What's a good helmet to get??

[jja125]

I'm thinking about getting a new helmet - what are some reccomendations?? probably lightweight is my biggest concern for racing cross country, but other than that i don't know. i used to always just have some kind of generic one, but i was thinking about getting a good one now.


Same question for boots. i need a new pair. i was thinking about getting ones with treads on them instead of the mx soles. any reccomendations on them?? would also be appreciated.

[Matt756]

i really liked my hjc

[honda_racer_713]

i would also go with the hjc helmet
and for boots i hear thor has some nice new ones

[stamperbob]

Yep I have always wore HJC and as for boots I really like my Garene boots I know alpinstar has some great boots also

[Matt756]

i like thor boots

[quadchick3]

I agree with getting an HJC helmet, i love mine!

As for boots, i perfer Alpinestars

[AtvMxRider]

Thor helmets are nice. Alpinestar boots all the way.

[Berry]

HJC is a good helmet only weighs like 3 lbs! but if you want good go with M2R they have some good products out but they will run ya 200-300$$

[seatec]

well i just got my black shoei vfxr air and man it feels nice. perfect snug fit. thelining feels very nice too. they are on sale right now for around $312 t the helmet store on-line.

[jja125]

hjc is what i have now for a helmet. there's really nothing wrong with it i was just thinking about gettng a bell cause i always liked the way they looked, but i just didn't know if they were heavier or lighter or what, or if there is one out there that is super light.

i have fox boots right now and they suck. i had a clutch lever go right through them and now my pinky toe doesn't work anymore - which is why i want new boots cause my old ones have a hole in them now.

[ex kid]

i have and HJC CLX4. its great for $150 bucks( i paid alot less than that) but if you want a GREAT HELMET GET AND ARAI!!!!!!!!! there is no comparison. Suomys are a nice helmet. Shoei's are nice but pirce is up and quality is goin down.

boot wise. GET ALPINSTAR!!!!!!!

[big bad beny]

Hay i had a bell its ok but i relly like my HJC it is the best helmet. My brother has one to and he has never said eny thing bad about it. and for boots Alpinstar thats what i got i just got them ans to day was the first day i rode with them so i am trying to get them broke in but they are comfortamle but that is all i can say about them for now but my brother has some to and he loves them ans i know whats i get mine broke in i will love them to. well i hop i helped you so good luck.



P.S. Ride Red and Ride Hard

[Evan400ex]

I have a HJC CLX4-Fuel and I love it. I think it is a very high quality helmet for the price ($150). It is actually really light and durable for a cheaper helmet.

[racerx573]

Shoei.

[foxracingpredat]

i love my shoei, its really liteweight and has worked really nice!

[WOOLIN]

Shoei is the way to go

[VIGILANTE MAN]

Whatever brand you decide on, you might consider getting one with a removable liner for cleaning purposes.

[AtvMxRider]

A helmet is nothing to get cheap on. You need to spend the money and get a quality helmet.

[MooseRacing]

When choosing a helmet just make sure it is snell approved.
Snell is a safety rating system used to approve various safety equipment for use in the USA. The snell qualifications for a motorcycle helmet are fairly strict...so if a helmet meets these standards you can be assured it will offer you the best protection.

All helmets that are snell rated offer about the same protection...the only reason they differ in price is due to the use of exotic materials to lighten the helmet, various liners, quality of graphics and finish.

Just make sure it is snell rated, feels comfortable, fits snug, and is in your budget.......some of the $99-150 range helmets are great helmets for the money.

[400grl]

I will have to argue on that - I have seen quite a few "lower priced/good quality" helmets shatter when they needed to hold up. One of the guys we race with had one (not naming any brands, but it was a popular one) and got his head slammed into his crossbar.....the face guard shattered into his jaw, and just destroyed it.....he has to have alot of reconstructive surgery now.

I have also seen helmets cave in and crack on impact (just on dirt).......so....people.....spend the money and get yourself the highest rated highest quality helmet you can.

I had a perfectly fine HJC, but after some of the stuff I saw, I got a Shoei....yeah I paid big bucks for it (you can find closeout Shoeis for a lot cheaper than new!! You just have to look!) but it's pretty cheap insurance when you think about it!!! I also bought my boyfriend a Shoei because I want him to be around for a while!!! ;)

You will find that the more expensive a helmet is, generally the lighter in weight it will be as well. Light is GOOD! :)

Of course, there are some instances where NO helmet can save you.....and that is unfortunate to say the least. This is just about minimizing that risk.....

It's hard to come up with the money to spend on a helmet...I know....but it's just a matter of priorities. We all spend money on our quads....heads should come first!! :D

Just my .023748364627 cents!! :)

[infantry317]

I had a CLX-4, too heavy neck was really sore after XC races. I bit the bullet and got the new O'neal 904 all composite and kevlar. Very light, only worn it once so far but I really like it.
But again its pricey.

[MX#9]

I wear an Answer M-8, they retail for 249.00. I do have a brand new one ,never wore, red,black,silver, that I would sell for $130.00. They are very lightweight and use some kind of kevlar material. You only live a couple hours from me tops, you could come try it on if interested.

[MooseRacing]

Originally posted by 400grl
I will have to argue on that - I have seen quite a few "lower priced/good quality" helmets shatter when they needed to hold up.

What are you arguing on??? Read my post. I stated that if the helmet is Snell rated there is little to worry about....I seriously doubt you have seen a Snell approved helmet "shatter". I have been in the helmet business for years and to achieve the snell rating the helmet is put through a number of tests that NO real world rider could ever do to a helmet.

