synner

I'm looking for a HANS type device for a possible black Friday purchase this year. My criteria and type of use:
1) Cost is of course a factor, needs to be reasonable. While some people can't put a price on safety, my wife can...
2) Comfort
3) Ease of use and entry/exit into vehicle
4) Safety for road course use

Thoughts on the quick release vs post anchor style? It will be in stock style seats and it's unlikely I'll ever go full containment. I have 6 point harnesses, 3 inch thick straps, and a harness bar. I've read a good bit about Simpson, HANS, and Necksgen but I'm at a loss on selecting one. I'm nowhere close to a speed shop that has options to look at and I've had hit and miss experiences with employees that know what they're talking about.

What is the angle being referenced in HANS adjustable? Is it the angle from back of head pad to chest piece? I'm 5' 11" and 175. Some manufacturers seem to make a big deal about the angle and some don't mention it at all. It makes me think the HANS adjustable is the best buy so when I get it and it inevitably doesn't fit right (my luck) then I can adjust it to fit.

The Necksgen REV just seems much smaller, less bulky, and more comfortable. I've had a 3 level fusion at the base of my spine so comfort and ensuring it doesn't leave me at a weird angle for 30 minute sessions is important to me.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

fatbillybob

Well HANS is microsoft of Head neck restraints. They have all the data and all the pros use them. So IMO that's your answer. The real reason for adjustable HANS is if you race different cars like open wheel which is reclined seating position and tin top with is upright. Can an adjustable HANS improve comfort in a tintop car maybe but it isn't required and proper installation of the seat trumps all. In fact what you really have to look at especially since you have spine surgery is a really good well fitting seat and maybe even a custom seat with custom bead seat insert. This is like getting custom ski boots with custom orthotics. Your seat is the 1st basic in your safety system. Everything revolves around your seat. Your seat is not just a chair. There are many issues like seat layback which can alter how your HANS fits with the seat. You can buy a "hans " compatible seat which has more cutout at the head bolster for the hans but then that seat becomes less safe for when you don't have the hans on if you dual use the car. So you can compensate for that with your seat "layback" and installation. Then you have to have the shoulder straps at the right level for the hans etc etc. Sometimes all you have to do is buy the hans. But everyone should read the hans install manual very carefully and make sure their install is proper so that they maximize hans function. Finally, hans gives you no lateral impact protection and while belt dump is minimal lateral protection comes from containment seats and belt dump reduction also is assisted from containment seat design. There are other HNR that claim to offer lateral protection the old issac device for example, but none of those are used by pros and the issac fails the single release requirement of SFI. I have not looked at this stuff in years so do your own research to see if what I post here still rings true.

Hi Volts Z06

I second the motion. HANS is the granddaddy of them all, they have products to fit any budget (look at the sport series) and the quality is second to none. Don't trust your neck to a knockoff..... go with what all the pros use.

synner

Containment seat isn't in the cards any time soon as I don't plan going that far into race car with this vehicle. As for swappable units I'm in the military so don't have storage space for 2 seats and I can't change them out prior to every event due to back pain and trying to minimize pretrack day prep.

I'm looking mostly at the HANS adjustable and Necksgen rev2 lite right now. Will be at a track event next weekend and will try to wander around and talk to people and see if I can try any on while sitting in my car. I think adjustability and the ability to retain recline feature is important to ensuring my comfort as a balance between safety, comfort, cost, and how track oriented I want to go right now.

Thanks to both of you and still open to more input.

Dirk Miller

Nice post Bob! Over the 9 years that I've had my car, I've done various HPDE events with different clubs here in the Bay Area. I almost all ways have a friend riding with me in the passenger seat. Running with slicks, race seats and 6 pt harnesses. Safety is paramount with me and my passenger so I set up the passenger side with the same gear as for the driver. So far, I haven't purchased a Hans, but plan to. Guess I now have to buy two neck braces. I'll purchase mine to fit me, yet I wonder what brace is out there that might best fit all different passenger sizes? Will probably talk with the Hans folks.

63Corvette

Hans!

emf

Don't forget that a key element of HANS and similar systems are anchors installed in the helmet. These are either installed in tapped inserts (in the case of SAH and a portion of SA helmets) or require the helmet to be drilled, and are subsequently installed with backing nuts. This is a small but critical thing that's easy to address for a specific passenger, but could be a bit more problematic if it's not the same person, or if it's not the same *helmet* being used.

