Advice on getting a helmet

[AMPS]

Helmet approval is a minimum standard only. If you want better it will cost more. Composites, carbon, kevlar etc are all more costly than thermoplastic. Aerodynamic testing also costs. That's why some helmets are expensive.
Here endeth the lesson.
The best rule is to spend as much as you can stretch to on a helmet.
Lou

[rodgerd]

Cheers guys

Honda: if it has passed the safety inspection then your comment is null and void. More expensive helmets only generally offer more in the noise/comfort area. Becuase im a poor student I have to live on a budget.

It depends on the standard. The US DOT standard, for example, is rubbish. The manufacturer selects which helmets are to be tested; it operates on a fairly small, simple set of tests; and it doesn't have a provision for re-testing, which means that the helmets sent for testing may vary from the helmets that get to the consumer.

The Snell standard, on the other hand, has a real mix of tests; the Snell Foundation people select the helmets to be tested at their discretion; and they retest helmets by pulling them off the shelf and if the helmet fails, the certification is revoked. So they're a more comprehensive test, and the ones that reach shops are less likely to vary from the ones that got certified. Plus they continually update ther standard, which the likes of the DOT tend not to.

[dhunt]

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HOW A HELMET WORKS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To do its job, a helmet must do two things well - it must protect the wearer against intrusion by foreign objects.

AND it must also decelerate the skull at the slowest rate possible to reduce or prevent brain injury caused either by kinetic energy or contra cou injury - injures that occur on the opposite side from the impact as the brain sloshes around in the skull.

The latter type of injury, as one paramedic put it, is "Very cool! I could hit you in the front of skull but you could die from damage at the back". Ah yes, trauma is fun!

To protect you, a crash helmet must fit you properly.

So you need to try it on before you buy, which is why you can often run into problems buying a helmet over the Internet.

There are two main things to look for when trying on a helmet - fit and size.

Size, in helmets anyway, is important. How do you know what size to try on?

Most people guess at "small, medium or large." But, while it's not perfect, knowing your hat size is a good starting point.

If you don't know your hat size, measure your head at its largest circumference - usually just above your eyebrows in front, over your ears and around the back - then use the chart below. Get someone else to measure your head (twice) or else do it yourself several times so you *know* you have the correct measurement.

Once you have the measurement, look at the chart. If the measurement falls between the numbers listed, use the larger size.

A point to remember is that some manufacturers simply mark their helmets S, M, L or XL. However, since the actual numerical measurement for a small, a medium, a large, or an extra large can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, you may want to contact the manufacturer of the helmet you lust after for size equivalents.



Inches cm Hat Size
21 1/4 54 6 3/4
21 5/8 54.9 6 7/8
22 55.9 7
22 3/8 56.8 7 1/8
22 3/4 57.8 7 1/4
23 1/8 58.7 7 3/8
23 1/2 59.7 7 1/2
23 7/8 60.6 7 5/8
24 1/4 61.6 7 3/4
24 3/4 62.9 7 7/8


Trying On The Helmet
-----------------------------
There is a knack to donning a crash helmet and a few simple rules to help you do it.
Hold the helmet by the chin straps, with the bottom (opening) of the helmet facing toward you with the faceshield pointing down.

Your thumbs should be on the inside of the straps, as you balance the helmet with your fingertips.

With your hands on the straps, spread the sides of the helmet apart slightly and slip it down over your head.

The helmet should be a snug fit and may even feel a bit too tight until it's in place correctly. It should not be loose, or wobble at all when you move your head. If it does, the helmet is too large, and several things may happen. It will move around and up and down on your head when you least want it to and, in use, will be noisy and let in wind, both annoying characteristics. Worse still, in a crash it may come off!

Now the helmet is on your head, before fastening the chin strap, check for fit checking that:
- it sits squarely on your head. It shouldn't sit tilted back on your head like a hat.
- the cheek pads just touch your cheeks but don't press uncomfortably.
- there are no gaps between your temples and the brow pads.
- if the helmet has a neck roll, it doesn't push the helmet away from the back of your neck.
- when you press lightly on the chin piece of a full face helmet, the helmet or faceshield doesn't not touch your nose or chin. If it does, once you are moving on the bike, wind pressure will ensure that your nose or chin and helmet are always in contact.

Now fasten the helmet and move it from side to side and up and down with your hands. If the helmet is a correct fit, your skin should move as the helmet is moved. It should feel as if a slight, even pressure is being exerted all over your head by the helmet. Remember too that a helmet loosens up a bit as the comfort liner compresses through use. So a new one should be a firm fit but not tight enough to be uncomfortable.

Next, with the chin strap still securely fastened and your head straight, grab the helmet at the bottom back and try rolling it forward off your head. You shouldn't be able to pull it off. If you can, the helmet is too big.

Now you can take off the helmet, but there is one more check. Does your head feel sore anywhere and are there any red spots on your forehead? This is an indication of pressure points in the fit of the helmet. Pressure points can be uncomfortable and can cause a headache after a long ride, so you need to be sure your helmet isn't causing any. If there are pressure points, try on the next largest size of helmet. If the problem is just pressure points, the chances are, however, that a larger size will be too large. Human heads are not all the same shape, but neither are helmets. Indeed, different brands of helmet seem to suit different shapes of heads, so try on a different brand and the chances are you will find a helmet suited to your head.

If you are still unsure about the helmet's fit, wear it around the store for awhile to see if it remains comfortable. A helmet is an important investment, no matter what its price. Be sure the one you choose is right for you.

[jrandom]

Another choice is to come to Paraparaumu and see Randall at Twin-Cam... he has lots of nice-priced helmets, and he makes sure they fit the way they should!

Just don't ask him to do a pre-purchase check on a bike unless you're entirely unconcerned about the brakes.

[inlinefour]

Cheers guys

Honda: if it has passed the safety inspection then your comment is null and void. More expensive helmets only generally offer more in the noise/comfort area. Becuase im a poor student I have to live on a budget.

I.E. No bike at all, no wheels. Working as well as doing the degree. At the end of the day its your choice, I just offered my opinion

[bear]

Hey dhunt, nice introduction on buying a helmet.

[aff-man]

First helmet was a cms. Still have it... still wear it. But if you've seen me around you'll notice i wear a yellow shark rs2 carbon fibre race helmet. Lighter and more comfy and quieter. But i got it really cheap second hand. So buy a cheapy now. But if the opportunity/money allows upgrade.

[crashe]

[QUOTE=dhunt]=====================
HOW A HELMET WORKS

Inches cm Hat Size
21 1/4 54 6 3/4
21 5/8 54.9 6 7/8
22 55.9 7
22 3/8 56.8 7 1/8
22 3/4 57.8 7 1/4
23 1/8 58.7 7 3/8
23 1/2 59.7 7 1/2
23 7/8 60.6 7 5/8
24 1/4 61.6 7 3/4
24 3/4 62.9 7 7/8


QUOTE]

Hmmm my helmet is 52 - 53 CMS helmet yet just measured my head and its 22 inches.... so going by your theroy I should be wearing a 55 upwards.... well a 55 is miles to big for me and it really swings around...

My last helmet was a 54 - 55 CMS and it was swinging around after a couple of weeks..so now I had to go lower in size... and the 52 -53 fits so much better.

Are you sure those measurements that you gave are correct?

But I did like how you explained on how to make sure it fits properly etc...

[Bandito]

Buy the one that fits you best for your budget!
Fuck is that clever or what?