Helmet Recommendations

[mur190]

i wear a motocross helmet and on the cold day i wear
a no fog mask,,,, there really nice... gives your neck some protection too.

 

[pano-dude]

I ride with a motocross helmet year round one for sledding and one for quadding, and ive had no issues with being cold in the -40's with it, just get a good pair of goggles that have a large footprint and covers most of the hole, and i make sure there is a little overlap to my bellaclave and its all good. I also think 200+ for a helmet is a little ridiculous. Mine was 85 bucks at the sled show and it goes through all the same testing and conforms to all the same safty standards as the next 500 dollar one. I agree you cant put a price on your life but all your paying for is a brand name there people. And technically, your supposed to get a new helmet after a SINGLE crash. Just my 2 cents

There is a big difference in weight, and breathability with the high end helmets.

There is also different rating I think. DOT is the minimum for Road use( or Motorized use), Then there is Snell I believe which is higher rated for race purposes.

Googles fogging? Your helmet is not allowing the heat to escape.

Once you wear a carbon helmet, you won't wear anything else. There is way less stress on your neck with a lighter helmet.

Guys spend $500 to save a couple pounds off the sled or gain 5 hp, why not spend $500 and lose 2 lbs off your head?

 

[mur190]

some people just dont understand.... when you buy a 400 dollar helmet
your gettin a lot better product which has been tested and tried by professionals and it meets and exceds all these ratings and its lighter and more comfortable then the next 100 dollar helmet...
sure its a bullet to bite but how important is your mellon??
just my $0.02

 

[Sleeper700]

I agree. I got a Klim F4 this year, and believe me, it is way better than the free one I got with my ski-doo in '08. There are way too many features to list that makes this $400 helmet better than any $200 helmet I have ever seen, but here are a few. It is light, I don't sweat in it AT ALL, it has a winter goretex liner so no stinging cold air ramming your head anywhere, the breath deflector is awesome, and when I wear it with 2 of my 3 sets of goggles, NO snow ever touches my face. Another thing to note, all helmets should be replaced roughly 5 years after manufacture date. The padding in the helmet loses it's ability to take the impact of a crash over time. Just an FYI....

 

[ZRrrr]

I have been using an open face CKX helmet for years and love it. Difference in mine is that it is snow specific....CKX-S. Had a breath defelctor. I have several goggles that each function and fit different. Some better than others for cold day sealing. I also have a collection of diferent weight balaclavas for different temps. -30C and I will still ride open face with the right goggle/balaclava combo. A helmet is government certified by the DOT label on the outside. Snell and ANSI are independent testing labs and you pay a big premium in price for that. Most DOT helmets will meet Snell or ANSI certification but since they are independent the cost to put their sticker on the helmet is huge. Just something to think about.

 

[Taminator]

I have a few GMax helmets for dirt and snow. Nice and light and a good fit. They have an optional breath deflector/guard too which solves the fogging issue. Very important as some have said to get your goggles to fit your helmet as snug as possible and to have snow goggles. I have two MX helmets that are identical but dif colors one gets used in winter one summer, the only difference is I wear the breath deflector in the winter. -25 you can get some wind whistling in your vents at high speed but a good balaclava fixes that. Also have the model that's an mx style helmet that converts to a full face with the addition of the visor. I used it with the visor when I first started riding on the cold trails...now, no trails so no visor

 

[08summit]

Where is everyone getting these "light weight Klim" helmets from....I think Klim makes the best gear out there hands down but I had there helmet last yr and compared to my motocross helmets this thing is HEAVY. Not sure what you are comparing it to or if they have greatly improved this yr but you need a football players neck to support that thing all day...just my 2 cents...

 

[SledMamma]

Just got a new helmet from FLY racing and I LOOOOVE it--- very light, lots of wide open viewing (not claustrophobic) and a decent price (about $200.00). I think I ordered mine from UP NORTH SPORTS (could be wrong on the place) and it came in about $80 cheaper than anywhere in Canada.

Happy hunting!

SO, just thought I'd show you a pic of my husband in his new FLY helmet: He pulled it out of the box, wore it around the house and promptly had a nap on the couch ?1? Obviously very comfortable!! I'm sure he is dreaming of sledding...

 

[Modman]

There is a big difference in weight, and breathability with the high end helmets.

There is also different rating I think. DOT is the minimum for Road use( or Motorized use), Then there is Snell I believe which is higher rated for race purposes.

Googles fogging? Your helmet is not allowing the heat to escape.

Once you wear a carbon helmet, you won't wear anything else. There is way less stress on your neck with a lighter helmet.

Guys spend $500 to save a couple pounds off the sled or gain 5 hp, why not spend $500 and lose 2 lbs off your head?

Sorry, but I will have to agree with TravisFader on this one. Having worn helmets racing cars for years and having them properly tech inspected almost weekly, I can honestly tell you a lot of them are the same. Are Arai's ($700) that much better than HJC($200)? No. Both meet the same safety requirements, etc - Arai you are paying for the name, that's all. In some cases you will be paying for a better foam or fabric or more graphics but: BOTTOM LINE - is the $700 helmet "safer" than the $200 helmet? From everything I have read, seen and been informed about - No.

Yes I have worn $1,200 carbon fiber helmets with a Hans device and neck brace and I can tell you that I honestly did not notice a difference from my $300 Bell. Both made my head sweat at 32 degrees, both fit about the same, both have the same chin strap. I'm not an overly small person though, so if you have a weaker neck you might notice it more after a long day's ride.

