s'noJob

Prior to ordering my Pyrotect open-face helmet, I carefully measured my head according to Pyrotect's guide. Using inches, cm, and also my hat size, I fell right on the line between Medium and Large.

So I ordered a large. It came in yesterday, I tried it on, and tested it according to the fitting instructions. As can be expected due to my borderline head size, it seems slightly on the large side.

Pyrotect uses different size cheek pads to allow custom tuning of the helmet size - thin, medium and thick. I've heard that Pyrotect actually has only two shell sizes - small & large. As I understand it, they accommodate the size range XS, S, and M using the small shell and thick, medium & thin cheek pads. L, XL, and XXL would use the large shell with the three cheek pads.

If this is true, then my Large size would be the large shell and the thick pads. Medium would be the small shell and the thin pads.

I'd really rather not go through the effort of returning this helmet and trying the medium, only to find it's too small and end up bringing back the large.

To complicate matters further, the Pyrotect website shows SIX replaceable cheek pad sizes from 3/4 inch to two inches in 1/4 inch increments.

I suspect I might be able to get a good custom fit by ordering a thicker cheek pad size. Has anyone had any luck with customizing Pyrotect helmets with different cheek pad sizes? If so, do you have a recommendation? As with many, I don't have the luxury of trying on helmets locally.

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SteveC68

Call Pyrotect. I had a similar issue and they helped me select the correct sized cheek pads. Helmet fits very well now.

s'noJob

Thanks, Steve. I called Pyrotect today and spoke with a gentleman, also named Steve, who confirmed my understanding that the shell does indeed only come in two sizes, and that they use the cheek pad thickness to accommodate the helmet fitting from XS through XXL.

He also expressed concern that the Medium helmet, (using the smaller shell) may be too small. Therefore he recommends I keep the Large helmet, and he will be sending me what he believes will be the proper cheek pads based on my description of how the helmet (almost) fits me now.

He's also sending what he called "foam liner shims" which are supposed to further shore up the fitting of the helmet. The complete set was $24, which they will reimburse once I return the cheek pads that currently came with the helmet.

I'll post the results once the pads and shims come in and I have the chance to "try them on for size."

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froggy47

Pretty good service, eh?

I have their large which is a good std fit for me.

My buddy is ordering one so I'll give him a link to this thread.

s'noJob

I'll say! The cheek pads and shims came in today. I swapped out the pads and put the shims in the brow area and now the helmet fits perfectly.

The original cheek pads each measure about 1.5 inches wide for the size Large helmet, and the new pads are about 1.75 inches each for a total of 1/2 inch additional support. The two shims are made of foam and are about 1/8 inch each.

So now, less than two weeks after placing my original order, I have a helmet that's custom fit for my head - all without setting foot in a speed shop.

Now that's what I call good customer service.

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froggy47

I really like mine, I use a helmet liner even tho it's washable.

c4cruiser

PyroTect helmets are excellent for the weekend racer and it certainly sounds like their customer service is also excellent.

I have a Pro Airflow Full Face with the flame graphics and it fits perfectly.

s'noJob

UPDATE: I got the chance to use the helmet, finally, at the ECCC Open Track Day at NCCAR earlier this month.

The helmet fit so good, I didn't even notice I had it on. One less distraction while concentrating on the track.

As a contrast, during the tech inspection before we hit the track the official asked this gentlemen (who looked like he was in his 70s) for his helmet to check it out for compliance.

The guy pulls it out of the box and says, "I'm not sure how to put it on." Here the guy is at the track, and he'd never even tried his helmet on!!!!

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rfn026

Here's what the Snell Foundation says about helmet fit.


The helmet should be a little tight when you first try it on.

If you can roll the helmet backwards far enough to expose your forehead, or if you can move it forward enough to block your vision, the helmet fits poorly. Do not use it. Replace the helmet with a smaller size. If you can't remove the helmet and it doesn't roll either backward far enough to expose your forehead or forward far enough to block your vision, you have a proper fit. A helmet that doesn’t fit snugly can easily rotate over the front of your head in an accident and come off, reducing the protection it provides to zero.

Now ask someone to help you while you bend your neck to lower your chin to your chest. With the helper standing in front of you and the helmet in place with the chin strap properly fitted, the helper should grasp the bottom edge of the back of the helmet and pull forward. The helmet should not be easily removed with a moderate pulling effort. The general rule is to choose the smallest helmet you can bear, but without any particular pressure points (or voids between head and helmet).

This is from my article on helmets in Vintage Motorsport magazine.

Richard Newton