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Most important thing to consider when buying a helmet is fit. If it doesn’t fit well, not only will it be uncomfortable, but it might compromise safety. You want a helmet to fit snug to the point where there are no pressure points and it needs to be snug…not able to move around on your head at all. Also, people commonly say that you need to buy the helmet that fits your head shape. Some people have an Arai shaped head, some a Bell shaped head, Zamp shaped head, etc. Head out to a motorcycle shop somewhere and they can do a better job (than i can over the interwebs ) of explaining how a helmet should fit.
With that said, buy the best helmet you can afford. Don’t skimp on this one…it is your head! Granted theres a lot of controversy over buying a $700 helmet that has met the exact same certification standards as a $70 one, but that extra cost comes in the form of comfort, fit, and build quality…and typically you’ll see the high end companies brag that their helmets ‘surpass Snell (DOT, ECE, whatever ) standards’. Oh, also, most manufacturers recommend replacing helmets after 5 years regardless of whether they’ve been uh, tested, due simply to the fact that the combination of sweat and UV rays will begin to break down the lining/foam and outer shell and reduce its effectiveness. Or…so ive been told.
As far as SA, M, K ratings go, it makes sense to me to buy one that fits the application you’ll be using it for. Granted, i dont know if theres any, or much, difference between the different ratings, but i figure they were designed for that specific purpose. K-rated helmets seem to be kind of hard to come by, but they are out there. I just bought an Arai SK-5, which is K rated (and desperately in need of a paint job! :loony: ). Snell’s website ( http://smf.org/ ) has a lot more info on the subject if your interested.
Well…thats probably more than you needed/wanted to know….but hey, thats how i roll. 8)
(i could go on for a lot longer, i really could! 😯 )
Give me a call @ Gunslinger Custom Paint (303) 225-0854
We are an authorized Bell Helmet distributor. Bell Helmets are made in the USA and is the number one name in helmets. We can sell you the helmet and all accessories.
Need Custom Paint? We do that too. We can have the raw shell shipped to our location. We will then paint your design and send it back to Bell for the interior installation.
Your helmet is a prime investment in your safety. Make the right move.
BR
So do I understand this right…its up to the organization ( CSC, IMI, TTAC) what rules they are going to abide by as far as helmets are concerned. Someone posted a rule that shows s Snell 95 helmet is okay but Im getting different information from IMI. What rules does TTAC go by…….this could be the difference between spending no money on a helmet and $350 or more.
Someone have an answer for this……Curt whats the CSC rule book say for this year?
Tim
Fuzz Motorsports
4 cycle heavy #16@fuzzy wrote:
So do I understand this right…its up to the organization ( CSC, IMI, TTAC) what rules they are going to abide by as far as helmets are concerned. Someone posted a rule that shows s Snell 95 helmet is okay but Im getting different information from IMI. What rules does TTAC go by…….this could be the difference between spending no money on a helmet and $350 or more.
Someone have an answer for this……Curt whats the CSC rule book say for this year?
Tim
Fuzz Motorsports
4 cycle heavy #16As soon as I see one I will let you know.
Curti was just checking the helmet I planned on using(street bike helmet). I can’t locate a snell rating sticker(95 or 2000) but it does have a Snell DOT sticker, will this pass for racing and/or practice??
A quick thanks to those in the karting community that have recently purchased your new Bell helmets from us. And those who have scheduled your new Gunslinger custom paint jobs as well.
Rick
Fuzzy we have Snell 2005 helmets in stock from $150.00 to $200.00 the rating is done every 5 years Snell 95 is not good for karting WKA & IKF are using 2000 rating or better. I believe SKUSA & TAGUSA have stiffer rules I`ll fine out.. :rotate:
I have gotten alot of good information here and I expected nothing less but I dont see anywhere that anyone has told me they race with a M rated helmet.
I know the snell ratings…..very well…I was looking for someone to give me a review of what their thought process was and If they had to buy another helmet would they go a different route and why.Thanks to all
Tim
4 cycle heavy #16
Fuzz,
Here is a link to the 2007 Skusa rule book. I know there are specific spec required for helmets listed there.
http://www.superkartsusa.com/eleven/wp-content/themes/superkart/downloads/0607_rulebook.pdf
Our Colorado rules are very simular to the Skusa rule book.
Romans current helmet is rated for cars. Just in case he got a chance to jump in one, his helmet would meet the required rating. It was more money and may not make sense to purchase a helmet with that rating if you don’t plan on racing anything other than karts.
My leather one is approved for all catagories of competition. The scarf however, is non nomex and is not approved for a closed cockpit!
So I ran the spiderman helmet 2 years ago (sweet if you ask me) and if I were to somehow start racing again what would be the best bang for my buck. I would need a new helmet and custom paint (like some kind of Marine junk) on it that would last… My last custom paint job got dinged to heck and that dude has been fired…..
Getting the best helmet you can afford is the best investment you can make.
My helmet saved my life. Literally.
It was a Bell Sport 2, which was a snell-rated helmet. It took the full weight of me and my kart several times at high speed. Despite a demolished clavical (you shoulda seen the xrays) and multiple lacerations, bruises and contusions I had ZERO head/neck trauma and no concussion. The paramedics were utterly amazed that I wasn’t in worse shape than I was.
That helmet was also really handy in deflecting the nuts and bolts Mansfield left on the track ;-).
I’m not trying to endorse Bell over others, but after what we went through together I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one.
Re: Helmets
Post by RogerBonham on Thu 01 17, 2008 9:09 pm
So I ran the spiderman helmet 2 years ago (sweet if you ask me) and if I were to somehow start racing again what would be the best bang for my buck. I would need a new helmet and custom paint (like some kind of Marine junk) on it that would last… My last custom paint job got dinged to heck and that dude has been fired.If you were to somehow start racing again, Gunslinger Custom Paint http://www.gcpaint.com could offer you a paint scheme our country would be proud of. There may be some sort of military discount involved.
Fuzzy,
My guess is that 95% of kart racers use M helmets. Mainly because “K98” helmets aren’t too easy to find (and therefore seem to be more expensive) and as you noted SA helmets are significantly more expensive. The only reason I can think of to buy an SA helmet is what Rick mentioned–just in case you’re thinking of doing cars, where they are required.
For sure. If you look at pictures from most kart races (aside from pro races like the supernats) you’ll notice that most karters wear motorcycle helmets, characterized by the huge eye port. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! I would wager that the standards for M and K rated helmets are pretty similar, as kart racing is a fairly similar beast to riding (well, to the point that your whole body is exposed, theres no seatbelts, and you’ll probably be eating pavement if something goes wrong…..! 😛 )
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