Ovation v. Tipperary Schooling Helmets: a Head to Head Comparison

True Confession: I’ve been in the market for a replacement schooling helmet for a while now, ever since I accidentally abandoned mine, an Ovation, at a barn where I took one riding lesson a couple years ago. Womp, womp.

Spoiler alert: Both helmets reviewed here are under $100!

I had good intentions to drive the 20ish miles to retrieve my helmet, but didn’t want to have the awkward conversation about how I was just there to get my helmet, not to take more lessons or move my horse there. I rationalized leaving it because it was approaching its 5-year expiration date.

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Casual schooling helmet selfie in Mom’s kitchen.

A trip home to the Midwest to visit family this summer was the impetus to finally order a new schooling helmet. My suitcase was stuffed, and I didn’t want to take my Samshield with me in the event I would forget that at an out of state barn. I needed the helmet to arrive when I did, so I jumped on Amazon to see what was out there, ending up with TWO helmets since I figured at least one would arrive during my Chicagoland stay.

I knew this Ovation schooling helmet was a great option since I’ve owned it previously, but then I came across this Tipperary helmet which had a 5-star rating, fantastic reviews and a very reasonable price tag as well. I justified ordering both helmets thinking at least one would arrive in time for me to do some riding, which, in the end, never happened. 🙁

Is it an illusion that makes the Tipperary look smaller?

Need a pep talk on wearing a helmet? Read 7 Reasons to Always Wear a Riding Helmet.

Ovation Schooling Helmet

What I noticed right away is there have been a few upgrades since I bought my first Ovation helmet several years ago. First, there is Scotchlite reflective material piping along the design of the top of the helmet. I thought it was just a cute stripe, but it’s meant to enhance visibility in a dusk/dark riding situation.

Do you notice the gray piping/stripe? That’s reflective.

Also, this Ovation Unisex Sync Riding Helmet sports a removable Coolmax liner which can be washed! Bonus!

The removable liner is an upgrade from my Ovation from days of yore.

Another up side to the Ovation Sync is the price tag. At the time of this writing, the helmet is just under $80. That’s a great value for a smart looking, comfortable helmet.

I already knew it had a dial adjustment on the back which makes it great for sizing it snugly to your particular head size. Although I love my Charles Owen for it’s traditional look and my Samshield for its comfort, I still feel like I can get a more customizable fit with the Ovation Sync. It allows for different hairstyles (ponytail out, hair up in a hairnet a la hunter style, or a possible future haircut!).

I have to admit, I kinda love the dial helmets for comfort’s sake.

The Ovation comes in a few colors, I opted for black, but the navy one was shipped to me. It’s cute and I’m going to keep it. Now let’s move on to the Tipperary Sportage.

Tipperary Schooling Helmet

When I took the Tipperary Sportage riding helmet out of the box, I thought there had been a mistake! It looked like a kiddie helmet, as its profile appears smaller than the Ovation. I examined the helmet’s tag–sure enough, it was a large.

Those vents are sensational! And I love their logo.

Then I noticed all the vents! There are so many of them, and they’re fairly wide. When I read the reviews on Amazon, that was one repeated theme: the Tipperary Sportage is a great helmet for summer riding because it allows your head to stay fairly cool. (Click here to read the 5-star reviews for yourself.)

Notice how this helmet comes down lower on the back of the skull.

When I tried on the Tipperary, I noticed that it comes down lower on the back of my head. That made me pause to ponder why my other helmets don’t fit that way. It would seem like a helmet that covers more surface area of your head would be the safest.

The Tipperary Sportage doesn’t have an adjustable dial, but it did include extra padding that you can use to help get a more custom fit to your noggin. At the time of this writing, this Sportage is priced at just under $90.

Extra pieces included with the Tipperary. One was already inside, so there are four total.

I was so excited about both of these affordable, cool (as in all the vents, and they’re both nice looking) helmets and posted on Instagram. Blog buddy Heather Wallace (a.k.a. The Timid Rider) said she has a Tipperary. Later when I followed up with her to see what she likes about it she said she looked for a long time to find a helmet that fit her oval head. She likes the Tipperary because “it’s comfortable and snug. More importantly, it makes me feel more confident and protected.”

I am happy with both choices, and think it’s good to have a second helmet around since my sister who used to ride with me probably needs to start riding again now that her kids are grown. Her previous helmet has met its expiration date.

I realize it’s anti-climactic that I didn’t even get a chance to ride in the Tipperary or Ovation helmets during my stay. However, I left them both in the good care of my mom. I’ll return to visit soon and it’s comforting to know I have two great, affordable riding helmet options awaiting me. My Samshield gets to stay in California, where there’s no dread of the coming winter. 🙂

Thanks for reading and tally ho! 

Leave a Comment: Do you ride in different helmets depending on the weather or schooling v. showing? Do you have a helmet you like to take when traveling? Please share your experiences with us in the comments section. 

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