cheap track helmet

[lolsteve]

I know a few of us are doing track events this year so thought you might be interested in a cheap helmet so your not renting out bashed up ones etc.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Motorcycle...5d37f9713a

[mspdan]

This is not a dig but i have had this argument with motorcycle helmets before, i know your not riding a motorcycle but seriously why buy a cheap helmet??

You want to be looking at ratings on them, it basically saying im a tight arse and dont value my life...

Granted there are some good cheaper makes and it will do for a trackday but i just cant get my head round it why people by such cheap low spec helmets :/

[allanallen]

Bare in mind that most cheaper helmets still have exactly the same safety ratings as the expensive helmets. More money doesn't nesesarily mean more safety. With helmets you pay more for exotic materials/weight, styling and branding.

Have you considered am open fave helmet? Much nicer in a car IMO.

[1616six]

Doesn't even look to be ACU gold approved?

[mspdan]

Bare in mind that most cheaper helmets still have exactly the same safety ratings as the expensive helmets. More money doesn't nesesarily mean more safety. With helmets you pay more for exotic materials/weight, styling and branding.

Have you considered am open fave helmet? Much nicer in a car IMO.

Not at all mate, i knew it would come across that way..

I know more money doesn't mean more safety but id rather pay out that little bit more for a safer helmet is all im saying

At the end of the day it is each to there own isn't it 

[lolsteve]

In my mind I rate a good condition (new) cheap helmet on the same level as a old used one from the stock cupboard that's been dropped/kicked and smacked about
If this was for a bike then I would agree on spending more for better equipment but seeing as it's used 3 times a year at speeds I do in the car anyway it doesn't worry me so much. if I was in an accident that bad that the helmet didn't suffice I think there would be some issues from the rest of me

Open face would have been nice but just fancied a size that fits better

I got a ACU sticker on the back of the old helmet anyway just in case. Not that they've ever checked

[Nathan1305]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...1071200319 

I'm going for this helmet decent price, well known make and meant for track use 

[Eeyore]

I just wouldnt buy one that cheap. Id probably get an open face one if I was buying specifically for track. I know most of us just use bike ones because thats what we already have.

[zx_volcane]

Use SHARP

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

Plenty of cheap helmets on there with 4/5 star ratings

and conversely some expensive helmets with poor ratings

eg

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/testsratings/duchinni-d832

[Poodle]

Most useful piece of advice i've been given on this subject was: find somewhere you can try them on - the sizes and fit will vary between manufacturers and you'll be wearing it for hours at a time under high stress conditions, it's worth making sure it's comfortable.

With regards to safety; if you haven't got a cage and you have an accident on track bad enough that you'll need a helmet, then you're probably past the point of being helped by the helmet, if you know what i mean lol.

[PartyJas]

Most useful piece of advice i've been given on this subject was: find somewhere you can try them on - the sizes and fit will vary between manufacturers and you'll be wearing it for hours at a time under high stress conditions, it's worth making sure it's comfortable.

With regards to safety; if you haven't got a cage and you have an accident on track bad enough that you'll need a helmet, then you're probably past the point of being helped by the helmet, if you know what i mean lol.

I couldn't disagree more. You can easily hit your head on the side window, door frame, steering wheel etc in a relatively low speed crash. I've been selling race wear and helmets for over 20 years and I hear the same thing all the time.. "i only need a cheap helmet because I only do a couple of track days a year." Its an absolute nonsense.

Not sure if you guys are aware of the difference in standards between a bike helmet and a motorsport helmet..? Bike helmets are designed to take impacts in multiple places, because if you come off a bike you are going to roll along the floor.
Motorsport helmets are deigned to take multiple impact in the same place. If you are strapped into a seat that's the kind of impact your helmet will be subjected to.

Also regarding open face helmets... Ive met a guy who broke his jaw on the steering wheel wearing an open face helmet.. and he was in a competition seat with a 6 point harness. Its amazing how far things stretch when submitted to that much force.

Food for thought people... don't have nightmares

[Ruan]

If we're going to go off the worst case scenario, we'd drive to the shops with full 6 point harnesses, cage, buckets, HANS devices etc...

You have to make a decision on how much you want to spend, you could spend your income for the rest of your life on safety devices... But there comes a time when you just have to decide and make a choice.

[Jonny81191]

If we're going to go off the worst case scenario, we'd drive to the shops with full 6 point harnesses, cage, buckets, HANS devices etc...

You have to make a decision on how much you want to spend, you could spend your income for the rest of your life on safety devices... But there comes a time when you just have to decide and make a choice.

