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What helmet are you using? My only experience with them is the open faced ones provided at Spring Mountain. Googling them they range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Family member is a big Dale Jr fan. What would that full face "Nationwide Insurance/Skull" helmet cost? I mean one approved for use on the track at VIR. Please excuse my ignorance and thought I'd ask here instead of spending a lot of time searching online.
A lot of good advice in this thread. The VIR track shop has a nice selection of helmets that gives you enough of a selection to see which size and shape best fits your head. The store clerk can also help you with how the helmet is supposed to fit. It isn't like trying on a hat.
I have an Impact 1320 with the optional Y cheek pads which permits installing communicator speakers inside the helmet. This is an excellent low cost helmet and competes well with the other low cost helmets from the other manufacturers. You may find that a medium Impact will be about the same fit as a Large Simpson or a small Stilo.
As for the Dale Jr. helmet that is most likely a Stilo top of the line carbon fiber helmet. Hendrick Motorsports seems to be purchasing most of their safety equipment from HMS Motorsports in Mooresville, NC and I am pretty sure Dale Jr is getting his helmets there.
Many people will say "do you trust your head to a $200 helmet?". Well, if two helmets are Snell rated, you really don't know if the $2000 helmet is any better than the $200 one - they both have met the same testing/certification standards.
That may be the most important information in the entire thread. Snell and the FIA are both Pass/Fail tests. There are no gradations.
The critical part is the fit. "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."
Buying helmets online is not a good idea. You really want to try them on before you hand over your Visa card,
For a beginner looking to enter Auto-X and HPDE events, do you recommend an open face or full face helmet?
Open face are better, IMO for autox, but if you might do a track day, I would get a full, which of course can be used for autox. I own both, full for track and open for autox.
Recommend full face helmet with visor down while on track (june bug in the face at 100 mph is no fun). Also recommend as light of a helmet as you can afford, especially if you do not use a HANS. More weight = more torque on your neck in an incident.
I will agree with a lot of what is said. Fit is very very important! Snug on the cheeks but not painful around the skull is what you want. I prefer full face because it keeps things out of my face that might fly into the car. Even in auto-x I have had pieces of gravel or something come in the side window. Also, the first time I got a Carbon fiber helmet I couldn't tell much of a difference in weight in my hand. I questioned whether it was worth the cost or not. Then, the first time I used it I realized my neck felt much better after being on track for 20-30 min. Not that my neck hurt before, but taking some weight off my head meant I didn't have to work as hard to keep it steady. Definitely wont be going back to composite!
Side note, but on topic, I have had many Simpsons and I like them but Im thinking of trying the new Bell GP.3 now that my current helmet is expired. Anyone have experience with both?
Side note, but on topic, I have had many Simpsons and I like them but Im thinking of trying the new Bell GP.3 now that my current helmet is expired. Anyone have experience with both?
I've worn some Simpsons and thought they were just OK.
But I've used Bell for a very, very long time.
They are snug on the cheeks but you only notice it the first time you put the new helmet on, after that you don't notice it at all.
I switched to the carbon/Kevlar pro M3 because of the wider eyeport (wearing glasses now).
I've had the narrow eyeport and it didn't bother me especially in an open wheel car.
The GP3 eyeport looks a tad narrow but I could live with it.
Black Armor has both open and closed face carbon fiber models for not much more than the price as a good fiberglass helmet. The quality is excellent and your neck will thank you at the end of the day. All are SA2015 rated.
You can get an SA2015 Bell K1 Pro on eBay for around 500 bucks. I have an old Arai I occasionally use for karting and I have to up grade soon. No way I can spend what a new Arai costs. Bell GP3s are around 700. I've seen GP3 carbons for around 900 but they are out of stock.
I'm a long time Simpson user, but swapped to Stilo for my new SA2015. The fit & finish is superb but the ear cups are the main reason for added hearing protection. The ability to add a blower (top or side) and drink bottle and/or radio microphone is a bonus.
After a number of years in open top cars (engine behind head), I can tell the hearing is suffering so any additional hearing protection is appreciated.
Just bought a Stilo ST5 with integrated electronics (muffs/speakers/earbuds), hydration system, top air system etc...really nice! I have been using a Bell Star Infusion with top air but I went to the Stilo due to the ear muffs - need some help saving my ears!
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