OMP 'Trackday' Helmet
Discussion
Just noticed these OMP 'Trackday' helmets for sale in various places at under £80.
Anybody used them for a track days and more to the point are they ok/legal for a circuit track day to comply with whats needed?
Dont want to buy one and then turn up and get told its not suitable if you know what I mean...
Anybody used them for a track days and more to the point are they ok/legal for a circuit track day to comply with whats needed?
Dont want to buy one and then turn up and get told its not suitable if you know what I mean...
FamilyGuy said:
Nero601 said:
davepoth said:
One question to always ask: "How much is my head worth?"
spot on sir 
deviant said:
FamilyGuy said:
Nero601 said:
davepoth said:
One question to always ask: "How much is my head worth?"
spot on sir 
An off is more then likely. And even an A7 can reach speeds capable of delivering a headache of hospital proportions. Given the costs of track days, not spending 200 GBP on a decent helmet seems a little on the daft side.FamilyGuy said:
deviant said:
FamilyGuy said:
Nero601 said:
davepoth said:
One question to always ask: "How much is my head worth?"
spot on sir An off is more then likely. And even an A7 can reach speeds capable of delivering a headache of hospital proportions. Given the costs of track days, not spending 200 GBP on a decent helmet seems a little on the daft side.Anyway if you had a big one in an Austin 7 I would wager the price tag on your helmet would be the last of your worries as the doors burst open and the engine gets intimate with your legs and lower torso on the back seat while the steering column drills a neat hole trough your head
I certainly dont support the idea of an unknown quality £15 helmet but personally I would be looking for the correct stickers and if the thing fits comfortably before looking at the price tag...someone might try on £1000 worth of latest kit but find it seriously uncomfortable where something costing less than half fits like a glove.
I'm certainly not blase about safety but like I said, the price tag should not be the decider and a little risk assesment goes a long way.
You're quite right. And appropriate headgear would be either a trilby or a bowler.I've got one of the OMP helmets, and have done 2 trackdays and have had no issues with not being allowed on track.
Whether they start to get more strict on this remains to be seen.
To all the people who say 'how much is your head worth?', surely this depends on what you're doing and what car you're in?
My car is a road going e46 M3. It has no nasty cages to hit my head on, and god knows how many airbags that will go off if I had a big accident.
Do I REALLY need anything more than a helmet which is approved enough to used on a motorbike on the road???
Would there really be much difference between a £100 helmet and a £300 one in a crash in my car? Honestly?
Whether they start to get more strict on this remains to be seen.
To all the people who say 'how much is your head worth?', surely this depends on what you're doing and what car you're in?
My car is a road going e46 M3. It has no nasty cages to hit my head on, and god knows how many airbags that will go off if I had a big accident.
Do I REALLY need anything more than a helmet which is approved enough to used on a motorbike on the road???
Would there really be much difference between a £100 helmet and a £300 one in a crash in my car? Honestly?
davepoth said:
One question to always ask: "How much is my head worth?"
A £100 helmet may not be as good as a £300 helmet, but that £300 helmet won't be as good as a £600 helmet, and so on - where do you stop?I assume you'll be buying an F1-style carbon helmet with HANS posts, and the appropriate HANS device to attach to your roll-cage, to go with your plumbed-in fire extinguisher, race fuel cell, carbonex suit, etc. - or you're valuing your head at a measly £300 rather than £10k and taking the piss out of people who can only afford a £100 helmet.
Although if you want to take it to it's logical conclusion, you shouldn't be using a 'road' car on the track anyway, as you really need to upgrade the suspension, brakes, etc. to cope with the extra stresses of track use. How about we all buy a race car instead which will be much safer.
After all, how much is your life worth - and if you can't afford to get the best, most-expensive of every safety element (including the car itself) then you obviously shouldn't be doing a track day.
This is the one for you: http://www.gaskrank.tv/tv/motorrad-fun/36-kg-schwe...
mmm-five said:
taking the piss out of people who can only afford a £100 helmet.
Where?mmm-five said:
and if you can't afford to get the best, most-expensive of every safety element (including the car itself) then you obviously shouldn't be doing a track day.
The weight of that chip on your shoulder there must be causing some discomfort. The focus of the discussion shifted to achieving the right level of safety, as opposed to how cheap a helmet you could get away with. I didn't see anyone posting saying that the most money spent the better, just that spending enough money to properly protect your head was sensible.FamilyGuy said:
mmm-five said:
taking the piss out of people who can only afford a £100 helmet.
Where?FamilyGuy said:
mmm-five said:
and if you can't afford to get the best, most-expensive of every safety element (including the car itself) then you obviously shouldn't be doing a track day.
The weight of that chip on your shoulder there must be causing some discomfort. The focus of the discussion shifted to achieving the right level of safety, as opposed to how cheap a helmet you could get away with. I didn't see anyone posting saying that the most money spent the better, just that spending enough money to properly protect your head was sensible.If a £100 helmet is crap and a £3000 helmet is the dogs b
k, then how is anyone who buys anything less than the £3000 one being safe enough - or is your head not worth £3k?If you have an accident then that £200 difference might not make any difference to the outcome at all, as we won't know the severity of the accident until it's happened, so where do you draw the line between safety & cost?
