Helmet Guide for the Chicago area
#1
Thread Starter
Helmet Guide for the Chicago area
I've gotten a few questions about helmets lately so I thought I'd copy/paste/modify a pm reply I sent to a local UMW guy.
A helmet is a necessary item for most levels of motorsports. It's a difficult item to purchase as it can be a $400+ investment into a sport you may not even like. But if spending that much or a little less on head protection scares you, maybe motorsports is not right for you at this time (ie, motorsports is expensive and potentially dangerous).
On the one hand you shouldn't skimp out by buying a cheap helmet, but you should also know that more expensive does not always equal better. Car racing helmets can range in price from $150 to $400 for basic helmets. Anything much more above that and you're most likely paying for non-necessary (but sometimes useful) features or lightness. For the record, I have a Bell Sport 3 helmet I bought 6 years ago (SA2000) for $300 which I will be replacing this year.
Depending on what you do (autocross, track, karts, etc.) and who you run with (SCCA, NASA, Midwest council, Windy city miata club), you may or may not need a full face helmet. I highly recommend getting a full face helmet for a few reasons.
1) I've never been told by any club that I couldn't run with them. Some of the small autox clubs let open faced helmets run, but not all. I'd hate to limit myself because I wanted to save $50.
2) It only happened once, but a chunk of flying tire hit me in the helmet face on track once. Only has to make contact once to ruin my day/life.
A good local place to try on helmets is Northstar Motorsports in Barrington. They have a pretty good selection. I bought my helmet there 6 years ago and the people there were very knowledgeable and helpful. The place is a bit hard to find as it's in an industrial park and they hold semi-inconvenient hours if you work a regular 9 to 5. But they are open Saturday mornings and again, are top notch. I also hear that Touge Factory is also selling helmets now.
It's a good idea to try on a helmet before you buy it. It's hard to guess the size and even with the correct size, one helmet might feel better than another (maybe you want something more or less snug on the cheeks for example). You could always try it on in store and buy it online to save a few bucks. Personally, I like to support local business - especially when it comes to a relatively niche market like auto racing.
There are different specifications for helmets. For motorsports you'll want a Snell rated SA2005 or later helmet. Do not worry about DOT rating. Snell rates helmets every 5 years and clubs will "expire" helmets after 10 years. For example, all helmets made between 1995 and 2000 were rated SA95. All of these helmets, even if it was made in 2000, expired in 2005. A SA2005 helmet will expire in 2015. The SA2010 helmets were supposed to come out this year, but have been delayed until October (IIRC). No sense in waiting though as you'll most likely want to replace your helmet after 5 years anyway and you might be able to get a good helmet on clearance. All the helmets at Northstar should be SA2005. If you go to other places you may find a MA2005 helmet - that's for motorcylces and is cool with some autox organizations but not many.
Some autocross clubs have loaner helmets. I know that Chicago VW and Windy City Miata club have loaners either for free, rental, or deposit. If you do decide to use a loaner helmet I recommend at least buying a head sock. Helmets are kind of like shoes - people sweat in them. Think about having hot summer day with a bucket of absorbent padding around your face. Not something I'd like to share IMO. I have not seen a track day that has loaner helmets.
I hope this helps. Since I've never had to use a loaner helmet, I forget which autox clubs have loaners. If others want to chime in, we can keep a list going.
Autocross clubs with loaner helmets
------------------------------------------
Windy City Miata Club
Chicago VW Organization
A helmet is a necessary item for most levels of motorsports. It's a difficult item to purchase as it can be a $400+ investment into a sport you may not even like. But if spending that much or a little less on head protection scares you, maybe motorsports is not right for you at this time (ie, motorsports is expensive and potentially dangerous).
On the one hand you shouldn't skimp out by buying a cheap helmet, but you should also know that more expensive does not always equal better. Car racing helmets can range in price from $150 to $400 for basic helmets. Anything much more above that and you're most likely paying for non-necessary (but sometimes useful) features or lightness. For the record, I have a Bell Sport 3 helmet I bought 6 years ago (SA2000) for $300 which I will be replacing this year.
Depending on what you do (autocross, track, karts, etc.) and who you run with (SCCA, NASA, Midwest council, Windy city miata club), you may or may not need a full face helmet. I highly recommend getting a full face helmet for a few reasons.
1) I've never been told by any club that I couldn't run with them. Some of the small autox clubs let open faced helmets run, but not all. I'd hate to limit myself because I wanted to save $50.
2) It only happened once, but a chunk of flying tire hit me in the helmet face on track once. Only has to make contact once to ruin my day/life.
