where can i buy a helmet?

[styleee]

ok, all you racers, where do i get a helmet?

i'm being a nice sister, and i thought that my brother would like a helmet of his own for his birthday, since whenever he races his car, he has to rent a smelly one.

but, i don't know anything at all about where to get one, how much it would cost, etc etc.

i did manage to measure his head tho (he is so naive ;)) so its about 24 inches. (maybe a little less.)

any help would be greatly appricatied!

[epoxi]

i dont know if car racers use the same helmets as bikers do...if it is the same...be prepared to spend $400 + for a good helmet

[Apex]

Originally posted by epoxi
i dont know if car racers use the same helmets as bikers do...if it is the same...be prepared to spend $400 + for a good helmet

Absolutely not, they look the same on the outside (baring graphics and things), but the internal construction is very different. You want to make sure you get an automotive helmet since he races cars.

Not only do you need to know his head size, but shape as well.

My personal favorite is the Arai rx7-rr4, though many will argue in favor of others such as Bell, OMP, Simpson, etc.

http://www.araiamericas.com/product/product_home.html

In terms of safety, of course, the full faced ones are better than the ricebowl ones. However, you want one that exceeds DOT specifications and is Snell certified. Make sure, when he races, that his Snell certification number on the helmet is equal or greater than what that track or event requires. When I used to race (yeah, back in the days when dinosaur's roamed the earth and we were afraid to be stepped on), Snell SA-95 was the standard. Today, they've probably moved on to the SA2000 standard, but since I've been so out of the racing scene, I'm not sure. It could still be SA-95.

http://www.smf.org/stds.html

Basically, use this as your guideline:

If your brother has a $10 head, buy him a $10 helmet. If your brother has a priceless head, buy him a $600 helmet. He only has one, so make sure you accurately gauge his worth.

[styleee]

Originally posted by Apex


My personal favorite is the Arai rx7-rr4, though many will argue in favor of others such as Bell, OMP, Simpson, etc.

http://www.araiamericas.com/product/product_home.html


hey, i always say he's got RX7 on the brain, if i got him that helmet, it would be true!

but, i'm NOT spending $600 bucks on him. i was thinking more along the $150-200 line, and then splitting it with my sisters. & i think that is even high for his head's value ;) (jk ;))

& thanks apex, your the first person to give me any sort of info on the subject!

[Aristo]

I got my Simpson helmet from http://www.summitracing.com, same place I got my Borla. :) Search under "Safety".

[epoxi]

try this link to figure out your guy's measurements

http://www.tegsportracing.com/helmetsizing.html


http://www.tegsportracing.com/tech.html

[Nanotech9]

I hope i havent missed you deadline for buying a helmet....

first off, does he RACE, or Autocross? If he RACES, listen to APEX... if he Auto-X's well, you have some more options...

First off, prolly 99% of everyone at the autocross here uses old motorcycle helmets, from open face, to full face, to dirt-bike motocross helmets.

I use my motorcycle helmet i bout 6 months ago for $250. Its an HJC, and very well worth the $250 (although, its stil not very pricey compared to some SHOEI's).

This is the helmet i bought:
http://www.helmetshop.com/ac10.htm

They do sell cheaper models ($99), but they wear out really fast, and arent vented well.

Now, heres a thing to consider... In most helmet, i might wear a Large size. In the HJC, i had to get an XL size. I donno why, but i had to. ALSO, consider that the helmet will fit a little tight when first wearing it, but will get looser a little as time goes by. a GOOD helmet, (like the one i bought) will not degrade much, and still fit snugly after several months.

I have never purchased from this place, but by just glancing at their prices, they seem to be pretty good:
http://volusiaonline.com/helmet/

Just remember, if he's RACING, go with APEX's suggestions. but if he's autocrossing, he can get away with a regular motorcycle helmet. I would say 99.999999% of the time, nobody has ever wrecked at an autocross, and most accidents that happen are OUTside of the actual course. (i.e. in the parking lot). Therefore, theres no need to go spend $600 on a helmet.

Also, one other thing... they make neck supports that keep the helmets from rolling back on you neck and snapping it... you might consider getting him one of these also if he races.

[shaggymatt]

I too got mine from HelmetShop, excellent service, I called on a Tuesday, and needed the helmet for a Saturday race, and got it on Friday without paying anything extra for shipping, they just rushed it in house.

This is the one I got: http://www.helmetshop.com/cl5.htm even though it says M95, mine is stamped M2000, which is what counts!

It does depend on what you are doing that you need a helmet for. I've heard that some tracks for next year are requiring Nomex lined helmets (so much for the cheaper Snell rated helmets).

If you are just auto-x'ing, do get a Snell 2000 cert helmet, that will be good till 2011.

[Cheesypuff]

pots work great!!!