DOT and Snell are different ratings, a good helmet will be rated from both. Bare minimum is the DOT rating all helmets should have this, the Snell rating is a more stringent rating, and is voluntary. Snell standards are set to levels that only the best headgear will meet. Snell certification is more than simply a standard, it's based on actual helmet testing, not just a requirement. If your helmet has a snell rating - good. If not, for motorsports anyway, you should have a snell approved helmet IMO, its just a level beyond DOT.

Most sanctioning racing bodies will not allow you to race even with a Snell approved helmet unless it has the most recent Snell rating (so yes, in order to pass tech for the race, this means buying a new helmet about every 3-5 yrs when the newest Snell ratings come out). Typically the plastic/foam or whatever means is protecting your noggin, will break down in the presence of UV light and just general exposure over time.

For me, I replace my helmet about every 3-4 yrs for sledding, since after a while, it will not protect you like it was designed, from the simple standpoint that exposure has made it weaker. Same reason workplace safety code dictates you change your hardhat every few years. Also, updating your helmet ensures that it is meeting the most stringent (re: newest) standards of the day. Its great to have a super light helmet, but if its way behind the times on the safety end of things, what's the point? Generally rules for replacing the helmet is - If you can't see the name on the helment (stickers scratched off), or you can't remember where you bought it, you should replace it. If you drop it and give it a significant blow, you should replace it. If you have it painted, make sure the paint will not compromise the helmets integrity (some solvents in the paint will make the plastic more brittle, etc)

If you can afford the $900 CF helmet or think that you would benefit from a lighter helmet - go ahead and buy it and save 3 lbs off your neck.

Biggest thing is to buy one and wear it. Do the strap up properly. Make sure the helmet fits tight onto your head. Make sure you can see out of it and have good peripheral vision.

Its great to see people get so passionate about safety stuff.

 

[SledMamma]

Where is everyone getting these "light weight Klim" helmets from....I think Klim makes the best gear out there hands down but I had there helmet last yr and compared to my motocross helmets this thing is HEAVY. Not sure what you are comparing it to or if they have greatly improved this yr but you need a football players neck to support that thing all day...just my 2 cents...

I agree... I thought the KLIM helmet was really heavy when I tried it on at the SledShow this year.

 

[akquad609]

I have a full face helmet currently and it seems very clostrophobic. Each time I get stuck or help someone else, it is very hard to breathe and I have to take it off each time and then put it back on, etc. Several friends have the modular helmets, but I wanted to hear about the Motorcross style helmets. I haven't really ridden with anyone that has one, but they seem like they would be less constricting. Can anyone give me some pointers (and the "stop riding with people who get stuck comment" or "don't get stuck" won't help!)? Also, could you recommend some motor cross helmets that would be good (under $200)?

Thanks!

hey get a 661 motocross helemnt its the best helment ive ever owned

 

[steel town]

I have a Troy Lee Designs SE helmet, it is light as a feather, if it's cold(-10) or worse and or I'm blitzing up the trail at high speed, I wear a ski doo bellaclava under the helmet(I like the doo bellaclava with the neoprene "beak")
As for goggles most motocross goggles with a double lenz works best, I use Scott and or Oakley's as they fit great with the moto helmet.
I also have a shoei vfx that kicks the crap out of it, but I only use if on my bike and not while sledding.

 

[TravisFader]

Thanks Modman, And i try to replace a helmet every year, one year i replace the sledding helmet and the next i replace the sled helmet, unless i have a good wipeout then i replace that one asap or rotate the helmets and use the one i usually use for the other sport. All in all if it fits good, feels comfortable, and meets safety standards, im on it!

 

[summit889]

I bought an M2R helmet last year off ebay for $80 shipped. They retail around $300 in canada. alot lighter than an F4 Klim helmet.

 

[steel town]

If you want the best helmet for your noggin go to a dealership that stocks a bunch of brands and try them all on. Each brand will fit a different shape of head......some brands just plain fit like crap period........
The best helmets are Arai or Shoei(hand made in Japan), I know pro motcross racers that can get a truck load of free HJC, Fox or thor helmets(which by the way all all the same and mass produced in Korea) and buy Arais or Shoeis because of superior fit and manufacturering.
The Japanese helmet companies usually make a different shell for each size of brain bucket, so after a year of use they dont pack out as much and spin around your head. The "clones" like Hjc or KBc ( they basically make all the helmets out there) only make 2 sizes of shells one for x/s,s and m, and another shell for l, xl, or xxl, so after a year of use they pack out and fit like crap.
Next time your at a large amature motocross race, look at what all the Vet racers use( over 30 years old) your can go down the line of 40 bikes and all your see is Shoei, Arai, shoei, Arai. These are the guys who care about saftey/fit and quality, not weither the helmet has skulls, flames and boobies on it or not.
Just my 2 cent's , btw, I worked at the largerst dealership in Canada for 4 years in the helmet department..........................

Travis Pastrana can get any helmet deal he wants and get a big paycheck for it, but he goes out and buys an Arai....nuff said

 

[pano-dude]

hey get a 661 motocross helemnt its the best helment ive ever owned

I have one (Carbon) and I agree. Reasonably priced too.

If it's -30, I am not riding