A good local place to try on helmets is Northstar Motorsports in Barrington. They have a pretty good selection. I bought my helmet there 6 years ago and the people there were very knowledgeable and helpful. The place is a bit hard to find as it's in an industrial park and they hold semi-inconvenient hours if you work a regular 9 to 5. But they are open Saturday mornings and again, are top notch. I also hear that Touge Factory is also selling helmets now.
It's a good idea to try on a helmet before you buy it. It's hard to guess the size and even with the correct size, one helmet might feel better than another (maybe you want something more or less snug on the cheeks for example). You could always try it on in store and buy it online to save a few bucks. Personally, I like to support local business - especially when it comes to a relatively niche market like auto racing.
There are different specifications for helmets. For motorsports you'll want a Snell rated SA2005 or later helmet. Do not worry about DOT rating. Snell rates helmets every 5 years and clubs will "expire" helmets after 10 years. For example, all helmets made between 1995 and 2000 were rated SA95. All of these helmets, even if it was made in 2000, expired in 2005. A SA2005 helmet will expire in 2015. The SA2010 helmets were supposed to come out this year, but have been delayed until October (IIRC). No sense in waiting though as you'll most likely want to replace your helmet after 5 years anyway and you might be able to get a good helmet on clearance. All the helmets at Northstar should be SA2005. If you go to other places you may find a MA2005 helmet - that's for motorcylces and is cool with some autox organizations but not many.
Some autocross clubs have loaner helmets. I know that Chicago VW and Windy City Miata club have loaners either for free, rental, or deposit. If you do decide to use a loaner helmet I recommend at least buying a head sock. Helmets are kind of like shoes - people sweat in them. Think about having hot summer day with a bucket of absorbent padding around your face. Not something I'd like to share IMO. I have not seen a track day that has loaner helmets.
I hope this helps. Since I've never had to use a loaner helmet, I forget which autox clubs have loaners. If others want to chime in, we can keep a list going.
Autocross clubs with loaner helmets
------------------------------------------
Windy City Miata Club
Chicago VW Organization
#2
Thread Starter
Another note. Another safety certification board, SFI, has recently removed their approval for Impact Racing helmets. This seems like it is because Impact Racing was printing their own certification labels. I'd imagine that the helmets are safe, but Impact Racing was partaking in illegal if not shady business practices. Given the number of options out there, I would stay away.
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Originally Posted by patinum,Apr 12 2010, 11:26 AM
For the record, I have a Bell Sport 3 helmet I bought 6 years ago (SA2000) for $3000 which I will be replacing this year.
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I learned after some research that SCCA (as well as any smaller group I've ever autoXed with) allows BOTH motorcycle and auto snell certified helmets for autoX / solo II events.
#7
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Originally Posted by Chris S2K,Apr 12 2010, 11:58 AM
Is the figure in bold above a typo?
Just kidding. $300. I've bought cars for less than $3k!
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#8
Originally Posted by laurensdejong,Apr 12 2010, 09:58 AM
Do you know if there are helmets that are both SA2005 and MA2005?
#9
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Originally Posted by laurensdejong,Apr 12 2010, 11:58 AM
Do you know if there are helmets that are both SA2005 and MA2005?
This is from the Bell racing site FAQ:
Bell certifies helmets to both the Snell and SFI standards. In both cases, auto-racing helmets are rated as either M, SA or K. M stands for Motorcycle or motorized vehicles. M rated helmets are used for motorized highway vehicles and for racing that does not require a fire retardant rating. M rated helmets require a larger eyeport for a wider range of vision. SA stands for Special Application. SA rated helmets are used in competitive automobile racing and require a fire retardant rating. SA helmets are also subjected to additional testing including a test that simulates a roll bar impact. K rated helmets are used for Karting applications. They are subjected to the same test standards as SA helmets except the do not require a fire retardant interior. Please consult your sanctioning organization for specific helmet requirements. The current Snell rating is 2005.
If I rode, I would probably have a dedicated bike helmet, although I would not hesitate to give a bitch...I mean passenger, my car helmet.
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Originally Posted by laurensdejong,Apr 12 2010, 09:58 AM
Do you know if there are helmets that are both SA2005 and MA2005?
Regarding loaner helmets. Not only is it like putting a bowling shoe on your bare feet, it's a pain to have to track one down to get ready for your runs. If you want to take autocrossing half-way serious. Buy a helmet. Having everything you need to sit and focus on your driving is worth the expense.
I have yet to see an autocross club turn away a current MA helmet. Track days however are a different story.
I opt for a closed face helmet and I use it all the time. Autocross, track days and even indoor karting. I never have to worry about borrowing a helmet anywhere. It does make it harder to instruct with the closed face, but I'm fond of the secure feeling.