Do you spend a bit more on a helmet at the expense of maintaining the car, do you buy a cheap helmet but get fireproof clothing, etc. Everyone will have a different budget, but the original question here was whether the OMP trackday helmet was suitable for trackdays - the simple answer is that if it's got the correct certifications then it's fine, not "Ask yourself how much your head is worth".
I think the point is being lost and there is a different view point. Its not about how much your head is worth, because clearly it is priceless. Its about the safety standard that you are buying.
For example a Snell 2005 £200 helmet is just as safe as a Snell 2005 £600 helmet. The £600 helmet is not 3 times safer, as it has gone through the same test. Like an NCAP 5 Star Car - A BMW has passed this test the same as a Renault therefore neither is technically safer.
So what am I trying to say? Well the more you pay, potentially the more confortable they will be, the more added extras (excluding the BMW example) you might get and it might look better styled. Unless it is of a higher safety standard it is not any SAFER.
So if it fits well and is comfortable and is at minimum BS 6658 Type A / FR then no problem.
Personally I would only by a SNELL helmet as i know they have been tested specifically for use inside a vehicle and have fireproof linings as well as testing to make sure your brains won't fry too quickly if it goes up in smoke.
For example a Snell 2005 £200 helmet is just as safe as a Snell 2005 £600 helmet. The £600 helmet is not 3 times safer, as it has gone through the same test. Like an NCAP 5 Star Car - A BMW has passed this test the same as a Renault therefore neither is technically safer.
So what am I trying to say? Well the more you pay, potentially the more confortable they will be, the more added extras (excluding the BMW example) you might get and it might look better styled. Unless it is of a higher safety standard it is not any SAFER.
So if it fits well and is comfortable and is at minimum BS 6658 Type A / FR then no problem.
Personally I would only by a SNELL helmet as i know they have been tested specifically for use inside a vehicle and have fireproof linings as well as testing to make sure your brains won't fry too quickly if it goes up in smoke.
Id be happier with an 'inferior' £300 BS6658-A helmet (probably only tested to ECE standard now, but with a gold ACU badge), than ANY £150 Chinese Snell 2005 marked helmet! I dont think that the Nomex lining is of any value at all either (unless youre already wearing underwear, boots, gloves and an FIA 2x or 3x suit, and probably not even then as youll pobably be wearing an FIA Nomex balaclava).
Have any TDOs been foolish enough to insist on Snell/FIA/BS-FR standard helmets for their events this year; as was suggested? What would be the point though?
Theres a lot of nonsense talked about helmets; isnt there?
Have any TDOs been foolish enough to insist on Snell/FIA/BS-FR standard helmets for their events this year; as was suggested? What would be the point though?
Theres a lot of nonsense talked about helmets; isnt there?
GC8 said:
Id be happier with an 'inferior' £300 BS6658-A helmet (probably only tested to ECE standard now, but with a gold ACU badge), than ANY £150 Chinese Snell 2005 marked helmet! I dont think that the Nomex lining is of any value at all either (unless youre already wearing underwear, boots, gloves and an FIA 2x or 3x suit, and probably not even then as youll pobably be wearing an FIA Nomex balaclava).
Have any TDOs been foolish enough to insist on Snell/FIA/BS-FR standard helmets for their events this year; as was suggested? What would be the point though?
Theres a lot of nonsense talked about helmets; isnt there?
No one said that the BS6658 was inferior, I just stated my personal preference. Have any TDOs been foolish enough to insist on Snell/FIA/BS-FR standard helmets for their events this year; as was suggested? What would be the point though?
Theres a lot of nonsense talked about helmets; isnt there?
So are you saying that all BS helmets are made in the UK? I probably dont think that is the case.
If you are concerned that a helmet is wrongly stating that it is a Snell standard helmet then you can check what Snell have or have not approved on their website http://www.smf.org/stds.html .
ECE Standard helmet are not acceptable to the MSA the same as Gold ACU helmets. This is because they are tested to different standard and different use. So if a motorsport organising body which is sanctioned by the FIA wont allow them then why do people think that they are ok for trackdays? You wouldn't wear a horse riding helmet for a trackday so why wear a helmet desgined for use on a motorbike?
I dont think any trackday organiser has enforced the checking of helmets but two that I have used have mentioned that they should be of the same standard acceptable to the MSA and they state the standards. It is only a matter of time before they check and enforce it as insurers will insist on it, and to be honest you cant blame them after some of the helmets I have seen people wearing that would be more appropriate to be seen in a skip or a museum.
It is personal preference at the end of the day but a lot of people don't understand what the difference between helmet standards are. I dont profess to know it all but I have done a bit of research in the past.
MGRacer said:
I dont think any trackday organiser has enforced the checking of helmets but two that I have used have mentioned that they should be of the same standard acceptable to the MSA and they state the standards. It is only a matter of time before they check and enforce it as insurers will insist on it, and to be honest you cant blame them after some of the helmets I have seen people wearing that would be more appropriate to be seen in a skip or a museum.
I think you'll find that it won't happen because as soon as the TDO checks the helmet in any way he is taking some responsibility for it same as if they checked a car - when it goes wrong it allows blame to be passed. How would the TDO be able to tell if the helmet had been damaged or dropped, how about if someone wore the wrong size of lid? The old "how much is your head worth ?" does sound a bit patronising but the basic idea of personal responsibility is fair enough in my view.
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