Helmet for track days...

[Canyon Carver]

What's the best one out there for $300 or under? Hoping to get decent ventilation and good peripheral sight...thanks.

[pixelblue]

i bought a Bell Vortex for under $300 and it's snell M2010 approved. it's nice and fits well

[yandy]

I bought these:

http://www.soloracer.com/pyrotectproair.html
http://www.soloracer.com/proeliminator.html

both are nice and not too heavy.

[Focusedintntions]

I have one of these and it's super comfy.

http://www.saferacer.com/hjc-motorsp...productid=2209

[GaryS]

I wear a dorky looking open face helmet. You can spend $3000 on a closed face helmet and it still won't be as comfortable.

Also, you might consider getting a 2005 helmet on sale. Every club I know will allow SA2005s for five more years. For example, the SA2005 Bell M4 on this page is $100 less than a SA2010 Bell M4. http://www.thebellstore.com/Auto/racer.html Scroll down, you don't need the forced air one.

[Canyon Carver]

Some great info from all, thanks so much everyone...

@ Gary - I'm inclined to go with the open face as well, just seems less constricting. I wish there was a place where you could try them all on. It's tough to order something sight on scene that needs to be a good fit...

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by Canyon Carver

Some great info from all, thanks so much everyone...

@ Gary - I'm inclined to go with the open face as well, just seems less constricting. I wish there was a place where you could try them all on. It's tough to order something sight on scene that needs to be a good fit...

If there's not a racing shop near you, you can find a motorcycle shop to try different brands and get an idea what you like and what fits. You'll probably find that some brands fit your head better than others. It's very important to get one that fits tight. Put the helmet on and make sure it's tight enough so you can't twist it. Bell helmets run slightly larger than the other brands.

[Canyon Carver]

Originally Posted by GaryS

If there's not a racing shop near you, you can find a motorcycle shop to try different brands and get an idea what you like and what fits. You'll probably find that some brands fit your head better than others. It's very important to get one that fits tight. Put the helmet on and make sure it's tight enough so you can't twist it. Bell helmets run slightly larger than the other brands.

Good idea and sound advice...thank you.

I can't WAIT until the season begins. I'm doing SCDA track days for the first time. First on the list, Lime Rock...

[Focusedintntions]

I've found that motorsport helmets fit very differently than motorcycle helmets

[Rikx1M]

I'm wanting to buy a helmet for limited track use, probably 5 days a year since all the tracks are hundreds of miles away...

I see my two main options are open and closed face...could anyone give me some pros and cons to both... What are the majority of you wearing? Is there a specific legal requirement like fire resistant or??? What are guys doing autox wearing?

Thanks in advance.

[pixelblue]

Originally Posted by Rikx1M

I'm wanting to buy a helmet for limited track use, probably 5 days a year since all the tracks are hundreds of miles away...

I see my two main options are open and closed face...could anyone give me some pros and cons to both... What are the majority of you wearing? Is there a specific legal requirement like fire resistant or??? What are guys doing autox wearing?

Thanks in advance.

the open face will feel less claustrophobic and more airy but the closed face will protect your face and chin in case you hit something even inside your car. I am wearing closed face and on hot summer days it's a steam bath in there but nothing unbearable

[SkinnyVT]

Originally Posted by Canyon Carver

Good idea and sound advice...thank you.

I can't WAIT until the season begins. I'm doing SCDA track days for the first time. First on the list, Lime Rock...

You've got HMS in Boston and Team DI in northern Jersey near you, go try them on. In order for a helmet to actually work it needs to fit correctly.

As for open vs full face, since you are in NYC you should factor in that NJMP requires full face helmets and the NJ state police will be there to check as it is a state law for some reason. Full face helmets aren't significantly hotter, the vision isn't much worse and they protect you from shit flying around inside the car (rubber thrown up from the track most frequently). Get a Snell SA rated helmet that way you know it will be accepted by all clubs. 2005 rated helmets will be cheaper if there are any still left out there and will be valid for at least another 3 years by 99% of clubs and probably 8 years by 75% of clubs (percentages are 100% made up 50% of the time).

[syenisch]

I bought this and have NO complaints. I'm sure if you go to a DE every month or two it's be worth it to get a better one, but for 99% of us I don't think you need anything more.

http://www.saferacer.com/zamp-racing...productid=2405

Also I found a coupon code for saferacer.com that knocked another $10 or $15 off.

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by SkinnyVT

As for open vs full face, since you are in NYC you should factor in that NJMP requires full face helmets and the NJ state police will be there to check as it is a state law for some reason.

That was true for about two weeks last year. I have confirmation emails from NJMP management, NASA NE and DelVal BMWCCA chapter telling me open face helmets are allowed at NJMP, and that the whole thing was a misunderstanding of the NJ law.

[SkinnyVT]

Originally Posted by GaryS

That was true for about two weeks last year. I have confirmation emails from NJMP management, NASA NE and DelVal BMWCCA chapter telling me open face helmets are allowed at NJMP, and that the whole thing was a misunderstanding of the NJ law.

good to know, was kind of ridiculous