Is there anything wrong w/ an inexpensive helmet?, as long as it's Snell certified??? Options

[anthony]

The helmet I have is a Snell 1990 and out of date for PCA events. I noticed some brands of helmets that I've never heard of (mostly M2R and KBC) on ebay and was just wondering if there was anything fundamentally wrong with them. They are advertised as being Snell certified.

Here's one for $50:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=7958629852

And here's one for $35:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=7959214364


Please no lectures on the value of my head. If these helmets are truely rated Snell2000 then they should do the job. I'm not racing. I'm only going to be doing AX and some DE. I'd buy a nice SA rated helmet if the SA2005 helmets were on the market already.

[TonyAKAVW]

As Far as I know there are two ratings, M and SA. M helmets are motorcycle rated and are not tested the same way as SA. For cars you need an SA helmet, and because fewer people race cars than drive motorcycles, they are likely to be more expensive. The cheapest SA2000 helmet I've found (though I haven't looked REALLY hard) is made by G Force and cost about $150 for an openface type.

-Tony

http://www.soloracer.com/aboutgforce.html
http://www.soloracer.com/gfgf750.html

[drew365]

I'm not an expert on helmets but the biggest drawback to buying on line is not being able to try the helmet on. They all don't fit the same even though they are the same size and it could be real uncomfortable and a waste of money if it's too tight and unsafe if its too loose.
Other than size, I imagine that all Snell rated helmets will be equally safe. I would go for a SA for autos rather than a motorcycle one, some organizations won't accept MA.

[anthony]

I've checked and all the organizations accept an M2000 rating. Like I said, I would get an SA helmet if the SA2005 rating was already out. (My understand is that the new helmets come out in October.)

[riverman]

What's your head worth?

[Demick]

#1 difference between SA and M helmets, is that SA use fire retardent materials. This combined with lower volumes are the reasons for the cost difference. I seriously doubt that in any sort of impact, the two helmets would perform much differently (different types of helmets and different brands will perform differently - my point is that the certification shouldn't be a contributing factor to the difference).

For autocross, I use an inexpensive M rated open faced helmet. For me, safety is not a concern. I am probably 100 times as likely to get hurt every time I get on the freeway in my car than I am at the autocross, and since I don't wear a helmet every time I get on the freeway, I'm not concerned about hurting myself at the autocross (actually, I'm in much more danger working the course than driving it). I use the open faced helmet because I prefer it for vision reasons.

But if you plan on going to the track, that is a different story. For very occasional use, I'd use the same helmet. But really, the risks of crashing and getting hurt are much more likely at the track. The helmet is not something I would skimp on. I would go for a closed face quality helmet for track use. If M rated helmets are accepted by the organization you race with, I wouldn't hesitate to get one as I already stated my opinions on that. But I wouldn't go for a $50 helmet online. As Drew pointed out, fit is very important, and you can't do that on-line.

Demick

[smg914]

It's like the ole saying goes;
If you think your head is only worth a hundred bucks, then buy a hundred dollar helmet

[LvSteveH]

The more expensive helmets typically weigh less, sometimes considerably less, so if you don’t have reasonably well developed neck muscles or will be in the car for long periods it can really pay off to spend the extra money. From a safety standpoint, a lighter helmet will have less inertia in an accident and therefore be less likely to cause whiplash or other such injuries. It really is crucial to try them on; it needs to be fairly snug without being painful. Just my opinions of course.

[anthony]

QUOTE (smg914 @ Mar 3 2005, 07:58 PM)

If you think your head is only worth a hundred bucks, then buy a hundred dollar helmet

I'm tired of this argument. It's not an intelligent arguement. I'm talking about Snell approved helmets that are approved by the PCA.

So how much is your head worth? Did you buy a $700 top of the line helmet and $1000 of Nomex wear to wrap yourself in. Did you spend another $1500 on a full roll cage, harnesses and all the goodies? How about a fuel cell because your gas tank could explode. Maybe throw in a complete fire suppression system to put out the fire after the explosion.

At some point you have to draw the line. I'm not ready to spend $3K+ on equipment and clothing to do DE events when all that is required is a Snell approved helmet and standard seat belts. With the "how much is your head worth" arguement nobody would be doing a DE without $3000 worth of equipment. Nonsense.

I think most people would suggest that you are probably safer at a DE than you are on the freeway.

[anthony]

Point taken on helmet fit. I realize lighter is better but I probably won't spend the $300+ required to get a light helmet untill I really get into DE and decide that it's my thing.

FWIW, I've also found cheap SA rated helmets. Usually factory-second blemished Pyrotech helmets. I assume that Pyrotech helmets are made by Bell since the corporate head quarters for both companies is the same and that there are both Pyrotech and Bell helmets that look identical. The Pyrotech though are usually a lot cheaper.

I should probably go to a motorcycle shop and try some on. I wasn't actually considering buying the two helmets I listed. They are just an example of Snell rated helmets that I've never heard of. Of course I could probably only name 3 different brands of helmets.

