Best Electric Scooter Protective Gear (in 2023)

Electric Scooters are so convenient! All you do is hop on and enjoy the ride. As with all rides, however, there is still the risk of incurring serious injuries and body damage. The ride may require less effort because of the electric motor, but the pavement or road remains as hard and uncompromising as ever. Safety still remains a major concern. The best way to avoid injuries is to wear protective gear. In fact, the safety gear should be bought at the same time as the electric scooter, especially if you’re a novice. You most definitely do not want your first excursion to the park to include flying limbs and physical pain. This can be worse when everybody is staring open-mouthed, wondering what you were thinking. Putting on safety gear to protect yourself should be second nature and automatic. Even that quick trip to the corner on a quick errand could be hazardous. Believe me; most accidents happen when safety gear is not used. Murphy’s Law states that if something can go wrong, it will. Reduce the chances of something going wrong and it probably won’t or, if it’s just not your day, you’ll come out of it in one piece. In this article, we have gone to great lengths to research and verify the best and most reliable protective gear for safe electric scooter riding. What’s more, we’ve also ensured that the products we present, while safe, still look neat.

The basic safety gear while riding an electric scooter is a helmet. Injuries to the head can be life-threatening. A good pair of gloves completes the list of basic safety equipment. A Kevlar Hoddie provides solid protection while still looking normal. Knee and elbow pads are also vital as these joints also take the brunt of the impact in a fall. All gear presented here has been tested and proven to be safe. As a plus, it’s all very fashionable and cool.

Why do we need protective gear while riding an electric scooter?

Accidents.

Electric Scooters tend to whiz around at high speed and sudden changes of direction are the rule rather than the oddity. Now add an electric motor to the scooter and both these factors are multiplied exponentially, increasing the chances of something going horribly wrong in the blink of an eye. The chances of injuries happening in contact with the hard tarmac are real.

But when do these crashes happen and how can they be avoided? With electric scooters, accidents happen when riders:

• Ride beyond their skills level by going too fast or trying new stunts, causing loss of control and falls.
•  Ride on irregular surfaces that they’re not accustomed to and that the scooter is probably not designed for.
• Ride on slippery, wet surfaces, in rain or sleet.
• Run into obstructions such as pedestrians, bikers, skaters, cars, pets or other scooter-riders.
• Lose control of the scooter due to technical problems such as brake failure.

Most common injuries

Since electric scooters only just started to draw attention to itself in the mainstream public a few years ago, we haven’t collected enough data to surely say which are the most common injuries. However, we have 3 types of sports that are very related to riding an electric scooter and these are: scootering, cycling and skating. 

The most common injuries among scooter riders, cyclists and skaters, are:

• Head Injuries: These are the most dangerous injuries in scooter riding. Injuries to the head could involve hospital admission, surgery, and concussion, temporary – or permanent – impairment or, in extreme cases, even death. They typically happen when the scooter meets an unexpected obstruction; a rock or pothole can send a rider flying head-first into the hard tarmac
  
• Abrasions and bruises: Falling onto hard pavement can cause painful grazes and contusions.
  
• Injuries to the Joint: Typically involving the wrists, elbows shoulders, knees and, sometimes, hips. These typically occur when a rider loses balance and falls while trying to recover.

To learn more about staying safe while riding your electric scooter, check this out: (https://www.hindawi.com/journals/emi/2014/924381/)

Now, let’s take a closer look at the protective gear you need to keep you safe.

Best Helmets for Riding on an Electric Scooter

A helmet is the most important piece of safety gear when riding an electric scooter. It protects the skull, brain, and neck from injury and is therefore crucial. In fact, in some localities, it is mandatory by law to wear a helmet when out riding. Electric scooters whiz around at pretty high speeds, compared to traditional scooters, and this should be taken into account when considering the type of helmet to buy.

While no formal standards have as yet been set for electric scooter helmets, a good strategy is to consider the conditions you’ll be riding in on a day to day basis. For low speed – below 20mph or 32 km/h – a good bicycle helmet should be sufficient. For speeds above 20mph, a downhill longboard helmet will be the safest option.

Factors to consider while establishing levels of risk include:

• Weather conditions: Riding in wet conditions (snow or rain) increases the risk level. Weather also affects visibility.
• Traffic: Whether on a road or riding path, the density of traffic; other riders, cars and trucks, pedestrians and animals all affect the level of accident risk.
• Speed: As with all forms of movement, higher speeds represent higher risks of something going wrong simply due to the fact that you have less time to react to incidents. The higher the speed, the less control you have.
• Riding conditions: Riding on uneven surfaces or on congested roads without dedicated riding lanes is a higher risk.
• Skill level: It depends a lot on your experience and skill level

Whatever the riding conditions, the rule of thumb is: NEVER, EVER GO RIDING WITHOUT A HELMET.

