Abstract: A protective helmet suitable for safe use by a person having long hair is disclosed. The helmet includes an outer dome-shaped shell of impact-resistant material configured to fit on the head of a wearer. A liner affixed to the inside of the shell snugly positions the helmet on the head and dissipates impact forces received by the outer shell. A hair-entraining passage formed in the rear portion of the helmet is sized to enable the wearer's hair to be gathered and controllably guided thereby. The passage may be defined by a bulge in the helmet shell or by an aperture formed therethrough. The aperture is sized small enough to prevent harmful impact penetration of an object such as a ball, hockey puck or the like with the wearer's head.

Abstract: A protective helmet suitable for safe use by a person having long hair is disclosed. The helmet includes an outer dome-shaped shell of impact-resistant material configured to fit on the head of a wearer. A liner affixed to the inside of the shell snugly positions the helmet on the head and dissipates impact forces received by the outer shell. An aperture formed through the rear portion of the helmet is sized to enable the wearer's hair to be gathered and entrained therethrough, but is sized small enough to prevent harmful impact penetration of an object such as a ball, hockey puck or the like with the wearer's head.