jcsperson

Back in my Phantom days we used to have felt skull caps that wicked perspiration off our heads during flight. I always kept a handful in my helmet bag in case I fodded one up and hi-g flight made sweatballs roll down into my eyes.

I just bought a new helmet for HPDE and I'd like to keep it nice. I can already foresee some hot days at VIR.

I know you racing types are wearing a nomex balaclava, but are you DE guys wearing anything between your head and your helmet? I looked everywhere and all I could find were some USAF skull caps they wanted $25 apiece for.

Any ideas?

CGZO6

Pop by the closest Base, I'm sure the ALSE shop will give you a couple. Don't think the new ones are felt though, seems like some kind of man-made fabric.

Falcon

We processed a bunch of Nomex for a customer here at our plant, and there was some left over. I took that fabric and a Sparco balaclava (for a pattern) to a seamstress here in town to see if she would make me some. Her price was $15 to cut out the pattern, and sew it into a balaclava. Keep in mind, I was furnishing the fabric. I though that was a little pricey, but she wouldn't come off the price.

She did a great job on it, though.

brkntrxn

You can buy cotton head socks from the same vendors you get balaclavas

froggy47

How about those rags that the chopper guys tie on their head?

Beats me how you tie it, but it's just a big handkerchief isn't it?

63Corvette

I race my car with a Nomex balaclava. However, I also race a bicycle, and here in Texas, that means heat.....and sweat. So far, the only thing that I have found that works for more than an hour is to use an ordinary tennis sweatband on my head, but cover it with a bicycle skullcap. This leaves the front portion of my forehead and sweatband covered by the skullcap, which seals to my forehead with rubberized material, but leaves the sweatband hanging out the back, diverting the sweat down my back. Not pretty, but it works. I buy the bike stuff at local bike stores, and tennis stuff at Wall Mart.

Last C5

I buy the lightweight nylon skull caps from these guys and trade back and forth between two of them all day long. They work great.

http://www.schampa.com/default.asp

jcsperson

I found these:



SweatVac Skull Cap

I'll try a few and see how they work.

63Corvette

I'm interested. Please post your results

jcsperson

I ordered a pair. I also found a couple old felt ones in my flight gear from three decades ago. I'll file a full report after the NCM HPDE at VIR in June.

Bill Dearborn

If it isn't Nomex doesn't that defeat the purpose of having an SA rated helmet?

Bill

StKnoWhere

Kart Balaclava's work, I bought 3 for $15 online.

StKnoWhere

SA Rating

What are the differences between the SA, M and K standards?

The SA standard was designed for competitive auto racing while the M standard was for motorcycling and other motorsports. The K standard was released to accommodate helmets used in karting. There are three major differences between them:

The SA standard requires flammability test while the M and K standards do not.
The SA and K standards allow for a narrower visual field than the M standard (Some SA and K certified helmets may not be street legal).
The SA and K standards include a rollbar multi-impact test while the M standard does not.

Bill Dearborn

As I stated, if the skull cap you put on your head isn't made of Nomex isn't that basically defeating one of the purposes of wearing an SA helmet since the skull cap will be flammable thus it doesn't make any difference from a flammability stand point whether or not you are wearing an SA helmet. It would sort of be like wearing Nomex underwear, Nomex lined race shoes, a 2 or 3 layer fire suit and Nomex gloves but putting an M rated helmet on your head.

Bill

CGZO6

As long as the skull cap is not made of something that melts, like nylon or polyester, the risk that it will burn between your head and helmet would be minimal (if it did you'd be dead already). I wear a nomex flightsuit every day at work, but by regulation I have to wear cotton, wool or nomex undergarments (cotton is my preferrence).

jcsperson

I finally got a chance to test the skull caps out at the NCM HPDE at VIR.

They worked great! Actually, it worked great! I never really had to use the second one because the first one worked so well. It was 93 on Monday and I got a little sweaty. I just rinsed it out in the sink, wrung it out, and let it dry which it did in about 20 minutes.

Recommended!

John Shiels

cotton does not wick well and a balaclava is on your forehead to stop sweat from going in your eyes.

talon90

This:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...1&s=automotive