a hard hit, but that’s exactly what it’s meant to do.
Helmets with hard foam liners are designed to absorb impact and reduce the force on your head. If you crack the foam liner, that means it’s saved your head from getting a big knock, which is exactly what you want.
Obviously this means once you take a big hit that cracks your liner, you need a new helmet, but this is the same for every single snowboard certified helmet available.
Final Thoughts
It’s a great helmet overall. While I wouldn’t recommend it for people who get really hot helmet heads when snowboarding (no vents), for everyone else it’s a great helmet that allows me to ride all day long in comfort.
The bottom line is it’s the original Sandbox helmet that everyone loved, but it now has a snowboard certified hard foam liner to keep your head safe.
If you’re in the market for a low-profile, non egg-head looking helmet, I can definitely recommend the updated Sandbox helmet with the certified hard foam liner.
Hope you found this Sandbox helmet review helpful, let me know if you have any questions on the helmet.
– Jed