Mountaineering is an exhilarating activity that demands the utmost in safety precautions. EN 12492 establishes the safety and testing criteria for mountaineering helmets, ensuring reliable head protection and reduced impact injury risk for users. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) officially published the revised version of EN 12492:2025 Mountaineering equipment - Helmets for mountaineers - Safety requirements and test methods.
Contents:
Key Changes to the standard from EN 12492:2012 to EN 12492:2025
The Main Requirements for EN 12492:2025
Difference between EN 397 and EN 12492
GIS Inspection Expertise in Mountaineering Helmets
What is EN 12492?
EN 12492 Mountaineering equipment - Helmets for mountaineers - Safety requirements and test methods is the European standard for mountaineering and climbing helmets, which has been adopted for work-at-height and rescue helmets as well.
Originally developed for sport climbers and alpinists, it addresses hazards one encounters in vertical or rugged environments – not just falling objects, but also falls by the wearer, swinging impacts into structures, etc.
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) officially published the revised mountaineering helmet standard EN 12492:2025 on 15 October 2025. The new standard will come into force on 30 April 2026, at which point the EN 12492:2012 will be replaced.
EN 12492:2025 specifies requirements and test methods for protective helmets for use in mountaineering intended to protect the head of the user in order to reduce the risk of impact injury. This document is also applicable to protective helmets used in activities with similar hazards as in mountaineering, including, but not limited to, climbing, caving, canyoning, rope courses and via ferrata climbing.
Key Changes to the Standard from EN 12492:2012 to EN 12492:2025
EN 12492:2025 is the standard for testing and certifying mountaineering helmets. It specifies the requirements and test methods for protective helmets used in mountaineering activities, with the objective of protecting the wearer’s head and reducing the risk of impact-related injuries.
The revised standard expands its scope to include activities involving similar hazards, including but not limited to rock climbing, caving, canyoning, rope courses, and via ferrata. It does not apply to ski mountaineering helmets as defined in EN 18100:2025.
EN 12492:2025 includes the following significant technical changes with respect to EN 12492:2012:
- the scope is extended to activities with similar hazards as in mountaineering, including, but not limited to, climbing, caving, canyoning, rope courses and via ferrata climbing; — the helmet positioning index (HPI) (3.9) has been added in the terms and definitions and test methods;
- ergonomic requirements have been added;
- a weight requirement has been added;
- off-crown requirements have been added;
- retention system strength requirements and test method have changed;
- the test method to measure the force transmission has been modified using speed instead of the drop height of the mass;
- the clause ‘Marking’ has been updated and the subclause ‘Labelling’ has been deleted;
- Annex B has been replaced by a new Annex A: ‘Recommendations on the materials and construction for thermal comfort of helmets for mountaineers’;
- the Bibliography has been updated and replaced by the Annex B: ‘Standards on mountaineering equipment’;
- Annex ZA has been updated.
The Main Requirements for EN 12492:2025
EN 12492:2025 outlines the construction requirements and performance requirements for protective helmets used in mountaineering, with the objective of reducing head injury caused by impacts.
Following are the main requirements for EN 12492: 2025.
Construction requirements
- Materials: For those parts of the helmet that come into contact with the skin, materials which are known to be likely to cause skin irritation or any adverse effect on health shall not be used.
- Projections: There shall be no sharp edges, roughness or projection on any part of the helmet which is in contact or potential contact with the wearer when the helmet is worn, such as is likely to cause injury to the wearer.
- Retention system: The helmet shall be fitted with a retention system, including a chin strap. The retention system shall have at least three separate points of attachment to the shell. The chin strap shall be adjustable in length. That part of the chin strap which comes into contact with the jaw shall have a minimum width of 15 mm under a load of 250 N.
- Ventilation: All helmets shall be ventilated. The sum of the cross-sectional areas of such ventilation shall not be less than 4 cm2 when measured on the surface of the helmet.
Performance requirements
- Shock absorption: For vertical energy absorption capacity, When a helmet is tested, the force transmitted to the head form shall not exceed 10 kN, for a drop height of (2 000 ± 10) mm of the hemispherical striker. For front energy absorption capacity, side energy absorption capacity, and rear energy absorption capacity when a helmet is tested, the force transmitted to the head form shall not exceed 10 kN, for a drop height of (500 ± 10) mm of the flat striker.