Helmets are designed to absorb impact and distribute that impact. 1 good hit on helmet and it should be replaced with a new one. The shells and liners are designed to take 1 good crash......after that the helmet is weak and will not absorb again.

Another thing to remember is that there are only about 5 helmet manufactures in the world that build snell approved helmets. Fox, Oneal, MSR, Moose, Thor, Answer....none of these guys build the helmets....they just design the graphics! But, most are Snell approved, due to that they are representing respected companies.

Off brands, chinese brands, stuff you have never heard of...these are the helmets to stay away from.

Like I said you can get good quality snell approved helmets in the $100 range.....and be assuresd they are safe as that $500 helmet.

You may get more features such as venting, removable liner, lightweight composites, etc. with the $500 helmet but you can rest assured that a $100 snell approved helmet is just as safe.

So if you are on a budget....just make sure that helmet is snell approved!

Not my .02 cents....just the facts!!!!

[jja125]

yeah i'd have to say my HJC held up pretty well over the years. like 10min into my first XC race ever, i hit a low hanging tree limb with the very top of my head so hard that it blew me off the bike backwards and i didn't even know what happened at first. it hit so hard i took my helmet off just to make sure it wasn't cracked. i defnitely got a concussion from that one but i could have been a lot worse. i'm glad you posted that moose cause that helmet probably isn't any good anymore. i forgot about hitting that tree until now :confused:
but it is true that a helmet is no good after one hard impact like that - not to say that it wouldn't give you some protection, but does no longer have to stand up to what it was designed to withstand. i was really just wondering which helmet was the lightest, i'm old and i need every advantage i can get. :D

[seatec]

all that may be true but i still think that there is qualityand safety difference. For a helmet to be dot and snell approved it has to pass certain tests to qualify. THat still doesnt mean that the more expensive helmet isnt "SAFER" than a cheaper helmet. analogy. YOu can buy a Ford Festiva and a VOlvo. Both pass the tests and can be driven on american highways but id rather be in a Volvo than in a Festiva when the Big Bad SUV comes a knocking on my side door? Get my and 400grl's point?


BTW. 400grl. i just rode some woods wiht my new SHoei VFX-R and man. is it night and day compared to the KBC Torque i had before. its lighter better fitting and feels all around better. This helmet is right up there with BELL and ARAI. i think in fact thet the SHOEI is the same as ARAI but am not sure. Arent they both German made?

[MooseRacing]

No I do not get your point....and like I said I have been in the helmet industry for years. Snell is like no other rating system in existence. Snell has different ratings and testing for various helmets......bicycle, off road motorcycle, road motorcycle, skiing, skateboard, etc. We are not comparing apples to oranges here...we are comparing an offroad helmets that all have been put through the same tests.
All AMA sanctioned races require a Snell approved helmet.
There is one level....and that level is high.....once that helmet is snell approved you can bet it is safe and that is the point we are trying to make here.

Sure a kevlar composite helmet is cool and lightweight, but the poly composite $100 helmet that is snell approved will offer the same amount of protection. Safety comes mainly from the liner...the shell is mainly cosmetic.

[wyndzer]

So what I am understanding is that the exterior shell may crack and come apart, but the interior liner is what is actually protecting your melon. Makes good sence to me. I don't think that people understand that concept. Kind of like race cars I guess? The body is not what protects the driver it's the roll cage inside.:)

[seatec]

You honestly trying to tell me that you dont "GET" the analogy?

Well, it doesnt even matter really. As long as the Helmet is DOT and snell approved your mellon is safe and thats the fact Jack.

[VIGILANTE MAN]

Just curious, does SNELL differentiate between helmets that just barely meet their standard and those that rank way above their standard?

[seatec]

My guess is they dont as no other creditation does anywhere else. It does sometimes say SNELL 2000 or something but i think thats just the year but am not sure. Maybe Moose racing knows since he knows a lot about this subject. I think either you pass the rigorous test or you dont. I think the snell test came forth out of an accident with some kid with a DOT approved Helmet. They then developed a more true to life test that is way more rigorous then the DOT test ever was but am not sure about this fact.

[MooseRacing]

Snell was created in 1957 by a comittee of friends of Pete Snell who was killed in a racing incident due to an inferior helmet.

Snell began setting safety standards for automotive helmets in 1959 and has been setting standards for all forms of competitive helmets ever since. They even do horseback riding helmets.

When you see the sticker Snell2000 this lets you know that the helmet meets the current standards as well as it is a relatively new helmet. Snell will change their sticker in 2005. This lets you know that a helmet is no more than 5 years old. After about 5 years materials such as glues, polymers, etc start to break down and the helmet no longer performs to standards.

I hope all this info helps.

[seatec]

thanx for the info mooseracing. Esspecially the part about the composites braking down over the years.


BTW, i took delivery of the Moose Expedition gear bag. Man that sucker is humongous!!. Plenty of room for all my gear in the middle compartment. He11, my dog could jump in there and come along and id never know. The larger outer compatrment on the short end is perfect for helmets and such and the other is great for the boots. I like the hard shell outer pockets as well. protects the goggles and such from impact, banging the bag around. Home run if you ask me. Price is right too.

[MX#9]

Moose is the 5 year thing hold true with all helmets? I have a custom painted Shoei that is a least 10 years old. My lovley wife has convinced me not to wear it while playing in the woods and such,[I used it when I raced mx], she says it is too nice to get it all scratched up. I was thinking about hitting a couple of mx races this season and figured on wearing it. Are you saying I should'nt? Just curious.

[gimp419]

I've got a fox helmet and love it. But for the money I think that the new FLY helmets are the way to go, I know guys that absolutely love em and they look trick too! As for boots you will not find anything better than the Alpinestars, they are top notch and way comfortable!