If you live in a cold climate, you know how difficult it can be to keep your ears warm when riding in the winter. While you might be able to fit a hat or headband under your helmet, they interfere with the fit, diminishing the helmet’s ability to protect you in a fall. Some experts recommend never wearing anything underneath your helmet.
One option is to use a helmet cover with ear flaps that fasten under the chin. Kerrie has one that she likes, but she finds that the wind can get into the gap between the ear flap and her ear, so she usually adds a headband.
I came up with an option for the ears, which I make myself – and you can too. It consists of fleece inserts that sit under the triangle created by your helmet straps on the sides of your head.
I like these because they fit snugly against my ears and keep them very warm even on a windy day, and they don’t interfere with my ability to hear. The are so comfortable I don’t even know they are there. You can customize them to exactly fit your helmet. I made my most recent pair out of an old fleece polo wrap, so I didn’t even have to go to the fabric store. Here is how to make them.
Start by tracing the outside shape of the helmet’s ear straps onto a piece of paper.
Cut the paper into a pattern, pin to a piece of fleece such as an old polo wrap, and cut 2 pieces of fleece, about 3/8″ larger than the pattern.
Sew the 2 pieces together, leaving the bottom part unsewn (so you can turn it right-side out).
Turn it right-side out.
Tuck the fabric in the opening under so the cut edges are not showing.
Sew all the way around the edge of the piece, about 3/8″ in.
Cut 2 small strips of the loop side of Velcro (the soft side), which will be attached to the straps of your helmet. You want the soft Velcro on the helmet straps so when you are not using the fleece inserts, the Velcro will not irritate your skin.
Attach the loop (soft side) Velcro strips to both straps on the helmet that form the triangle. I hand stitch them on. I do not believe that sewing impairs the integrity of the straps, since the helmet came with Velcro sewn onto the chin strap. But I could be wrong, nor do I know if this will void the warranty on a helmet, so do this at your own risk. Another option is to use sticky Velcro for attaching to the straps. I find that it doesn’t really stick well, but it’s a good option if you do not want to do anything to the helmet itself, and if you put the inserts in at the beginning of winter and leave them there, this can work just fine.
Sew the hook (rough side) Velcro strips to the fleece warmer so they line up with the Velcro on the helmet straps.
Now simply place the fleece warmer on the inside of the helmet straps, aligning the Velcro.
Make a second one for the other ear and voila – you are done! Pop your helmet on your head and feel how warm and cozy your ears are.
Happy Trails.
Monica
I’ve made a crochet version that slides over the straps. My girls loved them last winter.
What a pity that I didn’t stumble upon your article before the cold snap! Okay, by next season now I will be armed =) Everything looks very simple