Helmet safety ratings

[Ram4x4]

Anyone looking to purchase a new, legal helmet for racing has probably noticed that the choices have diminished a fair bit. A few of the popular brands and models are no longer made, or the newer "updated" versions are no longer SNELL rated. What's left are the upper (i.e. more expensive) models of the major brands.

I know the saying "what's your head worth?", but after doing some reading on SNELL, DOT, ECE, and the newer FIM standards, price doesn't always mean better. For example, I read an article by a former SNELL Foundation director (Dr. Jim Newman, also a real world head-impact expert) he thinks the SNELL testing standards are a bit miss directed. In the article, he talks specifically about SNELL's requirement for a helmet to pass a double hit in the same spot. The problem, according to Dr. Newman, is that in order to pass the test, the helmets are built to pass the test and not to lessen the G force impact to the head. Currently, SNELL mandates a 300G limit. He feels the standards should progressively lower the impact G forces as a requirement instead. He also thinks the idea of hitting the exact same spot on the helmet in a crash is statistically unlikely.

Anyway, the point? What is your opinion about revisiting the SNELL requirement for our helmets? The current ECE 22.05 standard is debatably as rigorous, if not more, than the SNELL tests and there are quite a few helmets available that meet these standards. ECE also "conditions" helmets as part of their tests (solvents, moisture, and temperature).

Link to ECE 22.05 testing standards: http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/t...gs/r022r4e.pdf
Link to SNELL testing: https://www.smf.org/testing

[deeougee]

Most of the testing is geared toward motorcycle riding. There is only one helmet that I know of that lessens g force and blunt impacts and those are Leatt Helmets, the inner shell is suspended from the outer shell. To me that is movement in head protection.

[Ram4x4]

I was just curious what everyone's thoughts are. Looking at APBA General Safety Rules, Section3, it states SNELL M2010, SFI, and FAI certifications are legal.

Really, the biggest problem is just finding a legal helmet of a legal solid color that doesn't cost $400+. There are tons of lesser priced SNELL M2015 out there, just not in hi-viz single colors. For example, I wear the Scorpion EXO R-410. It is SNELL M2010 (still legal for a few more years), but Scorpion doesn't make that model anymore. It's been replaced by the EXO R-420, which is SNELL M2015 certified, but it doesn't come in the solid hi-viz colors anymore.

Sure, you could have one painted, but a paint shop charges $150-$200 to paint a helmet a single color and that sort of negates the savings. You could paint it yourself or cover it in colored tape, I've seen that, but do you really want to do that?

I wonder how well a hi-viz wrap would work and what it might cost.

Still, I questioned things more as an exercise to learn more about the various standards and was surprised at some of the info I found.

[susqueduck]

If you are looking for a new one check this helmet out.... Zamp helmets are Bell Europe helmets imported under the Zamp name. This helmet has some cool features like air vents that can be used or plugged. Integral ear muffs that are removable. Hydration port.