Helmets

[tire 10]

Hi, I want to get my own helmet for trackdays etc. How much should I spend and what do you people recommend?

Is there anything I need to know in terms of specifications / safety standards etc.

Do they make low profile ones for giraffes like me?

Cheers, Max.

[M3_Power 636]

However much you think your head is worth to you should you happen to have a crash.

My mind boggles everytime I am at the track and I see guys with $10K spent on a car and they won't spend more than a $100 for a helmet.

Buy the highest spec helmet you can justifiably afford.

Any serious National standard motorsports class you'll need a Snell SA2010, but if you are on a budget a closed out series Snell standard helmet is as good as you'll get on a budget.

SA95 and SA2005 are all still very high quality helmets if you are looking at close outs.

Try and stick with reputable brands like Bell, Arai, Shoei and Simpson Helmets. There's a reason why F1 drivers only ever used one or two helmet brands.

Edited January 8, 2011 by M3_Power

[Hi-Tek 3]

Tom has summed it up quite nicely.

I wouldn't spend less than $600 on a helmet personally.

Try and avoid motorcycle helmets as they tent not to have a nomex/fireproof lining as you're usually thrown from a motorbike in a crash.

[hybrid 1039]

Lots of brands out there.

I bought a Bell Sport4 for around $630 .. v5 is out now. Its a nice helmet with all the features that will see me right for a few years. (nice range of visors etc etc)

Simpson make some nice helmets as do Arai.

sky is the limit really .. right up to the carbon fiber jobbies.

[M3_Power 636]

sky is the limit really .. right up to the carbon fiber jobbies.

Personally I wouldn't trust Carbon Fibre helmets unless it was made by Bell, Arai or Schuberth (the only three carbon fibre helmet manufacturers out there that have FIA-8860-2004 certification)

FIA-8860 certified helmets would have gone through the following:

The helmet test facility at TRL boasts a drop tower over 15.5m tall, which is capable of accelerating objects through gravity by up to around 17m/s (63km/h). A helmet designed to meet the FIA’s 8860 standards needs to withstand an impact of 9.5m/s (34.2 km/h). At this speed, the sensors must never display a deceleration of more than 300g, while 225 joules of energy must be dissipated.

In line with the regulations, helmets also undergo a variety of further deformation and fragmentation evaluations, as well as procedures to test the HANS device, which prevents a driver’s head from hitting the steering wheel. There’s also a compulsory fire test, during which the helmet is subjected to an 800°C flame for 45 seconds. To pass, temperatures inside the helmet are not allowed to exceed 70°C, otherwise it is back to the drawing board. The visor, meanwhile, has its protective qualities evaluated by having projectiles shot at it at 500km/h. The impact marks must not exceed a depth of 2.5mm.

Bit extreme for use in a closed car of course.

[No name user 379]

I have a carbon Simpson helmet for differant reasons i also run an open 250 kart to which light weight on your head makes for less neck issues at the end of the day, i also use a hans device thats a god send but again its how much you value your life and hopefully youll never need to find out how good the gear is.

[elmarco 56]

Personally, I have always preferred Shoei helmets. Although a Simpson Bandit in gloss black does look pretty badass.

[tire 10]

Thanks for the words.

Just went to motomail, they had some plain looking rjays ones but they were entry level, and everything else looked like it was trying to be too fast. Of course, these were all motorcycle helmets. Where does one go for car helmets? Hybrid?

[DRTDVL 0]

Depends what type of helmet you want.

Cardwells do sparco and Bell and few other brands.

Stilo and Peltor are anouther good brand mainly used by rally guy and offshore powerboaters.

If you looking at doing rally stuff (targa) then i would look at getting something with an inbuilt intercom that will plug directly into your amp.

Motorsport NZ have a decent online regs section now, so you can see what helmets regulations are.

Something to think about is open faced or close faced. Every helmet fits differently so try them all on, some helmets fit different head shapes better.

http://www.revolutionracegear.co.nz/ - Aria, Stilo, Bell

http://www.namsport.co.nz/race-rally-helmets/ - Stilo and Peltor

http://www.palmside.co.nz/product_cid_10788.html - OMP, Sabelt, Stilo

http://www.racetech.co.nz/racetech.shop/in...ex&cPath=81 - Aria, Stilo

In saying that 90% of people just use a motorcycle helmet thats under $200 if all their going to do is trackday stuff... Just make sure it's got a double D clasp not a plastic slide lock, and meets the euro E standard.

http://www.motorsport.org.nz/assets/MotorS...-Sch-A-2010.pdf - page 10 for rules, page 47 for fitment guide.

You should also take into consideration if your going to get a HANS device in the near future as a lot of helmets DO NOT have the attachments for the HANS device.

Other things to concider when getting a proper motorsport helmet is that you can get visor less helmets for in car also. They typically have a small peak like a motorcross helmet with a sun visor on it, you can get wide eye port version for better vision.

Edited January 9, 2011 by DRTDVL

[Hi-Tek 3]

Yea as Heath has said,

Cardwells in Albany http://www.cardwells.co.nz/

or Namsport in Penrose http://www.namsport.co.nz/

They would sell the best brands in my opinion.

Revolution Racegear is also good.

[lidistick 70]

I have used an ERG open face helmet. It is motorsport approved and will fit a HANs device and intercom. Can't use it for open tops tho

[tire 10]

Thanks Heath, good post. Dave the silver fox has hooked me up with a bell sport 3 so I am very happy. FWIW my head is worth $250. Thanks Dave!

[kiwi535 538]

Thanks Heath, good post. Dave the silver fox has hooked me up with a bell sport 3 so I am very happy. FWIW my head is worth $250. Thanks Dave!

have you actually tried sitting in your car with it?

[Silver Fox 43]

He wore it home.

[tire 10]

^ This is true. It is definitely slimmer up top than the other two helmets I have worn although I still don't quite fit when upright. I just pop my head over in the sunroof bit and get my gangs lean on.

[DRTDVL 0]

p.s. its illegal to wear a helmet in a car on public roads... the police don't accept the answer of i was just testing to see how it felt as an answer.

[Apex 693]

Looking at what helmet I need for Targa in March at the moment.

For what’s it worth I have found the Stilo Trophy and intercom or Peltor and Peltor intercom to be best, Peltor is the most popular by far and probably what I will go for. Looking at 1,500 for 1x Helmet and corresponding intercom. Open face for rally.

Given unlimited budget I would be going Stilo WRC, they are no safer than the Trophy, the double cost comes down to the weight, design and superior intercom system, the sound deadening in them great if you have a rowdy car.

[DRTDVL 0]

Stilo ST Quattro Rally Helmet for me please.

[Apex 693]

Yea they are nice. You are paying for the lightness and sound deadening though.

Most of NZ top rally drivers still only run $750-1000 helmets, the extra money is better spent on a light Hans device instead TBH, the extra weight is felt more on the device than it is in the helmet.

Biggest issue I have had is finding what works best with what, my co-driver wants something completely different to me and every Stilo helmet in the range has a different intercom its quite frustrating, the Peltor is the most universal system and works with a lot of helmets

[DRTDVL 0]

you can buy a lot of adapters to allow different helmets to work with them.