I cannot stress enough the importance of proper headgear! It will save your life!
Check out my complete guide on the best electric scooter helmets.

Triple 8 Dual Certified

This helmet is Dual Certified for bike and skate. It complies with US CPSC Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets, age 5 and Older, and ASTM F-1492-08 Safety Standards for skateboarding. Triple 8 combined all their helmet tech knowhow into this timeless shape. They also offer a model with the patented MIPS tech low-friction layer to reduce rotational forces caused by angled impacts. The shape, fit and function of the helmet were designed in conjunction with riders in longboarding, BMX, derby, and commuting.

The Triple 8 Dual Certified also complies with AS/NZS 2063 – Bicycle Helmets and CE EN 1078 – pedal cycling, skateboarding & roller-skating helmets, Standards.

What is MIPS: A revolutionary new standard in helmet safety. Developed by brain surgeons and scientists to reduce rotational forces during angled impacts to the head.

Price – $29.23 – $99.95 (size and MIPS included dependant)
Check the price here on Amazon.

Thousand Helmet

This is a lightweight helmet weighing 410g (S), 450g(M) and 490g(L) and meets CPSC & CE EN 1078 Standards. Features include 2 sets of interior padding for custom fitting and a secret pop lock that lets you lock the helmet on your scooter.

For those who are spoilt for choice between the sizes, the smaller one is recommended for a snug fit.

Price: $90
Check this model here on Amazon.

Lumos Matrix

The popular Lumos helmet has now an upgraded model. The Matrix has a bigger LED Panel at the back of the helmet with which you even can “program” your backlighting modes. With handlebar-mounted wireless turn indicators and 10-hour battery life, the Lumos Matrix weighs a mere 580g! That’s extremely light when you take into consideration the amount of tech and safety features included. The helmets can also connect to the Lumos App, and share data with Apple Health/Google Fit. Check it out on their website.

As if all this cool tech isn’t enough, Lumos helmets also carry a host of Safety Certifications; four in all – CPSC/F1492/EN1078/AS2063! Ride easy, your cranium is guaranteed cool looks and VIP security.

Price: $270 – $290
Check it out here on Amazon.

TSG Pass

The TSG Pass is one of the most popular full-face helmets on the market today, and can you blame the people for buying it? For maximum safety, a full-face helmet is best. The TSG Pass covers your precious cranium dual-certified protection. Rated as the best Longboard Downhill helmet by the International Downhill Federation, the TSG Pass also boasts a large field of view on top of the badass looks!

Price: $290 on Amazon
Price: €260 on their website

Bell Super 3R (MIPS)

The Super 3R gives you a half lid combined with a full-face helmet. It has a unique removable chin bar, giving you almost two helmets in one. You can remove and carry the chin bar in a bag during long rides, then lock it into place for that addest boost of confidence for fast rides or on dangerous terrain.  The easy, tool-free installation and removal process only takes seconds. The Bell 3R has breakaway screws to ensure that if you take a hard fall, the visor will break away to avoid an outstretching neck. It comes with a goggle guide adjustable visor system and has an integrated breakaway camera mount.

• The Bell Super 3R MIPS has two safety certifications: CE EN1078, CPSC Bicycle
• Price- $209.95 – $325.00 (size dependant)
• Check the current price on Amazon here.

What to Look for when Choosing an Electric Scooter Helmet

• Compliance with safety standards (Official Certifications – verifiable)
• Weight & general fit
• Field of view
• Ventilation – air vents and cooling
• Sweat liners
• Looks and Design
• Pocket-friendliness

BEWARE! Not all helmets are made equal! There are masses of helmets on the market. An online search produces all sorts of helmet shapes, sizes, colors, designs and prices, accompanied by claims and guarantees of safety and durability. The shocking fact is that a good number of these claims are completely false. The number of officially tested and certified safety products is in the minority and it is the rider’s responsibility to root out the fakes and get gear that will actually perform what the manufacturer claims. Remember; your insurer will only cover claims where the proper equipment and conditions are involved! This means that legally certified equipment will be slightly pricier than uncertified stuff, as the manufacturers have to use more expensive processes to meet standards and pay for testing, the cost of which is passed on to the consumer. In the long run, this is always worth the extra expense.

While there are a ton of helmet options available on the market, I have narrowed it down to a few manageable trustworthy choices. I researched a lot and wrote a comprehensive guide on the electric scooters helmets and which one to buy. 

