A bump cap is a type of headgear safety protection that is designed to protect the wearer from bumps and blows to the head. It is different than a safety helmet as it only covers only the top of the head. It does not cover the ears or neck and it has no brim. In this guide, I ranked and reviewed the 7 best bump caps so that you can pick the best for you.
The 7 best bump caps are Titus, Pyramex, Ergodyne, Moheen, Ironclad, Green Devil, and Lucent Path.
There is a difference between hard hats and bump caps. Hard hats provide further protection from falling or moving objects, whereas bump caps only protect against minor impacts that the wearer may experience while bumping into or knocking against a fixed object.
The bump cap is more comfortable to wear than a hard hat since it is lighter in weight, however, as mentioned earlier, they don’t provide as much protection as a hard hat and therefore a bump cap should never be used whenever there is a requirement for hard hat protection.
Bump caps are tested to a different standard than hard hats and are not OSHA approved and they should be used only when there is a need to protect the head from minor bumps. Safety helmets are usually used on construction sites where there is a big risk of falling objects, while bump caps are usually used in workshops and warehouses where the risk of falling objects is limited.
The bump cap is still considered a PPE and has its benefits whenever you need to protect the employee’s head from stationary objects in tight areas.
However, there is a European standard for bump caps (EN 812 standards), This European Standard specifies requirements, methods of test, and marking requirements for industrial bump caps
Let’s get started reviewing the best Bump Caps available in the market.
Comparison of Best Bump Caps
What are the best bump caps?
Here are my picks for the best bump caps to keep your head safe from bumping or knocking against fixed objects.
1- Titus
Titus bump caps are one of the best in the market, they are stylish while providing the required protection for your head from minor bumps. The outer layer is made from cotton and has openings on the side to allow ventilation and to keep you comfortable during the hot summer days. It comes in many different colors, and their size almost fits all sizes (could be a little bit for small-sized heads). But in general, it is one of the best bump caps out on the market.
This cap is also well priced and pretty affordable, you could find more durable caps on the market but this one is durable enough for any light activities where comfort is a priority.
2- Pyramex
Pyramex bump caps are made of polyethylene material, they look more like a hard hat, however, they are only meant to protect from minor bumps and scraps. They are more durable than other bump caps on the market however they have weaknesses when it comes to breathability and comfort. (also they might not look like the coolest caps in town!)
So if you work in a low-temperature area and care about durability at a pretty good price, then this cap is perfect for you. It comes in a lot of different colors.
3- Ergodyne
Ergodyne cap comes in only 3 colors (black, lime, blue), and most importantly is that it comes with small “headlights” (48 lumen LED lights) that give you the ability to better work on details in cramped places where light couldn’t be available. It also looks good and can be easily adjusted to fit most sizes. This bump cap is comfortable to wear due to its lightweight, however, breathability is not perfect and if you are working in a hot area your head could get sweaty.
However, as I said before, if your job involves working in a tight area where you have to work with details, like a mechanic putting his head inside the hood and looking for protection and visibility, then this cap is what you are looking for.
Ergodyne is a reputable company and the quality of their products is well known and guaranteed.
4- Moheen
Moheen bump caps might not be the best-looking caps in town, but it sure does the job. It is very comfortable to wear and the good thing is that it has different sizes of brims available, so you could choose the long brim, or you could choose the short brim that makes the visibility of the wearer better than any other bump cap. However, durability and ventilation could be an issue. The inside pad is not meant for heavy blows and the ventilation could have been better.
It comes with a chin strap to keep it fixed on your head (although it could look a bit goofy), but you can remove that. The size can be adjusted by the velcro strap on the back to fit most head sizes.
In general, it is good, especially for people looking for a short-brim bump cap.
5- Ironclad
This bump cap looks good but the ventilation is almost non-existent and it’s not that comfortable to wear. It provides the required protection and for its price, it is a pretty good deal. It is not recommended in situations where u have to wear your bump cap for the full day, you might be able to stand it if you have to wear it for an hour or so to finish a certain task. But if your work location or job requires that you wear the bump cap all the time then I definitely wouldn’t advise you to buy this cap.
It comes only in black color and has a low profile head protection and a snap-back adjustable closure that could fit almost all head sizes.
6- Green Devil
This bump cap comes in Black and Lime colors and you can get it either with a long or short brim based on your needs. It has a velcro strap to adjust the size to your head and the lime color could be nice if you are looking to stand out from the crowd. It is EN 812:2012 standard approved (standard for bump caps) so you can be sure that it will provide you with the required protection. Also, the material that this cap is made of allows it to keep your head feeling cool and provides the required protection.
My concern about this cap comes from the thick inner pad, which could be annoying for some, especially if you have thick hair. Also, personally, I wouldn’t recommend that you buy the lime color if your job involves any grease or oil, it will stain very easily from your hands while you are adjusting it.
7- Lucent Path
Good Price! That’s the main thing I can say about this bump cap. But in other fields, I believe that this cap lags behind competitors in the market. You won’t feel good comfortable wearing this cap all day with the limited ventilation and the full shell covering your head.
The protection is good, but again, you are getting a bump cap and not a hard hat because the risk of major bumps is limited, what you mostly need from a bump cap is for it to keep your head safe from minor hits and feel comfortable while wearing. Otherwise, you would have got yourself a hard hat!