Track day helmet

[loonie]

I am going to buy a helmet for the Noble track day, and will never use it for racing. Suggestions as to type, make, price, suitability welcomed.
Thanks,
Keith

PS. My wife will be on circuit at Rockingham in my 3R. Give her lots of space!

[alex s]

I think the general thought is buy the best you can afford, our to put it another way, "how much is your head worth?"
I would suggest having a look on demon tweeks site and see what you like. Dont be tempted to just buy a cheap bike lid, as these are not approved for track work in a car.
HTH
Alex.

[GetCarter]

Most important is that it fits! Buying on-line means you may well have to send it back to be replaced.

It needs to be TIGHT on your head without being uncomfortable.

Steve

[joolski]

I have a full face helmet, which was my karting helmet before I used it in the car.

I borrowed an open face helmet a while back and found it much more comfortable for track days.

I would strongly suggest that you go and try your helmet before you by though.

[obes]

Use your local bike shop to try some on.
It's a must to try them as they can give you one hell of a headache if they don't fit properly.

I got mine from Grand prix racewear, they've got an outlet at Silverstone and a shop in Chiswick.

www.gprdirect.com

[loonie]

Alex wrote: "not approved for track use in a car"

What is the approval I am seeking please?
Keith

[obes]

There's a sticker on the back of approved ones. Can't remember what it's like though!
I'll have a look when I get home !!

[lucozade]

or alternatively hire one for a small fee at Rockingham.

[AMG Merc]

loonie said:

I am going to buy a helmet for the Noble track day, and will never use it for racing. Suggestions as to type, make, price, suitability welcomed. Thanks, Keith

Keith, if you can get up to Grand Prix Racewear in Acton (by Chiswick roundabout) - www.gprdirect.com - they usually have a good selection for you to try (suggest you call 1st). Mine's a Bell Sport 3 (for what it's worth!) full face but next time I think I'll go for open - less constricting in the Noble.

PS - you'd better not be a Loonie (nor your wife)!

Edited to say just saw Owen's earlier post re GP Racewear too - great minds and all that!


>> Edited by AMG Merc on Tuesday 11th October 17:58

[V6GTO]

AMG Merc said:

Edited to say just saw Owen's earlier post re GP Racewear too - great minds and all that!

Two schools of thought on this one:-

1) Great minds think alike...or...

2)Two fools seldom differ...

Martin.

[worty]

Found my old helmet last night haven't worn it in anger for about 20 years. It seems to have shrunk !
Getting my track day sump next Thursday so I'll be off to gp raceware while they sort the car.
I think I'll be getting an open faced one this time.
Apart from the obvious safety benefits of a full face anyone have any strong views on the open/full face debate

Paul

[Mr Noble]

I have tracked with both and much prefer open faced in a car. You seem to get a far wider field of vision.

Besides, your never going to whack your chin on anything!!

GN

(unless it came through the windscreen.

[worty]

I haven't really done much on a track in tin tops so I was thinking vision and that an open face could be cooler. Don't suppose lifting the visor slightly would do much good inside the cabin

[worty]

Mr Noble said:

Besides, your never going to whack your chin on anything!! GN (

You haven't seen the size of my chin

[AMG Merc]

V6GTO said:

AMG Merc said: Edited to say just saw Owen's earlier post re GP Racewear too - great minds and all that! Two schools of thought on this one:- 1) Great minds think alike...or... 2)Two fools seldom differ... Martin.

...said by a true helmet Jenkins!

[m12wastegate]

Definitely get open faced but I would go to a motorbike shop first. You should find an open faced helmet for about £30 - I nearly bought another for my dad two days ago from our local shop for £29.99 but his head is too big(!). GP Racewear will be more expensive - probably their cheapest is the Sparco Club which is fine but probably about 3 times what you can get the same for in a motorbike shop. The cheap ones are obviously not carbon kevlar malarky but they have minimum crash ratings they must all meet. Another cheap but ok make is Cromwell.

Chris M

[AMG Merc]

m12wastegate said:

Definitely get open faced but I would go to a motorbike shop first. You should find an open faced helmet for about £30 - I nearly bought another for my dad two days ago from our local shop for £29.99 but his head is too big(!). GP Racewear will be more expensive - probably their cheapest is the Sparco Club which is fine but probably about 3 times what you can get the same for in a motorbike shop. The cheap ones are obviously not carbon kevlar malarky but they have minimum crash ratings they must all meet. Another cheap but ok make is Cromwell. Chris M

Chris, sorry but "cheap but OK" won't do here mate!

You're suggesting we protect our heads, and their contents, with a £30 helmet - I can tell you that such an inferior product will offer very little protection in am unplanned ocurrence of Newton's second law of motion inside your car!

Always buy the best you can afford - don't think that just because you're inside a closed cockpit with a roll-cage you can't get seriously hurt in an "incident"!

[joust]

Ask yourself how much your head is worth. Ask yourself if you trust something meeting the "minimum standards" is something you would want to entrust.

Then look inside the car. See the chassis members that go across the side of the car. Now shake your head around and notice that you could easily hit one of them.

Then think about the most unthinkable crash you could imagine, then think about trying to make it ten times worse (how about hitting a kerb at 90+mph, spinning, hitting a kerb sideways and then barrel rolling down the track two or three times).

Then ask yourself this question. If I value my head and my life, then how much am I prepared to pay for a helmet to stop it being seriously hurt after such a crash?

Clearly after a certain level then you are paying for more "comfort" orientated features or "professional" features like Nomex lining etc, but there is a saying that "if you have a £30 head, buy a £30 helmet".

Me, the last time I did that exercise I bought a Sparco Pro Jet for ~£160 from Demon Tweaks. They have a nice 'size' chart that you print out and stick around your head that simplifies the whole ordering process.

JJ

[davidy]

Agree with joust, but I would emphasis the try before you buy, I bought a £200 Sparco one from GPR in Chiswick a few years ago. At the end of the day you should be prepared to travel to try out helments and pay for a decent one.

There is also a big difference in comfort, the more you pay the more comfortable it is, this is important as it allows you to get on with the driving and not worry about niggles with your skid lid.

I also tried on a £650 helmet and you could have comfortably worn that all day, ie suitable for professionals/instructors/etc.

On a track day you spend quite a lot of time in the car, 2-3 hours is typical so comfort is a big issue

davidy

[Mr Noble]

joust said:

Then think about the most unthinkable crash you could imagine, then think about trying to make it ten times worse (how about hitting a kerb at 90+mph, spinning, hitting a kerb sideways and then barrel rolling down the track two or three times).JJ

: How do I cancel all future trackdays?