Helmets; open vs full face

[ginge191]

Looking at buying a helmet; I recall sometime ago somewhere not allowing open faces helmets? 

Is this still the case on some tracks? 

I'd rather have an open faced helmet but don't want to buy one to be told otherwise.

[cully]

i believe the rule is full-face helmet for open top cars
open face helmets for tin tops

i maybe wrong
i use an open face at combe

[toseland]

aye.. generally if you can grind your face on the tarmac its closed face.. you wont find a circuit that allows open face on a bike, must be gold standard

[7057sam]

f*ck the open face,potential of ruining a decent photo with g Force face

[ginge191]

Brilliant, thanks for the input people!
Anyone recommend any before I just buy the cheapest to get me on track.

[toseland]

OMP ones are not too shabby mate, have a look..

i would steer clear of fleabay sellers of genuine products, we all seen those "genuine" bosses that pop up every now and again.

Rowell had a link to some really decent ones a while back if i remember correctly

[Dum-Dum]

No there is a few tracks where you need to have a full face helmet irregardless of car. I forget which ones but know it was some of the cheaper track day venues in the south.

There is a saying "only buy a fifty quid helmet if you have a fifty quid head". However I have a £50 LS2 helmet and it's ASU gold rated (among other standards) and it's brilliant if a little hot in the summer although I haven't crashed the car or bike wearing it to give it a full review.

[zx_volcane]

Any massive reason not to go full face?

I'd go via SHARP ratings website, you can sort by price and know you've got a full on belter of a lid

Link for 5 star helmets starting with cheapest >

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/testhelmetlis...p-rating=5

[ginge191]

Any massive reason not to go full face?

I'd go open face for the ability to breathe and not come off track with (less of) a sweaty face.

I'll have a look now , thanks for the link

EDIT: that sight is interesting as to how they test their helmets, although i can't see the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive helmet - apart from the price and "anti fog" which means FA from experience with "anti fog" wear.


EDIT EDIT: Also, looking around, the majorirty of helmets sold are from motorbike related sites - are they pretty much the same? reading around, people talking about being fire resistant also - as bike helmets are not. Any ideas on this?

[Rippthrough]

MSA are just starting to bring in regs requiring use of full face lids or goggles with open face ones, so if you intend to move onto racing or go to circuit/trackday organisers who are adopting MSA regs, be aware of that.

[Redordead89]

There is a saying "only buy a fifty quid helmet if you have a fifty quid head". However I have a £50 LS2 helmet and it's ASU gold rated (among other standards) and it's brilliant if a little hot in the summer although I haven't crashed the car or bike wearing it to give it a full review.
[/quote]

Hope you're never able or worse unable to write that review Chris!
Been biking for 35 years and lost a few, the one thing I spend on is my helmet when I need one!
Get a good lid dude!
You too Ginge!

[PartyJas]

In a frontal crash it it is possible for your head to contact the steering wheel even when you are restrained by a 6 point harness. I'd go for a full face helmet every time even in a closed cockpit car. I've been selling helmets as well as race wear for over 20 years and I have always given the same advise... Buy the best you can afford. You only have one head so why risk it in a £50 helmet. For under £200 you can buy a Snell motorsport approved helmet which will protect you far better than a motorcycle helmet as they are designed to cope with a different type of impact.

Its expected that in a motorcycle crash you will come off the bike and roll so the helmets are designed to withstand multiple impacts over differing areas of the helmet.
Helmets for motorsport use are different in that you are restrained in a seat so any impacts are likely to be in the same place on the helmet, so they are designed to withstand multiple impacts in the same place.
I often hear 'its only for track day use so just want something cheap'... People tend not to drive at 30mph on track days so you have just as much chance of a high speed impact as in any other form of motorsport.

[lolsteve]

I have a £30 nitro full face helmet. It confirms to some codes or something and I know it's not been dropped/kicked/bumped like the ones you can rent at combe etc
If I was driving a motorbike then yes a better helmet for sure but in a car perhaps not so much. After all there is all sorts of safety stuff built in and if you were smashing your head that hard that youd need a higher spec helmet then a helmet is probably the least of your concerns

[ginge191]

There is a saying "only buy a fifty quid helmet if you have a fifty quid head". However I have a £50 LS2 helmet and it's ASU gold rated (among other standards) and it's brilliant if a little hot in the summer although I haven't crashed the car or bike wearing it to give it a full review.

Hope you're never able or worse unable to write that review Chris!
Been biking for 35 years and lost a few, the one thing I spend on is my helmet when I need one!
Get a good lid dude!
You too Ginge![/quote]




Yeh, I was looking at the sharps website who review and test helmets; looking at how they work under impact, and the 5 star rated lids all seem pretty spot on.

[Redordead89]

Good good glad to hear it! Just remember that the £50 helmets are £50 for a reason and probably mass produced by people who don't give a toss!

[ginge191]

Good good glad to hear it! Just remember that the £50 helmets are £50 for a reason and probably mass produced by people who don't give a toss!

That's what i've read around, but the testing procedure is pretty thorough.

[fatlapit]

Buy a snell approved lid

Regardless of cost it has passed the test

---

Oh and if you can buy a hans device also

---

Oh and if you can buy a hans device also

[ginge191]

Buy a snell approved lid

Regardless of cost it has passed the test

---

Oh and if you can buy a hans device also

their testing procedures and scrutiny measures are almost identical to Sharps

[fatlapit]

Snell have pass or fail and is msa recognised

For about 400 pound u can get a gelmet and hans device

[ginge191]

Snell have pass or fail and is msa recognised

For about 400 pound u can get a gelmet and hans device

As useful as a HANS device would be, similarly to what Steve said, if I'm committing to the point a HANS device would be needed, I'd need to be looking at other priorities: cages and the such like

[fatlapit]

A hans is massively important

---

Chances of rolling are slim if you watch footage of hans vs no hans you would buy 1 tomorrow. Chances of rolling are slim compared to hitting a wall .

[impotentials]

I got the budget sparco full face a few months ago and have been impressed so far.
cheap enough, around £70 from demon tweeks, fits well, breaths well and comes from a big brand so hopefully that counts for something.
I would recommend a full face for sure. Hotter no doubt but safer.