Still wouldn't buy it... I bought the cheapest one I could afford, but it was an ECE approved sparco one, not an unbranded eBay unit that'll probably say not for highway use on the bottom.. And it was £60. Which is DIRT cheap, probably still too cheap if I'm honest with myself.

[PartyJas]

Its a sad fact that if it wasn't mandatory to wear a helmet on a track day I bet a lot of people would choose not to wear one.

[Poodle]

Fair enough, everyone's got their own perspective. The way i see it is if i bought proper fia approved kit to do a track day, i wouldn't be able to afford to do the track day itself for another five years, which is kind of self-defeating. Do you have specialist tool insurance for the masonry drill you bought to use once..? Plus by the time i could afford the track day again you'd be trying sell me new stuff on the basis that what i've already got is dangerously out of date...

[Grant]

Im just going to echo what others have said but;

You can't put a price on your safety. How much would you value your head at? Spend a little more and buy right, buy once.

If price is a real deal then I would be looking more at something like the below. ECE approved and a reputable brand.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OMP-Star-ECE-A...540856f6ec

[Stef205]

Im just going to echo what others have said but;

You can't put a price on your safety. How much would you value your head at? Spend a little more and buy right, buy once.

If price is a real deal then I would be looking more at something like the below. ECE approved and a reputable brand.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OMP-Star-ECE-A...540856f6ec

exactly what i bought, good value and good reputable brand, fits me nicely and well made. I also agree you cant put a price on safety!

[lolsteve]

Fair enough if yiu want to buy a more expensive helmet for me this'll do fine. I was happy enough wearing one I got from a bootsale although it was a nice brand .

If I'm still into the whole racing thing for next season when I've got more money and probably start investing more into the safety then yea ill go for a better helmet but for now I'm content . 
it's brand is nitro so not unbranded althiugh still a cheap brand obviously

[Rippthrough]

Most useful piece of advice i've been given on this subject was: find somewhere you can try them on - the sizes and fit will vary between manufacturers and you'll be wearing it for hours at a time under high stress conditions, it's worth making sure it's comfortable.

This, you could spend £2k on a carbon fibre dog-danglies helmet, but if it doesn't fit your head as well as that £30 one you got off ebay, it's likely to do more harm than good. Tight, secure fit is everything with a helmet.

Saying that, if anyone wants a cheap helmet just for trackdays, I do have a few good quality bike helmets in the attic which have never been dropped or knocked, they were just replaced every few years with shinier ones. IIRC 2 of them have the flip up front chins on them so you can use them as open face as well as closed.

[Dum-Dum]

I was always told "only but a £50 helmet if you have a £50 head"


So I bought one of these for £40
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LS2-FF351-FF35...338077f5cf


It is ACU gold rated and from a big helmet manufacturer.
It's not light or well ventilated but it is comfy and appears well made.

I did spend about 3 times as much on my bike helmet but then I spend a fair bit of time riding the bike on my head.

[puglove]

I will wade in with my suggestion here. And say that this is great value for money. Its fit for purpose on track its a reputable brand as face as race equiptment is concerned and at £50 i think its well worth the money for 3 or 4 track days a year



http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...48&alt=web

[Grant]

I will wade in with my suggestion here. And say that this is great value for money. Its fit for purpose on track its a reputable brand as face as race equiptment is concerned and at £50 i think its well worth the money for 3 or 4 track days a year



http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...48&alt=web

Great suggestion!


Wish somebody had already said that.

[puglove]

Yes but your views and opinion is totaly invalid around here so i though it coming from a more reputable person such as my self would be much better.

Thank you
Goodbye

[Dum-Dum]

Yeah puglove that is a great suggestion and I very very nearly bought one but some tracks don't allow open face helmets

[puglove]

Really........ even know you can get fia ones?

[Dum-Dum]

Yeah I read it somewhere when I was looking into what helmet to get.

[tigerstyle]

and conversely some expensive helmets with poor ratings

eg

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/testsratings/duchinni-d832

Ignore I'm silly!

good link!

[cully]

Yeah puglove that is a great suggestion and I very very nearly bought one but some tracks don't allow open face helmets

think you will find if you drive a open top car they require you to ware a full face helmet

[Dum-Dum]

Yeah puglove that is a great suggestion and I very very nearly bought one but some tracks don't allow open face helmets

think you will find if you drive a open top car they require you to ware a full face helmet

That might of been it. Relevant for me who wants a MK Indy

[procta]

what you lads want is a daft punk
helmet