Crash Helmet Info Needed

[pro350hydro]

Here is a picture from SRP's website of how it attaches. I have seen some without the large under arm strap, but instead the smaller straps are sewed onto the jacket. Hopefully Pat Gleason will chime in and update us more. Personally I like it around my chest, it's not un comfortable at all, or maybe i'm just used to it.

[sponsonhead]

6 of one, half dozen of the other

Mike (and others),

The picture above is of our "6/4 Helmet Restraint". 6 straps attach to 4 pick points on the helmet.

As you mentioned, it can be offered two ways, either as a standalone device with the chest strap, or by having the straps built directly into the lifejacket.

Kyle and I (and a lot of other folks) have them built into the jacket, primarily because it's easier to hook up and remove....I don't have to go digging around between my lifejacket and my cut sleeves fishing the straps out if I'm in a hurry. If a person goes this route, it's really important that the leg straps are as scure as possible, in order to minimize any lifejacket upward travel.

Cost-wise, it's the same: $75 for the stand-alone, or $75 to build it into a jacket.

We are also developing a more robust system like this, that we had on display at Grass Lake last year and will be showing again at the National Meeting this week.

One final note: It is not totally uncommon for one of the clips that fastens to the helmet to break in the event of a high speed crash. We've seen this happen on several occasions, regardless of whether the system had metal or plastic clips. It's rare, but it happens. The thing to keep in mind is that all the clips are pretty strong, so if you are hitting the water with so much force that a clip is breaking, the clip is doing its job and absorbing a good portion of that energy that without a restraint would go directly to your neck. Not pretty.

R-19

[Bill Huson]

Squishing helmets . . .

Here is a re-post from a previous thread (Painting Helmets)

While I am far from the worlds foremost expert on helmets and helmet testing ( snell foundation is very expensive)
I do sell helmets and meet with manufacturer representatives almost every day. All technology aside there are only two kinds of helmets as it pertains to there construction. One is plastic, they might call it advanced polymer or polycarbonate but they are still plastic. These helmets are usually under $200.00. The other kind of construction is fiberglass, these are usually layered with kevlar and or carbon fiber and usually cost $220.00+. I feel that in a crash (like a skid fin to the head) the plastic lid could split open like an egg. While the fiberglass lid might stay intact. Imagine setting two helmets on the ground one plastic one fiberglass/kevlar, then hit them with an AX!!! you decide.
Secondly fit, studies find that most are wearing a helmet that is at least one size to big. Put a helmet on, if your fingers will fit in between your forehead and the helmet it is to big. It wont make much difference on the density of the polystyrene and its ability do absorb impact if your pulling excess Gs when sloshing around in a big ole bucket.

In my opinion... Get yourself a good fiberglass lid that fits correctly and break out the Krylon.

I have limiited (thank goodness) experience with crashing helmets. Geezer in geezer-mobile turned left in front of me'n the Harley. Micro-seconds after impact I sailed over the car and hit the pavement at a shallow angle, first point of impact my head which was encased in a properly fitted (snug) Shoei helmet, a fiberglass/kevlar mix from the appearance of the trashed helmet. I never blinked out and I could hear the fiberglass crunching and grinding. Helmet was trash, my head was fine - well, fine it has ever been . . .