[SLITS]

I bought a full face w/flip shield for $50 bucks and used their chart for sizing. It fit well and did what it was supposed to do...covered their ass on insurance.

If I were still into road-racing, I would buy the $300 helmet.

Sheesh..........

Oh, it's a motorcycle helmet..Snell 2000....

[Trekkor]

I got my Pyrotect ( Bell ) helmet at Wine Country Motorsports at Sears last year for around $150.

Nice to have a custom fitted lid. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

KT

[ChrisReale]

QUOTE (anthony @ Mar 3 2005, 07:33 PM)

QUOTE (smg914 @ Mar 3 2005, 07:58 PM) If you think your head is only worth a hundred bucks, then buy a hundred dollar helmet I'm tired of this argument. It's not an intelligent arguement. I'm talking about Snell approved helmets that are approved by the PCA.

I agree. For AX, you dont need a $500 helmet to protect your priceless head. Road Racing, that is a different story. When you are experiencing large ammounts of G's, a heavy (read: cheap) helmet gets very stressful on your neck, but that is not something AX'ers need to really be conserned about. F1 drivers, yes (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[SLITS]

One last note....going down on a motorcycle, your gourd is gonna bounce a shit pile more than smacking something or rolling with a car.

[seanery]

I'd be VERY surprised if any region of the PCA would allow an M rated helmet for DE's.
A/X can go either way for some reason that I don't understand. SA rated helmets are also
rated for one bounce, IE a rollbar...Our DE chairman did a ton of research for DE Faq for our
last newsletter.

Anthony, I'd feel more comfortable with you using your SA2000 helmet and waiting for the SA05
than using an M rated helmet.

Be safe! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)

[riverman]

QUOTE (anthony @ Mar 3 2005, 10:33 PM)

QUOTE (smg914 @ Mar 3 2005, 07:58 PM) If you think your head is only worth a hundred bucks, then buy a hundred dollar helmet I'm tired of this argument. It's not an intelligent arguement. I'm talking about Snell approved helmets that are approved by the PCA. So how much is your head worth? Did you buy a $700 top of the line helmet and $1000 of Nomex wear to wrap yourself in. Did you spend another $1500 on a full roll cage, harnesses and all the goodies? How about a fuel cell because your gas tank could explode. Maybe throw in a complete fire suppression system to put out the fire after the explosion. At some point you have to draw the line. I'm not ready to spend $3K+ on equipment and clothing to do DE events when all that is required is a Snell approved helmet and standard seat belts. With the "how much is your head worth" arguement nobody would be doing a DE without $3000 worth of equipment. Nonsense. I think most people would suggest that you are probably safer at a DE than you are on the freeway.

The way you posed your question ("Is there anything wrong w/ an inexpensive helmet?), you were looking for a counter argument. That's just one them.

I'm sure whatever you end up buying is something you'll be comfortable with, all factors considered.

[larryp]

Helmets work by dispersing the impact from a point at the outside of the helmet to a wide area inside the helmet. They do this by progressively delaminating in wider and wider areas through the thickness of the shell, from the outside of the shell to the inside. Once the shock wave gets to the inside of the shell it should be widely distributed and hopefully, largely attenuated through the energy required to delaminate the fg. The reamining impact is then distributed to the styrofoam lining and on to your skull. Since helmets work by delamination, helmets work only once; after that they are garbage. Dropping a helmet from your hip (or off the car roof) to the tarmac is pretty much enough to render it worthless. For this reason, you are nuts to buy a used helmet. You simply do not know how it was treated.

Also, the lifespan of a helmet, given all considerations (vibration causes the lining to compress, sunlight makes the lining become brittle and does different things to the construction of different companies' shells, ditto sweat, wearing the thing makes the lining compress, etc.) is generally accepted to be five years.

The money spent in a better helmet goes to better fit, lightness, interior lining (perceived quality and comfort), finish, ease/convenience of changing face shields, ventilation, etc., but it has very little to do with safety or protection so long as you are buying a Snell rated helmet. (DOT rating is crap.)

Oh, an M rated helmet is accepted by nearly all (if not all) PCA regions for DE.

[PatW]

I had a cheep helmet that worked just fine until I had a 60mph get-off on my motorcycle. I had a headache for a week... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif)

The best advice I can give you Anothny is to buy the best you can afford and make sure it fits well enough that you could wear it for hours.

Pat

[redshift]

One argument for a cheap helmet is filling it with a cheap head.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

I quallify, I'll go first!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer3.gif)

Ok, hit me. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/chair.gif)


M

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (anthony @ Mar 3 2005, 07:33 PM)

It's not an intelligent arguement.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif)

so, if you buy a $50 helmet you're a cheap bastard because you only value your head at $50 ...

but if you spend $500 on a helmet, you're .... well what are you, really?
a guy who values his head at $500 !!!

now, if you ask me (or even if you don't) i'd say BOTH guys are selling their heads WAY TO CHEAP !!!
i wouldn't give my head to anyone for $500. or $5000. or $50k ...

that argument just doesn't make sense ...
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif) Andy