I would like to get opinions on automotive helmets approved for track use.

What should I look for? (How important is weight? Air flow? Other factors?)

Which brands are known for their safety and quality?

What's the difference between auto. helmets and motorcycle helmets? Is a motorcycle helmet approved for track use in a car?

6/27/2007 10:09:48 AM

I've heard some pretty good things about Arai. They can be a bit pricey though

6/27/2007 10:18:32 AM

^Yeah I looked into those and they are fairly expensive. I noticed that many of the F1 drivers wear Arai helmets though which certainly speaks well for the company.

6/27/2007 10:23:50 AM

Weight is a concern that goes up depending on the time you'll spend in the car as well as handling. The better your car handles (i.e. Formula Ford) then the more a heavier helmet will strain your neck (same goes for braking).

Airflow is also going to depend on how long and where you're racing. You don't necessarily need a forced air helmet but more airflow will obviously keep you cooler.

As for Rating, I don't know of any major automotive groups that allow M rated helmets on track. SA is the automotive rating (followed by year of rating, every 5 years so SA2005 is what you're looking for). Main difference as far as you're concerned is the impact ratings. Motorcycle helmets are designed to withstand "one" impact (i.e. falling off a bike and hitting the ground). SA helmets are designed to withstand multiple impacts (i.e. a wreck in a car with roll cage all around you which your helmet it bouncing off of repeatedly).

Brand wise there's a lot of "good" companies out there. On the low end, I've always like G-Force. Good prices & quality and not extremely heavy (although there is MUCH lighter out there). You've got Simpson, Arai, Bell, Sparco. OMP is probably my favorite (although it's been a few years since I've had one of theirs on my head). The biggest thing is to TRY IT ON FIRST. A lot of helmets don't fit a lot of heads. You don't want to get stuck wearing an uncomfortable helmet when all you needed to do was look at the competitor.

6/27/2007 10:29:50 AM

^ok so looks like the arai/shoei/simpson for automotive i would think

hell, for a car i would get the cheapest helmet that is approved. you can only hit your head so hard against the pillar.

there are some purely automotive helmets that have the neck protector molded into them that would not work very well for a motorcycle, but would think most motorcycle helmets would work for cars.

you need to think whether you want an open- or -closed-face helmet depending on how your gauges are positioned and how low/tall you sit in your car.

[Edited on June 27, 2007 at 10:32 AM. Reason : ^ok looks like they got their own rating system in car racing]

[Edited on June 27, 2007 at 10:53 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2007 10:31:32 AM

whatever you get, you need SA rating. SA2005. if its also a snell rated one, even better.

i have the Bell mag 4 open face. its $200 and works good. its all about personal preference, goto some stores that sell helmets and try them on.

some can get pricey.

you cannot use M rated helmets for track use.

6/27/2007 10:51:36 AM

Pyrotect are made by Bell, and are a lot cheaper. A good source for helmets is http://www.helmetcity.com.

And yes, for track an SA-rated helmet is usually required.

6/27/2007 2:29:12 PM

The weight is somewhat more important of an issue than just comfort I think. In an accident, your neck will have to put up with holding your head in place +the helmet. With the G forces involved, it can be pretty meaningful.

I'm still quite sore after a ~100mph impact into a tire wall w/a crappy helmet, even though I also had a neck brace at the time. I upgraded my helmet to something lighter (and closed face), along with a wider/thicker and more dense neck brace. I would obviously recommend both, however there's some debate on open vs. closed face helmets. Some say that airbags deploying in a closed face helmet can cause the helmet to want to lift around the chin. I also like the shield over my face, but admittedly rarely have it down on track due to my glasses.

A couple of other notes, ventilation is important when using in a car, if you're runnning events lasting more than 20/25 minutes or so at a time. SA Helmets are constructed to handle fire better, but there are many SA helmets that are M approved also, but very few the other way around. I wouldn't hesitate to use a good SA helmet for motorcycle riding (and have). Lastly, the "lip" you speak of on a helmet that's SA rated is probably downforce related, to keep from air getting under the helmet to want to lift it off. Only a concern in an open cockpit vehicle.
Ahmet

6/27/2007 2:52:45 PM

FYI: I e-mailed the people at Snell, asking them what the difference is between automotive helmets and motorcycle helmets and this was their response...

Quote :

"Both have about the same impact safety (though the SA helmet also has to pass some roll bar impact tests), however, the big difference is in fire protection. SA helmets have flame retardant paint, special nomex padding, fire resistant trim and straps, and a special face shield. All of this adds a lot of cost to the helmet but it's much safer in a fire. SA helmets are also allowed a narrower field of view, and when an SA helmet incorporates this option it's not a "street legal" hat. Helmet approval for automotive racing is up to the organization(s) who own or lease the track. Since track safety and insurance are both factors in their decision, they usually specify SA certified helmets only. Gib Brown Lab Manager Snell Memorial Foundation "

6/28/2007 10:03:06 AM

i highly recommend you buying a neck brace with your helmet.

6/28/2007 10:51:58 AM

^^ I was going to point that out (I'd heard it before), but I was too lazy to look it up...a car helmet is just as screwed if you drop it once as a motorcycle helmet, from everything I've heard from safety experts. The "multiple impact" thing makes sense in theory, but I guess it doesn't really pan out.

I always have this strange image of your typical track day driver that has an SA flame retardent helmet and nomex shoes, but no suit..."My head and feet are fine, but the rest of me is screwed!"

Dunno if anyone else has ever used them, but I have a GForce SA2000 helmet that I've had good experiences with. I don't know how their prices stack up these days though. http://www.gforce.com

6/28/2007 11:24:17 AM

well the shoes arent really for safety (well they are, but not when you just have shoes and helmet), they are more for a comfort pedal feel. and also gloves.

thats all i have, helmet, neckbrace, gloves, shoes.

hell if i catch on fire then its for a good reason

6/28/2007 11:30:48 AM

^ Do you just have one of those standard padded neck braces?

6/28/2007 1:57:34 PM

I didnt think about neck bracers until ahmet gave me his.

Those things are AMAZING.

6/28/2007 2:00:04 PM

A couple of hardcore guys have told me they don't do much good in a wreck, but they're nice for comfort. I guess to truly be safe(well, safter), you need a HANS device. But probably pointless for the level we're at, lol.

6/28/2007 2:15:48 PM

yeah, i just have a standard one.

heck for $20 its well worth the price to prevent some whiplash incase something happens.

6/28/2007 5:29:30 PM

im really happy w/ my Geforce Pro Hybrid for the price (like $200).

lightweight kevlar, closed face, but w/ a bigger eye opening than most. with the light weight and the good visibility, i barely know its there

6/28/2007 5:48:18 PM

oh and those crappy gforce braces wont do shit in an accident. they might help take some of the load off your neck while driving and reduce strain, but theyre really soft.

in a class once, the instructor compared a geforce and one of these:
http://rallynuts.com/motorsport/SPARCO_Products_1713/Sparco_Advanced_Neck_Brace_565.asp

the sparco padding was at least twice as stiff. it was quite firm. also the rear part that goes down your back a little helps w/ whiplash. so a good one like the sparco is def recommend over a cheap donut. i'm gonna get one soon

6/28/2007 5:51:04 PM