Petzl has finalized their 360-degree protection story so that as of Spring 2020, all their helmets will feature side and back protection in addition to the normal top protection required by current helmet standards. In a real life climbing situation, you aren’t always hit by falling debris directly from above and if you should fall, you can hit your head in many ways — this is why Petzl decided to up the protection factor in all of their helmets.
The Petzl Elia—the last women’s specific helmet from the brand—doesn’t currently feature side and back protection. But the new women’s specific Borea for Spring 2020 will have this in place.
The women’s climbing helmet makes use of a hybrid construction with an EPP foam on the inside (the same material used in the Sirocco helmet) with an EPS foam crown to enable the helmet to be more streamlined along the top. An ABS shell covers the entire outside of the helmet to add a level of durability.
For all of us women who wear pony tails when we climb, the internal headband is recessed in the back to accomodate wearing your hair up.
Expect the Borea to retail for a similar price to the current men’s Boreo at $70.