- Penetration: When a helmet is tested on two points of impact, apart from each other as at least 50 mm, by the method described in 5.6, there shall be no contact between the striker and the headform, for a drop height of (1 000 ± 5) mm of the conical striker.
- Retention system strength: When a helmet is tested by the method described in 5.7, the maximum elongation of the whole system shall not exceed 25 mm.
- Retention system effectiveness (roll off): When a helmet is tested by the method described in 5.8, for the front way and rear way tests, the helmet shall not come off the headform.
This standard ensures that helmets certified to EN 12492 offer robust all-round protection, making them ideal not only for mountaineering but also for industrial work at height where rotational falls and side impacts may occur.
Difference between EN 397 and EN 12492
Compared to EN 397, EN 12492 has stricter or additional requirements in some areas (and looser in others) to reflect its different use case. Here’s what EN 12492 entails:
Multi-directional Impact Protection:
Like EN 397, these helmets are tested for vertical impact (a 5 kg mass dropped), but EN 12492 doubles the drop height to 2 meters. This higher-energy impact allows up to 10 kN of force to be transmitted to the headform (since the impact is more severe).
Moreover, EN 12492 requires additional impact tests on the front, sides, and rear of the helmet (tilting the headform and using appropriate strikers) to ensure protection from angles a climber could hit their head (for instance, swinging into a wall). In all cases, the transmitted force must stay ≤ 10 kN. This means a climbing helmet can absorb significant impact energy from various directions.
Penetration Resistance:
The test method is similar to EN 397 – a 3 kg conical striker dropped from 1 m – with the helmet needing to prevent contact with the headform.
However, under EN 12492 the penetration test can be done on any point around the shell (including the sides), not just the top. This ensures all-around penetration protection, recognizing that in climbing or rope access, falling objects could strike the helmet from above or from the side (e.g. rock fall ricocheting).
Retention System (Chinstrap Strength and Effectiveness):
Here is one of the biggest differences. An EN 12492 helmet must have a chinstrap that stays securely fastened. The chinstrap (and its anchorage) is tested to make sure it does not break under less than 500 N of force (≈ 50 kgf).
In fact, it’s tested by applying a 50 kg load for a defined time – and it must hold. The strap may elongate a bit (up to 25 mm) but must not fail. Additionally, the helmet is strapped onto a test headform and subjected to shock/tug tests to ensure it stays on the head (doesn’t slip off) when pulled.
All this is to simulate a climber falling or being jarred: the helmet should remain in place to protect them throughout a fall or impact. Bottom line: an EN 12492 chinstrap is designed not to release in an accident – the opposite of EN 397’s philosophy.
Ventilation and Design:
Climbing helmets typically have more ventilation – EN 12492 even specifies a minimum vent area of 4 cm² total (and usually they have much more). This is because they assume active, strenuous use where heat dissipation is important (climbing, etc.).
The shells often cover more of the head (down the back of the head and sides) for lateral impact protection. They usually don’t have a brim; a brim could obstruct upward vision when climbing and can catch on ropes.
Instead, they have a rounder, smoother shape. Many EN 12492 helmets incorporate an internal foam layer (EPS foam) similar to bike or ski helmets, in addition to a webbing suspension, to absorb impact energy. Overall, they tend to be lighter weight and lower profile than industrial hard hats, but designed to cradle the head more snugly.
Other Requirements:
EN 12492 includes a field of vision check to ensure the helmet design doesn’t overly impede what the wearer can see. Unlike EN 397, there is no requirement for flame resistance or molten metal in EN 12492 – a climber’s helmet isn’t intended for use in an environment with open flames or hot metal splash.
Also, EN 12492 doesn’t address electrical insulation at all (most climbing helmets have large ventilation openings and many have some metal rivets or clips, so they are not suitable for electrical hazard work unless specifically tested to another standard).
Marking and user information:
As with EN 397, helmets must be CE/UKCA certified by a notified body to EN 12492 for sale in the EU/UK, and they will be marked with EN 12492 inside, along with the manufacturer info, etc. Always check your helmet’s markings to know what standard you’re relying on.
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