I think all of these hit the sweet medium between style and comfort.

The Fit:

A properly fitting helmet should:

• Be comfortable to wear flat on the head and low on the forehead.
• Have side straps that form a “V” shape under the chin, leaving very little room for movement.
• Have a tight but easy-to-unfasten buckle.
• Have removable inside pads that can be adjusted so the fit is snug.
• Not move around when you move your head.
• Have sufficient ventilation to prevent heat build-up.
• Have sweat absorption surfaces, especially to prevent sweat flowing into the eyes.

Check out also my Definitive guide on the Best Electric Scooter Helmets!

Best Electric Scooter Armored Hoodie

When riding, the possibility of a fall is always there. It’s important to protect your torso during your ride, hence the armored hoodie. When looking for an armored hoodie, it is important to keep in mind:

• Protection
• Size
• Looks
• Comfort
• Price

Lazyrolling Armored Hoodie

The Lazyrolling armored hoodie is the perfect way to protect your torso from scratches and bruises. With comfort in mind, the hoodie has a relaxed fit while being very well protected. Underneath the basic outer layer, the inner lining is 100% full DuPont Kevlar. The cloth is specifically designed to be comfortable through a wide range of movements. The Hoodie incorporates 5 padded areas in a sleek, low profile design. With inner partitions at elbows, shoulders and back, made for our certified Level CE 1 pads and back protection. 

There are waterproof pockets for your phone, keys, and any other items you may have. In addition, there are zippers creating an airflow system for temperature regulation. The hoodie itself is not cheap compared to a normal hoodie, but when you look at the value of the protection it’s quite affordable. There are a few add-on packages if you’re looking to be as careful as possible. It also comes in a large array of sizes, and two pleasant shades of black and grey. If you fall with this hoodie on, you’ll hit the street back on impact.

Check price on Lazyrolling’s website.
Use the discount code “E-SKATEBOARDER” to get $20 off.

If you want to know more about the Hoodie, check out our Lazyrolling Armored Hoodie Review here.

Best Electric Scooter Gloves and Wrist Guards

In the event of a fall whenever riding a two-wheeler such as a cycle or a scooter, our reflex is to stretch our arms out to soften the impact. As a result, our hands, wrists, forearms, and elbows are likely to suffer injury. In stumbles and minor falls, the injuries are usually more irritating than serious, but we need our hands in serviceable condition all the time to take selfies, operate the remote control, brush our teeth and everything else and so having even minor bruises can be a nuisance. Therefore, it is important that hands have protection when we’re out riding.

The best way to keep hands safe is with gloves and wrist guards. Properly designed gloves not only protect the hands and fingers from physical damage, but they also insulate them from extremes of temperature in bad weather and also provide surfaces that ensure that give good grip on control surfaces, in the case of the electric scooter being the throttle and brakes.

The most important feature of gloves and wrist bands is that they absorb the impact in case of a tumble and slide on the surface, be it concrete, tarmac or grass. This saves the hands from abrasions and other damage. Top class gloves and wrist guards have plastic caps and buds that are designed to slide in such a way.

Flatland3D Pro E-Skate Gloves

With a long history of producing innovative protective biking gloves, Knox now offers a new range of gloves especially for e-boarders and –riders. These gloves feature the patented SPS – Scaphoid (wrist bone prone to breaking) Protection System – designed to protect the hand and wrist by adding two sliders to the palm of the glove. As a plus, the glove features a built-in one-directional flexible wrist late, which prevents hyperextension by allowing bending forwards but not backwards. The wrist guard is detachable, but the fact that it is built-in saves the time and effort it would take to wear both accessories separately. Normally, skate gloves have been fingerless to allow e-skate riders to feel the remote control with their fingertips. For electric scooter riders, they provide a feeling of security in being able to feel the control surfaces – handlebars, throttle, and brakes. They have SPS built-in just like Pro E-Skate gloves and have a clever terrycloth thumb panel for wiping the helmet visor. You can get them on flatland3d’s website.

• Price: $65
• Link to Website: flatland3d.com
• Use the coupon code “E-SKATEBOARDER” to get 10% off flatland3d products!

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How to Choose Electric Scooter Gloves

• Level of protection
• Comfort
• Sizing/fit
• Material
• Look
• Price

Check out also my Extensive Guide on the Best Electric Scooter Gloves and Wrist Guards!

Any quality pair of gloves or wrist guards will slide on the asphalt if you take a spill. This will convert most of the impact energy into a controlled slide, therefore relieving your hands and wrists of a very painful endeavor. Look out for plastic caps and parts on the glove or wrist guards for sliding!

