Helmets

[age]

hi guys,

im looking to get my own helmet for track days (circuit) instead of borrowing. the tracks i go to arent strict on particular standards or style of helmet. as such im very inclined to go with an open face because i just feel more comfortable in them. i can breathe and see better. and yes i know it offers less protection than a full face but i've done some homework and i feel its a good compromise. if its good enough for wrc its good enough for me.

what i really want people's input on is recommendations on which helmet to get. i'm looking at either g-force, pyrotect or simpson open face. i will try each of them on and see which one fits best but does anyone have any opinions on those brands? i know simpson is good but i havent really heard of the others. if there are any other good options please let me know.

also, each helmet i'm looking at comes in either snell M2005 or SA2005. from what i've gahered, they have the same shell and construction but the SA rated helmets have a fire proof lining. or is there something else to it that i should know about?

sorry for the long post and thanks for any input you can give.

cheers

[brads03zx3]

Originally Posted by age

if its good enough for wrc its good enough for me.

I gotta say, I hope this is the most stupid thing I hear all day. That is, unless you show us pictures of your 12 point cage, racing seat, and 6 point harnesses. Dale Earnhardt died with an open face helmet, if it is not good enough for him, it is not good enough for me. I would use an open face at an autocross, but never on a race track where 100+ mph speeds are seen regularly.

Originally Posted by age

also, each helmet i'm looking at comes in either snell M2005 or SA2005. from what i've gahered, they have the same shell and construction but the SA rated helmets have a fire proof lining. or is there something else to it that i should know about?

SA2010 helmets should be released very soon. The certification is good for 10 years, meaning an SA2005 will last you another 5 years. SA does have a fire-resistant lining like you mentioned, but the helmet is also designed to withstand multiple impacts. A motorcycle is intended for one impact, as it does not have the same tendency to bash around a driver like a rolling vehicle. Many organizations will not allow M helmets. Also, many organizations will only allow open face helmets with proper eye protection (like goggles) which then cut down on your field of view, even farther than a closed face.

If you can't wait until the SA2010 helmets come out, get yourself a closed face SA2005 helmet.

[Auto-X-ZTS]

SA2010 won't be out until Q3 next year...kind of sucks. Big thread on SCCAFORUMS regarding this now.

[swest]

I have to agree on not taking an open face helmet on track. One thing to look at, G-Force makes what they call their "modified" helmet which is basically a closed face but with no shield. The eye port is slightly larger, but you still get the protection of the full face. I've been using one at DE's for 5 years now and plan to pick up an SA2005 when the prices drop after the SA2010's come out.


Also, I have no affiliation with them, but Apex Performance is usually pretty competitive on pricing and are quick to ship. I just bought my wife a new helmet and ordered 5 different ones from other vendors before buying from Apex Performance and getting one she liked. Their customer service is great.

[thefrush]

Full face ftw. I personally have a Pyrotect. SA2005 is the way to go for car racing. M2005 = Motorcyle.

[blueovaldave]

Full Face here also.
Ebay is the way to go for a helmet. I have bought my last 2 there. Bought an Impact helmet for $150 less than the stores wanted.

[dhardison]

Full face here as well. Check Summit Racing as they someimes have year-end specials on helmets.

[BOWERSdaAZIAN]

Racequip SA2005 here

[Ted7rns]

I have a Pyrotect SA2005

[BigSandwich]

Originally Posted by brads03zx3

I gotta say, I hope this is the most stupid thing I hear all day. That is, unless you show us pictures of your 12 point cage, racing seat, and 6 point harnesses. Dale Earnhardt died with an open face helmet, if it is not good enough for him, it is not good enough for me. I would use an open face at an autocross, but never on a race track where 100+ mph speeds are seen regularly.

I hope this is stupidest thing I hear all day. Earnhart died because of a basal skull fracture / Internal decapitation. That would have happened even if he had the best closed face helmet in the world today, actually it might have been more likely to happen in a closed face helmet because the helmet would have weighed more thus putting more load on his neck. What he needed was a HANS device which is compatible with an open face helmet.

The big advantage that I see from closed face helmets is IF you have the visor down they can protect your eyes and face from glass in the case of an accident. Or if you are wearing a full face balaclava it can help protect you from a fire. Otherwise they are pretty equal. If you face is hitting things in the car you have a lot bigger problems than what a closed face helmet can help with.

Wear what you are comfortable with. There is more risk from the open face helmets but as long as you are wearing eye protection at the same time and you are in a closed car you should be ok.

[brads03zx3]

Originally Posted by BigSandwich

I hope this is stupidest thing I hear all day. Earnhart died because of a basal skull fracture / Internal decapitation. That would have happened even if he had the best closed face helmet in the world today, actually it might have been more likely to happen in a closed face helmet because the helmet would have weighed more thus putting more load on his neck. What he needed was a HANS device which is compatible with an open face helmet.

