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The
two basic kinds of helmets are hard shell and soft shell.
Hard-shell helmets have a thin plastic surface, while soft-shell helmets have only the soft (usually white) foam surface. Hard shells can be safer on the street: When the shell hits rough pavement it’ll skid, rather than catch on some-thing and break your neck.
Also,
a hard shell keeps the helmet’s core—the soft foam part—from
getting scratched and nicked. So if you do buy a soft-shell helmet, get a
cloth or nylon cover that stretches over the whole helmet. Make sure the
cover’s stretched tight so it’ll slide if you fall.
If you have a crash and your helmet takes an impact, replace it right away. An impact usually damages a helmet’s foam core, meaning it won’t protect you again. You should also replace your helmet at least every five years, because its foam core becomes brittle.