My old Schwinn helmet is older than me in helmet years. I will be going more places, going faster, and safety standards are about two generations newer so it's time for an upgrade.
First of all, Check out the amazing work Virginia Tech does on rating ALL types of helmets at
https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/index.html. Note that there is a new(2001+) safety system called MIPS which stands for Multidirectional Impact Protection System and it's all about slowing down the rate at which your head sees the energy of an impact. Turns out an extra 10-15 milliseconds is a huge plus for your brain. Read about it here:
https://www.evo.com/guides/mips-helmet-technology
Sooo - The VA Tech gang also RATES helmets on the website by how well they absorb force. It turns out you can buy a helmet with VERY high force protective numbers for $200-300 but yikes! It also turns out that you can buy one with a comparable GREAT rating for ---$50! The Specialized Align II. I popped for one today from backcountry.com with free shipping! Amazeballs!
FYI - no financial interest in any of this...
I have a lower rated Nutcase helmet and wear it mostly because I like it (Cats in space) and it fits me pretty good. I always try my helmets on in person. Now I was directed to the same article and tried the Align II and didn't like the fit. It's hard to explain but it didn't feel natural in any way on my head. So I'll stick to cats floating on my head instead. But if the Align II fits you well, I take it you tried one on first, post up a mini review after some miles.
$50 for a MIPS helmet - sounds like a good deal to me! Thanks for sharing, I was not aware of VA Tech rating helmets either.