The vast majority of folk that I've talked to in Vettes have used the Large HANS 20, which is only slightly larger than the medium. Anchor type is personal preference ... I use the QD since it's easier for me to work with.


IMO if someone already has anchors installed, they'll already have a neck restraint that they'll use ... if you're using a loaner helmet for a ride-along, find something that's easy for folk to use and get used to and then install the applicable anchors in the helmet.

harrydirty

I track a C6Z and recently had an accident at Sears Point which involved a lateral collision into a tire wall. I was wearing a NecksGen and luckily, came away with no issues.

I was headed into T11 at over 100mph when my brakes failed completely (ruptured/severed brake line, no fluid); I put the car sideways to scrub off speed and hit on the driver's side.

Just one data point here, ymmv, but I am now a firm believer in WYGATT.

maj75

What car, what stock seats? Some are not suitable for harness/neck restraint systems.

harrydirty

2007 Z06, Kirkey Road Race seat, Sparco six-point harness attached to custom 4-point roll bar with integral harness bar.

synner

2011 Camaro (shhh, don't tell the corvette ppl), standard seat. Harness belt angles are all fine.

UrbanKnight

I had two hans and switched to necksgen (guy who made hans also makes necksgen, or some variant of that story anyway)

Necksgen is very comfy, I found the hans to be very uncomfortable as I have a large chest.

Had lateral impact with a wall in the necksgen and walked away without any pain. So it will always have my business. It has some lateral impact protects that HANS does not. Much like the guy above, I was happy with the injury(less) outcome.

Bill Dearborn

Explain what stock style seats you are running with 6 point harnesses. There are a lot of stock style seats that do not work well with racing harness shoulder straps. If the shoulder straps are coming around the outside of the seat you may find it will be hard to keep the belts on the HANS. C5 and C6 seats are this way. C5 sport seats with the slit in the back put the belts to close together and if you go around the outside the belts are too far apart and don't ride over the shoulders properly. Especially when your body starts to get thrown around in an incident. BMW Chapters and PCA won't let cars run race harnesses with those kinds of seats. Here is a copy of a BMW Chapter Tech Sheet from this year:




Bill

Hi Volts Z06

In addition to straps falling off shoulders with a stock seat, the other major problem is with the waist belt. Without the cutouts of a racing seat the belts come together as the hips move forward and the result is a broken pelvis. I've both of these types of injuries (ejection from the car due to straps falling off shoulders and broken pelvis due to compression) when people use 5 or 6 point harnesses with stock seats.

EdsC6Z06

I went with HANS adjustable on my C6Z06 with a harness bar and Caravaggio seats. Luckily not tested as of now. I do worry about proper angles and such but not sure how to be sure everything's ok?

synner

It's an OEM camaro seat with separate head rest, not a one-piece like in the pic. The Brey-Krause harness bar and seat have everything in the right place,shoulder angles are correct per SCCA rulebook, and my height is correct for the seat with no chance of it slipping off my shoulders with the bar hoops and seat style. I don't see an issue there, I did research it well before purchasing. I know that's not as good as a full containment FIA approved seat but like I said that aint happening due to cost, space constraints, and the fact that I've moved 8 times in 14 years which makes parts storage very complicated. I understand the safety compromises when halfway between street car and race car and how it becomes mediocre at both but there's plenty of people in the same boat. I'll be more than happy to have multiple cars for each scenario after exiting the military and robbing a bank to have the space and cash. I'm also receptive to being adopted by a wealthy philanthropist concerned with my safety but I've been told I've got too many "city miles" on me and am slightly past my prime by adoption agencies. Tragic.

Thanks for all the info.

synner

I'm not really understanding how a race seat stops the physics of having your pelvis stopped by the harness? Are you talking when there's a bunch of soft squishy side bolster seat foam versus having the belt tight to your body and preventing forward movement at impact?

Rookieracer

Check out the Simpson Hybrid versions.

sperkins

FYI - I have two HANS devices for sale. One small and one large. I bought them for my son as he grew, but the reality is that he's never going to need them as he has no interest in the hobby. They are both used, but in very good condition.

c5golfguy

I also have a HANS L30 Pro I'd like to sell too. Discovery parts said it would work with someone that has a larger chest like myself or as discussed above, its how the seat lays back. I have stock c5 base seats and the belts come around the side of the seat and just won't stay on the HANS. I'm going to go another route for a restraint system. I'd like to get $300 shipped. Has a recent tether on it from Discovery parts but needs to be re-validated for date by HANS which I think is 30 bucks.