And the reason his face reached the steering wheel was faulty belts...I'm not here to argue that incident. A full face helmet is safer in 99% of possible scenarios.

[age]

i've read up on the snell certifications and the M cert does have a multiple impact test. it involves 2 impacts on the same spot with a 290g limit on both impacts. i also read that the SA rating does an additional test against a roll bar shaped thing. however, most of the helmets im looking at appear to use the exact same construction for both M and SA versions of the helmet so impact protection would be exactly the same. i think the fire resistance would be pretty pointless with an open face. i would be better off with a balaclava. but if the price difference is small i'll just get the SA.

im not waiting for SA2010. SA2005 will be good until 2015 and surely i would have gotten a new helmet by then. also the places i go to are fine with M ratings and open face helmets. in fact most people there wear motorbike helmets.

i understand the extra protection of the full faced but i think with an airbag and a seatbelt the chances of me smacking my chin would be minimal. the eye protection is good but i usually drive with the visor up (which is allowed there). i could get a "modified" one with no visor but that defeats half the purpose of a full face. so in the end i still prefer a open face.

the tracks i go to are pretty slow. one of them i never get over 110km/h. the other one i top 150km/h on the straight, with a 3rd gear corner with big sand trap and the end of it. its pretty open with run off at every corner and is considered one of the safer tracks. aside from flipping the car there really isnt much around to hit.

thanks for all the advice and opinions on what style of helmet to get but i really didnt start this thread to discuss open face vs closed face. i've done hours of googling and thread searching on top of personal experience before deciding on getting an open face.

what i really want to know is people's opinion on Pyrotect and G-force. and also any other recommendations. i will be getting the helmet from usa either off an online store or ebay because we get shafted here in australia. a us$150 pyrotect sells for $400 here. bloody ridiculous. if people could recommend a good place to buy from that would be appreciated also.

cheers.

[swest]

Originally Posted by age

what i really want to know is people's opinion on Pyrotect and G-force. and also any other recommendations. i will be getting the helmet from usa either off an online store or ebay because we get shafted here in australia. a us$150 pyrotect sells for $400 here. bloody ridiculous. if people could recommend a good place to buy from that would be appreciated also.

cheers.

I tried 4 other brands (Simpson, Bell, Zamp, and Pyrotect) before getting my wife's G-force which was the best fit for her. I had a similar experience buying my helmet a few years ago and also ended up with a G-Force. It's not the other helmets didn't fit, they just had some little annoyance that would have made wearing them for 30+ minutes uncomfortable (pinch at the temple, sitting too flat on the top of the head, too tight on the face). Obviously everyone's head is different so others might not have the same experience, but in talking to friends, I've rarely heard anyone complaining about a G-Force not fitting. They just happen to be on the cheaper end of the spectrum too.

[SVTBuckeye]

Given your choices/desires and perameters,
the issue here is really FIT. There is a significant difference in folks head shapes and thus fit.
Most of the Japanese helmets are made for their heads, ROUND!! verse long. a long head will fit too tight in the front and back in a helmet designed for the ROUND head etc. etc.

"what is in your helmet"?? lol

So, go to various shops and try on what they have. See if you get better results from a particular brand/maker. that may be of real assistence.

Don't settle for a helmet that is too tight or too loose. Send it back if you don't have a good fit. Bell has some detail head circumference "tape measure" charts for sizing I believe.
PS
Go ahead and buy a balaclava and fit with that on. For just a bit of $ the balaclava will provide you with something to soak up the sweat and keep the helmet clean. And it actually is not hotter as it wicks moisture away while you are wearing it. The Balaclava even makes getting the helmet on easier. (My experience)

PS
I've been very happy with the Bell M4 closed face, but the bell open is a very nice product as well. (Bell Sport @$199.00) SA2005. at the www.thebellstore.com

[age]

thanks swest and buckeye. i have been considering bell because they really are nice helmets but i cant find anywhere near me that sells the one i'm after so i have nothing to try before i buy. really don't want a nice helmet shipped in from america only to find that it doesn't fit. but yeah if i can find a place to try the the bell it would definitely be on my shortlist.

[age]

i've decided on a pyrotect open face as it was the only one i could find/try in my size and it happened to fit nicely. i noticed a few of you have pyrotect so i take it its a reasonably popular brand. apparently the one i want is a re-badged bell. going with the M2005 rated one. i have confirmed that its exactly the same as the SA, bar the fireproof lining, which is rather useless in an open face. $98 from the online bell store. thanks for everyones help.