Best Knee and Elbow Pads for Electric Scootering

When you do take a tumble, as everyone does at some point, after you absorb the impact on your hands, the next part of your body to hit the ground will probably be your knees. What’s more, you’re likely to roll over, even if it’s just to get back up. With this in mind, you’ll want to have those vital joints protected. Taking a hit on the knee can be painful and debilitating and a direct impact on the outside of the elbow, right on the joint, will probably leave you without the use of your hand(s) for a while. I did some research, and the best ones are as follows. 

187 Killer Pads Pro Knee Pads

187 Killer Pads have been on the scene for at least ten years. A family-owned business that started small, 187 Killer Pads is now a go-to brand for skaters, eboarders, and eriders globally.

187 Killer Pads Pro Elbow Pads

These pads were designed and made by and for people who are in the industry. The pads surround and cushion the elbow, while still remaining comfortable. Extra thick padding protects against impacts, but the design also allows for free movement.

What to Look for When Choosing Knee and Elbow Pads for electric scootering

Adequate protection is vital for your knees and elbows. These are probably the most mobile joints in your body while riding. The pads should provide protection without being so bulky that movement is impeded or uncomfortable.

Features to look out for when selecting knee and elbow pads:

• Soft- or hard-shell
• Sizing and fit
• Comfort
• Quality – Brand reputation
• Cooling and sweat liners
• Looks and Design
• Price

A key feature in knee and elbow pads is protection level and ability to eliminate sticky friction and slide instead. After all, when you take a tumble, you don’t want something that will stick you to the ground like a magnet; that could cause more harm than good. Skidding over tarmac or concrete spends the energy of the fall and, with good protection, minimizes the damage.

Best Electric Scooter Lights

It is important to remain visible whenever out on the road. While high-visibility jackets may be adequate in clear weather conditions during the daytime, sometimes you find yourself out at night, on a dark road, in foggy or rainy weather. A jacket just won’t do in such conditions. That’s where lights come in. These are usually LED lights. Not only are they very bright and sharp, but they also consume very little power and so can last a long time.

The lights can be fitted into clothing, or onto the scooter, arm and leg bands, backpacks; wherever they will draw attention and alert other road users of your presence and location.

Helmet Lights

The best helmet lights for electric scooters are the Shred Lights SL-200. They’re radiant, easy to install and remove, water-resistant, shock and vibration proof, and (and this is the best part) are available for a fair price. You can check them out at Shredlight’s Website.

Turn Signal Widget

This handy LED turn signal widget comes with a wireless controller that can be attached to the handlebar of your scooter. The widget itself can be attached anywhere; on your backpack, your own back in case you don’t have a backpack.

LED Vest

Reflective vests with LED lights are extremely visible in every direction. They were actually made for runners and cyclists, but are also perfect for electric scooter riders too, seeing as they all occupy roughly the same territory of road. LED Vests offer double visibility with a reflective vest surface also carrying multi-color optic LED lights with 360-degree coverage. Some light can flash and change color as well.

LED Armband

Again, a product originally designed for runners and cyclists, but perfect eriders. These LED armbands come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. They are a handy and visibility tool to have and can also be used to make hand signals in case of emergency. The armband that people like the most on Amazon is this one.

Conclusion

The pace at which technology is developing means that Electric Scooters will soon have the range and utility that used to be the province of motorcycles. As a result, the scooters will be out on the road with other, larger vehicles instead of occupying parks and recreational facilities. This will have great impacts on urban mobility and productivity, with a corresponding reduction in pollution and congestion on the roads.

Hand in hand with this must go the responsibility of claiming the road territory and making sure it is safe. While the relevant urban and national authorities have a role to play in setting regulations, the prime responsibility for Safe Electric Scooter Riding starts and rests with the rider as an individual and as a community.

So… what?

Old habits die hard, or so the saying goes. This applies to bad and good habits in equal measure. You wouldn’t drive around without putting on your safety belt, would you? Apart from avoiding the heavy fines imposed by the authorities, we all know of incidents where very nasty things have happened that could have been avoided if someone had snapped their seatbelt on, Today, it is almost automatic to put the belt on; we do it without thinking. So should it be with your helmet as a rider of an Electric Scooter. Make it an automatic habit to wear your helmet. If you have to remind yourself, go ahead and do so. Don’t wait till you have an accident or you witness one, either. Push yourself! I assure you, within no time, your head will feel naked if you ride without your headgear; that can only be good for you.

Now it’s your turn!

Which piece of safety gear are you looking forward to own?

Let me know by a quick comment below. Enjoy the ride!