Helmet trouble!

[GavT]

If wishing to get into the track day scene, how do you choose a helmet?

Open face?

Diff. between £200 - £500

do full helmets limit visability?

What do you guys use& why? (i'll be driving an Elise)

Cheers Gav

[andye30m3]

I could be wrong but i thought you needed a full face helmet in open cars.

[GavT]

Not sure but sounds logical?

Any one else know?

Cheers

[Gruffy]

For the purposes of track days I believe open cars are considered to be aero-screened Caterhams etc. I'm sure open-faced helmets are fine for Elises, though I definitely prefer a closed helmet.

[iguana]

Been tons of helmet threads on here, have a search we all have different views tho & it often gets a bit handbag

Car race lids are difernet fire proof lining for a start, but for me personally if a lid is fine for bike racers to smash their heads off the tarmac, then its good enough for me in a track car. Decent certified gold sticker (means certified for bike race use) bike lids start at £50

[Nurburgsingh]

iguana said:

Been tons of helmet threads on here, have a search we all have different views tho & it often gets a bit handbag

Car race lids are difernet fire proof lining for a start, but for me personally if a lid is fine for bike racers to smash their heads off the tarmac, then its good enough for me in a track car. Decent certified gold sticker (means certified for bike race use) bike lids start at £50

Bike and car lids are structurally different because they are designed to absorb differrent kinds of imapacts... a bike helmet is there to protect you against a glancing blow of the tarmac. A car helemt is to protect you from a short sharp shock to the rollcage.

If you want to avoid tasting the steering wheel get a full face lid and then take the visor off if its uncomfortable...

You pays your money and takes your chances!

( Arai GP5W )

[GavT]

In summary, I think i will buy a a full face, cheers nurburgsingh (cracking name by the way!!)

And I also believe that if a biker can fly off at 100 and land on the floor and head be in one piece thats good enough for me.

If I get serious though are there any specific standards I must adhere to?

(i don't mean formula 1 just regular Track days or Elise Trophy cup!)

Cheers

ps get those hanbags out this could be fun

[schuey]

I have a rather nice full face helmet,but it pi$$es me off no end in the car on track days,I have got an open face helmet on my xmas list......!

[intrepid44]

Yes there are requirements if you plan on doing MSA racing.

http://www.msauk.org/site/cms/contentviewArticle.a...

Edited by intrepid44 on Friday 14th December 20:17

[Nurburgsingh]

GavT said:

In summary, I think i will buy a a full face, cheers nurburgsingh (cracking name by the way!!)

In my best Elvis Presley ( or should that be Elvis Singh? )


than' you very murch...

GavT said:

And I also believe that if a biker can fly off at 100 and land on the floor and head be in one piece thats good enough for me.

If I get serious though are there any specific standards I must adhere to?

(i don't mean formula 1 just regular Track days or Elise Trophy cup!)

Cheers

ps get those hanbags out this could be fun

If you are doing any kind of motorsport that is administered by the MSA than I think you need to have one that is snell2005 certified. Your helemt will be inspected by a scrutineer before the race. OOOH ERR!!

For jsut trackday use... erm.. The last time anyone checked my helmet ( STOPPIT!! ) prior to a trackday was in the days of "Club89"

But if you are getting a Bike lid then it used to be the ones with a Gold BSI sticker that said "Suitable for Motorcycle Motorsport" or something.... A half decent race rep basically.

[mgv8dave]

schuey said:

I have a rather nice full face helmet,but it pi$$es me off no end in the car on track days,I have got an open face helmet on my xmas list......!

Have to agree here i have a full face and it is a real pain in the neck quite
literally in the car park, i always feel like i will back in to someone/thing.
on track thoe it is no worry.

[Sean Edwards]

I use a full face Arai GP5 for racing.

For track days it's taken me a while to decide, started off with a cheap Sparco lid from my rally car at home, then went to a Arai GP Jep open face, then to a Arai GP5 closed face and now I have just brought the Stilo range of open face helmets with intercom for me and my clients to use, as it was getting annoying fitting the intercom device every morning into their helmet and it was hurting some of their ear’s!

Closed face is a lot nicer for track day’s imo.

[casbar]

I use an Arai GP5K for track days. If your going to do any racing you will need a car helmet.

[BertBert]

Sean Edwards said:

I use a full face Arai GP5 for racing.

For track days it's taken me a while to decide, started off with a cheap Sparco lid from my rally car at home, then went to a Arai GP Jep open face, then to a Arai GP5 closed face and now I have just brought the Stilo range of open face helmets with intercom for me and my clients to use, as it was getting annoying fitting the intercom device every morning into their helmet and it was hurting some of their ear’s!

Closed face is a lot nicer for track day’s imo.

Sean, what would you go for in an open car (such as a Radical) with intercom? There's obviously a lot of wind noise in an open car.

Bert

[Sean Edwards]

BertBert said:

Sean Edwards said:

I use a full face Arai GP5 for racing.

For track days it's taken me a while to decide, started off with a cheap Sparco lid from my rally car at home, then went to a Arai GP Jep open face, then to a Arai GP5 closed face and now I have just brought the Stilo range of open face helmets with intercom for me and my clients to use, as it was getting annoying fitting the intercom device every morning into their helmet and it was hurting some of their ear’s!

Closed face is a lot nicer for track day’s imo.

Sean, what would you go for in an open car (such as a Radical) with intercom? There's obviously a lot of wind noise in an open car.

Bert

Well, the Stilo intercom system is very, very good! So I would probably go for an full face stilo if you can spend that sort of money (£300/£400).

[Tim.C]

I've just bought a new Snell 2005 certified full face helmet for about £145 from the U.S. There's still tax to worry about but no way of doing it cheaper as far as I can tell.

[BertBert]

Thanks Sean, I need a new helmet if I am to race next year anyway and was looking at the stilo range.
Bert