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I’m in the market for a new helmet. Any suggestions for what specification will pass tech for CSC and club racing?
I’m assuming at least SNELL K98 or the new K2005 spec would qualify. Can you use something else legally???
I checked the TaG USA website rules, which say:
“Helmet, Driver suit, neck collar, gloves must comply with current national safety standards.”
How do you think that will be interpreted??
Thanks,
Jeff
Okay,
Which one? Does it have to be a current Snell, etc.???
I have an old Arai Motorcycle helmet (Snell 85) that still looks great. Is it a doorstop now???
Thanks again for the input!!
Jeff
Do an SK-5 Arai……GREAT fitting, VERY light…….awesome helmet. Bell dominator is a sweet helmet too, a bit cheaper than the Arai.
I lucked out and got Mike Speed to sell me Scott’s for REALLY cheap.
If you can afford it, do an Arai.All helmets have a 5 year shelf life. If you want to race cars…..Snell 98 i believe is what you need minimum.
Don’t worry about the ratings, get a new or 1 year old Simpson, Bell, or (the best) Arai. All the newer helmets meet all requirements for karting
That’s all you need, have a sweet season :sun:
Actually, I just asked Angie that question earlier in the week. Here’s what she said…
@Angie wrote:
The rule says Snell K-98, M95, or SA 95 standards or better.
Hope that helps!
Angie
8)
Everyone,
Thanks for the info! Just another couple of questions.
So it sounds like either K, SA or M Snell’s will pass tech.
My old Arai is a great helmet, but does have a pretty good pressure point on my forehead. I was over at Vickery trying on alot of theirs and found that some of the Shoei’s felt pretty good. However, they don’t make any “K” or “SA” types. I just wanted to make sure that a “M” Snell would work before considering it.
Also, it seems that the K’s will be a little less expensive than the SA’s because they are made without the fireproofing.
Is that the only difference??
Finally, I would love to try on an Arai SK-5 before ordering one. Anyone know where I could find a Med or Lrg???
Thanks again for taking the time to help this newbie!!
Jeff
BTW, spent Saturday afternoon at the Track. I think the smile on my face is still there. It’s going to be a very interesting place on race day!!
For many manufacturers, the only significant difference between a SA and a K is the fireproofing. Although the Simpson Speedway Shark and the Kark Shark used a different shell material also. The M helmets have different requirements for eye opening to provide a bit more vision. If you have a choice, the M would be a better choice for karting.
Many national organizations have dropped the 95 series helmets. Usually it works like this, the only helmet certifications that are legal are the last two. So if you have a K98 or K2005, you should be good. Same goes for the M and SA, 2000 or newer will be accepted every where. Some club series do allow the 95 but I wouldn’t buy one new. It won’t be long and they too will be too old.
If your going to buy new, get the newest certification you can afford. There are many good helmets in the $250 to $500 price range. Cheaper helmets usually weigh more and have poor material in the liner that just doesn’t hold up. At 3g’s, every ounce of weight feels like a ton! Over the years we have had Simpson, Bell, Beiffe and Arai. At speed, the helmets that have aero devices do help you keep your head still, much less wind buffetting. Our current helmets are Simpson Kart Shark and a Bieffe F1.
I want to see a new helmet that is just coming out by Throttle Racing Products. The carbon/kevlar construction should make for a very light helmet and it is kart specific K2005. If you can believe the specs, it should be very good and it’s priced right. Check it out here.
http://www.throttleracingproducts.com/home.html
I haven’t seen one yet.@b727plumber wrote:
Finally, I would love to try on an Arai SK-5 before ordering one. Anyone know where I could find a Med or Lrg???
Autosport Werks in Broomfield stocks Arai, Bell, and Bieffe. They have many models there that you can try on. They also carry accesories like visors, as well as a full line of Sparco products.
Coming from someone who has seen pretty much all of the helmets that have been mentioned both inside and out, I personally like the Arai, they are pricy but have excellent padding are extremely comfortable and not to mention are some of the lightest available. The older Bell Kart series helmets were on the heavy side, but the newer models are quite a bit lighter and they have also updated the padding and liner material. The new stuff seems like it should be a bit more comfortable. The Bells also have some of the best ventalation out of anything that I have seen. One helmet that I painted recently and was quite suprised with was the HJC AR-11. I was suprised at how light it was, very close to the arai’s and it is very similar in design and shape to the GP-5 at less than half the price.
Bieffe’s look like they should be some of the most comfortable as they have the thickest padding I have seen, but getting ahold of them can be tough, for a while they were not being brought into the country and finding replacement visors and parts was even harder from what I had heard. Hope that helps.Kind of off topic, but what do people think about tear-offs? I figure they might be useful due to all of the dirt/oil/etc kicked up by your fellow competitors in a race.
I haven’t needed tear offs for clear vision in kart races. The races are too short and karts don’t throw off that much junk. But tear offs can be used to increase the life of your visors, which can save you some money. Secure the tear off to your visor with tape to keep the tear off from vibrating and scuffing the visor. Then just replace the tear off when necessary. You’ll find the visor underneath stays just like new.
Charles
Tearoff will definately extend the life of your visor. I normally like to run with 2 or 3 at a time, any more and the clarity of the visor is effected a bit. With some of the new coated visors running $100 or more a $20 pack of tear offs that should last a few seasons isn’t a bad investment.
I just bought two Shark helmets…I hope they are OK.
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