MIPS vs WaveCel Helmets Explained
If you are buying a snowboard helmet, two technologies come up again and again: MIPS and WaveCel. Both address the same problem, the rotational forces that do the real damage to your brain in a crash. Most snowboard impacts are not straight on. You hit the snow or a rail at an angle, and that twisting motion is what causes the worst brain injuries. Here is what each technology actually does, and whether you need it.
The short version
- Both systems exist to reduce rotational force, the twisting impact that causes the most serious brain injuries.
- MIPS is a low-friction slip plane that lets the shell rotate roughly 10 to 15mm on your head. It is licensed across more than 100 brands, and in snow we stock it in Anon and Giro.
- WaveCel is a collapsible cell structure that flexes, crumples then glides. In snow it is exclusive to Anon.
- Either beats neither. The price step up is small compared with what it is protecting.
- Fit beats technology. A properly fitted helmet with no rotational system protects you better than a badly fitted one that has it.
- If you are unsure: find the helmet that fits your head best first, then take whichever system that model comes with. Start with all snowboard helmets.
What Is MIPS?
MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. It first arrived in winter sports in 2010 and is now considered a benchmark in ski and snowboard head protection, licensed across more than 100 helmet brands, including ones we stock like Anon and Giro.
The system is a low-friction slip plane built into the helmet, sitting between the comfort padding and the outer shell. At the moment of an angled impact, it allows the shell to rotate slightly, around 10 to 15mm, relative to your head. That small amount of movement is designed to reduce the rotational energy transferred to your brain.
If you already know MIPS is what you want, the MIPS helmet range shows in-stock MIPS models, and all snowboard helmets shows the full lineup including WaveCel.
Why Rotational Force Matters
Most real-world impacts happen at an angle rather than straight on. Scientific research shows the human brain is especially sensitive to rotation. An angled hit creates strain on brain tissue that can cause serious, lasting damage. A standard helmet handles straight-on (linear) impacts well, but does little for the twisting motion of an angled crash. MIPS is built specifically to manage that rotational energy by letting the helmet move independently of your head for a fraction of a second.
What Is WaveCel?
WaveCel is a different approach to the same problem, available for snow exclusively in Anon helmets. Instead of a slip plane, it is a collapsible cellular structure that lines the inside of the helmet, a network of hundreds of interconnected cells that behave like shock absorbers between your head and the outer shell.
It works like the crumple zone of a car, absorbing and redirecting impact energy before it reaches your head, and managing rotational force at the same time.
How WaveCel Works: Flex, Crumple, Glide
WaveCel goes through a three-step change in structure on impact:
- Flex: The cells first flex to reduce the initial friction forces.
- Crumple: Then the cells crumple like a car bumper, absorbing the force of the impact.
- Glide: Finally the structure glides to redirect rotational energy away from your head.
Rotational acceleration, the rapid spin of the head caused by an angled hit, carries a high risk of brain injury, and the glide stage is what WaveCel uses to manage it.
MIPS vs WaveCel: Which Do You Need?
| MIPS | WaveCel | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Low-friction slip plane between the padding and the shell | Collapsible cellular structure lining the inside of the helmet |
| On impact | Shell rotates roughly 10 to 15mm relative to your head | Cells flex, crumple, then glide to redirect energy |
| Snow brand availability | 100+ brands worldwide. We stock Anon and Giro | Anon only |
| Best for | Riders who want the widest choice of fit, shape and price | Riders who fit an Anon shell well and want maximum energy absorption |
| The trade-off | Available almost everywhere, so choose purely on fit | Limits you to one brand's head shape and sizing |
Both technologies target the same thing, reducing the rotational force that causes the most serious brain injuries. They just go about it differently. MIPS uses a slip plane that lets the helmet rotate. WaveCel uses a collapsing cellular structure that crumples and glides.
From a buying standpoint, the practical difference is availability. MIPS is offered across a wide range of brands, so you will find it at most price points and in most helmet styles. WaveCel is exclusive to Anon, so if you want it, you are choosing an Anon helmet.
Either is a genuine upgrade over a helmet with neither, and for the cost difference it is well worth it. Your brain is not the place to save money. But neither technology matters if the helmet does not fit properly. A correctly fitted helmet with no rotational tech protects you better than a badly fitted one that has it. Get the fit right first, then choose the protection system. We fit helmets in store, so come in and we will get you dialled in.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a MIPS helmet for snowboarding?
No, and any certified helmet is far better than none. But MIPS is a genuine upgrade worth having. It targets the angled, twisting impacts that cause the most serious brain injuries, which a standard helmet does little about. If a MIPS model fits you properly and sits in budget, take it.
Is MIPS worth the extra money?
Yes for most riders. The price gap between a helmet with MIPS and the same shell without it is usually small, and it buys protection against the rotational forces that do the worst damage. Fit still matters more, so never size up or down just to get MIPS.
Is WaveCel better than MIPS?
Neither is clearly better. Both reduce rotational force: MIPS with a slip plane that lets the shell rotate slightly, WaveCel with a collapsible cell structure that crumples and glides. The practical difference is choice. MIPS comes in many brands, WaveCel in snow is Anon only.
Which snowboard helmet brands use MIPS?
MIPS is licensed to more than 100 helmet brands worldwide. In snow we stock it in Anon and Giro, across a range of prices and styles from lightweight park lids to fuller coverage freeride shells. WaveCel is exclusive to Anon, so that one is an Anon helmet or nothing.
Does MIPS make a helmet heavier or hotter?
Barely. The slip plane is a thin low-friction layer sitting between the comfort padding and the shell, so it adds very little weight and does not block the vents. Most riders cannot pick the difference on the hill once the helmet is on and adjusted.
How should a snowboard helmet fit?
Snug the whole way round with no single pressure point, and it should not shift when you shake your head with the strap undone. Your goggles need to sit flush against the brow with no gap above them. Walk into our Richmond store and we will size you properly.
Still not sure? Talk to us
We fit helmets and goggles together in store, because a helmet that fits on its own is no good if it leaves a gap above your goggles. No appointment needed and no commission on the floor, so nobody is pushing you up a price bracket.
Twelve Board Store, 435A Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121. Call 03 9421 2293. Orders over $90 ship free Australia-wide.
Shop: All Snowboard Helmets · MIPS Helmets · Anon · Giro
Related guides: How to Choose a Snowboard Helmet · Snowboard Goggle & Lens Guide