The Oakley Mod5 MIPS is an extremely innovative ski and snowboard helmet, and the quality of a product that you would expect from a brand like Oakley. However, there are a few shortcomings to the MOD5 that we feel hold it back from achieving its maximum potential. While we might not take it over our top choices, the Mod5 is still a great helmet in many ways and might be the best ski and snowboard helmet for riders who want maximum compatibility with the widest range of goggles, and Oakley goggles in particular.

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Comfort and Fit

The comfort of the Oakley Mod5 is top notch. Like our top overall pick, the Smith Quantum, the Oakley Mod5 uses a BOA retention system, which offers an unparalleled fit for a wide variety of head shapes. However, Oakley’s integration of the BOA system into the Mod5 is not the best that we have seen and doesn’t quite offer the even pressure found in the Smith Quantum or Giro Range’s retention systems. Sill, it offers a good, snug fit. Furthermore, the earpads on the MOD5 sport a padded, cupped shape, which riders with sensitive ears will be extremely thankful for on long days on the mountain.

Warmth

The Oakley Mod5 is not the most vented ski and snowboard helmet that we reviewed, and under normal circumstances, this might make it among the warmest. However, the cupped earpads which fit so comfortably over the ears are not adjustable, and they don’t fit particularly tight to your cheeks. This leaves a cold draft to rush over your ears on windy days and when shredding down the mountain at high speeds. This might not be a deal breaker, but if you tend to run cold, plan to wear a balaclava or at least a buff with the Oakley Mod5.

Ventilation

Like the Smith Quantum and Giro Range, a big part of the Oakley Mod5’s venting system is dedicated to venting air and moisture away from your goggles, and keeping them fog free. Two vent holes on top of the helmet can be opened or closed using a sliding switch. Meanwhile, the underside of the brim is essentially one big vent hole, which is supposed to suck air in from your goggles, push the air through the helmet cooling your head, and then exit through an assortment of rear vents.

This is all based on having a perfect fit with your goggles, thanks to the Oakley Mod5 MIPS modular brim system.

In the end, the system works pretty well, but it is not the new standard that Oakley likely imagined it to be when they set out to create it, though it might become that with some refinement over the next iteration or two of the Mod5.

Safety Tech and Additional Features

From a safety standpoint, the Oakley Mod5 is your fairly standard ski and snowboard helmet. However, it does integrate a MIPS insert to protect your head from rotational impacts which are believed to be a key factor in the risk/severity of concussions.

The key feature of the Oakley Mod5 is the Modular Brim System for which the helmet is named. Because it is focused on goggle compatibility, we will cover this in the next section.

Finally, the Oakley Mod5 also uses the Fidlock buckle that is convenient on any helmet, but particularly on ski and snowboard helmets because we tend to use them while wearing thickly padded gloves or mittens.

Goggle Compatibility

Oakley’s Modular Brim System is all about saying goodbye to the need to match your helmet with your goggles. The Modular Brim System allows you to swap out different brims to achieve the perfect fit with whatever goggle you are wearing. The Mod5 comes with one small brim and one large brim, which can be easily swapped with a screwdriver. If you tend to match your helmet brand with your goggle brand anyway, then this feature might not mean much to you, but if you want to be free to experiment with and swap out your goggles, it might be just what you have been looking for.

Furthermore, the ventilation system that we mentioned earlier does a great job of keeping goggles fog free.

For a helmet that puts such an emphasis on goggle integration, there is one glaring flaw to the Oakley Mod5, and that is its goggle retaining clip. Numerous riders have reported losing the goggle clip while riding, and losing their goggles as a result. We don’t just pull our goggles off and let them hang from the clip, but if you depend on the clip to hold your goggles in place, then the Oakley Mod5 might not be a great choice. Again, we feel this is doubly a shame for a helmet that is so focused on goggle integration.

Weight

Weighing in at just over 600g, the Mod5 is not a light snow helmet. However, like most of the higher end helmets on our list, those extra grams buy you a plethora of features. It is up to you if those features are worth the added weight or not.

The Bottom Line

The Oakley Mod5 is an extremely unique and extremely innovative helmet. However, we felt that a few flaws kept it from living up to its full potential and really going toe to toe with the Giro Range or Smith Quantum. However, there are bound to be growing pains for a helmet this innovative, particularly one from a company new to the ski and snowboard helmet arena. Over the course of an iteration or two, this Oakley Mod5 has the potential to be the best ski and snowboard helmet on the market.

Finally, with an MSRP of $240 and sale prices around $190 the Mod5 is on par with our top picks as an expensive helmet, though on the cheaper end of them when not on sale.

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