Motocross Helmet Or Open Face ?

[butler]

Motocross Helmet or open face ? is a MX helmet frowned upon?

[t-shock 250]

100% open face, you won't be able to see properly out of an mx lid.

[ross brown]

Motocross Helmet or open face ? is a MX helmet frowned upon?

For experienced riders - an open face. Only way to go. And the more air flow the better to keep your head cool.

On a tangent, I've just agonised over what helmet to get my 11year old to introduce him to bikes for the first time. And there is a third choice. It is a down hill helmet. There's been quite a bit of discussion in the US on this. It's the foam inside of the helmet, rather than the helmet's outer shell, that has the job to slow your head down so it doesn't take the full force of the impact. The problem with a very stiff helmet liner - one engineered to withstand the brutal impacts on the street - is the helmet with a stiff liner won't be compliant enough to cushion smaller impacts.

The latest Downhill helmets provide the following:

• Bigger vision area (higher and wider) than a MotoX full face helmet.
  
• Jaw protection extends down lower than a MotoX helmet (helps with vision and protects chin more).
  
• Neck is cut higher than a MotoX helmet (more movement and helmet does not cut into neck when head is extended up.
  
• Meets a variety of EU/US/AU standards. But not Snell standard.
  

Essentially, the difference is Downhill helmets are designed to cushion impacts and thus be safer at lower speed crashes. Whereas MX helmets withstand higher speed impacts, but the harder foam transmits more force through to the human head. Remember that the Snell standard (and for 20 odd years I used to believe this was THE ONLY standard to have but have since changed my mind) was created for road bike helmets.

Of course, having foam that crushes more easily means you might have to replace your downhill more often. Nothing wrong with that if it saves your head.

So I went out and bought a Bell Drop for my sons. It was designed from the ground up by the same team that created Bell's Moto-8 motocross helmet and has a laminated Fiberglass Shell. Vision, light weight and Bell quality are all top notch.

For a rank beginner, I'm happy to save my kids teeth with a full face while they learn some basic skills. At least until they can prove to me they can fall without landing on their head. Then its onto an open face.

Edited May 22, 2013 by ross brown

[zippy]

Most safety gear for trials is basically what level of protection do you feel comfortable with.

I have seen trials riders show up to an event if full off road gear, full face MX helmet, pads, chest protector etc....

AAAANNNND then there's me. Shorts and a T-shirt. Open face trials helmet, Alpinestars trials boots, gloves. Knee brace for Arthritis. (amazingly enough I have only burnt my leg on the exhaust 3 times!! Once more and I might think I was daft! )

So if full face makes you feel more secure go for it. There are a few US riders that like them. I like the downhill helmets that ross brown was mentioning, But in the world of trials where you are always "looking up" having the back cut higher will be more comfortable.

[butler]

What are the Jitsie or wulf sport lids like? Seen a few for around £50 is wulf cheap stuff?

[richt]

I've had loads of Wulf gear mainly shirts and gloves and no complaints. The Wulf & Jitsie helmets look like they are the same helmet but a couple friends who have the Wulf say they're hot and the foam padding just gets soaked. I had a Shiro helmet that was just the same.

Think how long you have to wear any helmet for and get what feels, fits the best for you, I recently shelled out for an Airoh TRR not cheap but it fits, is well ventilated, dries quickly and could war it all week . wished they made em years ago,

Your head your choice.

[janwillem]

I think you should use whatever sort of lid you feel comfertable with.

Just look at the ece label when you want to ride in competition.

Personely i like the jitsie helmet, plus a sweat beany.

The ventilation is good in the helmet and you get a second liner with the helmet that is quite easy to change.

Maybe before you make a choice for what kind of helmet you would like to use you should consider the nature of the 2 sports.

The manufacturers will have taken this in to acount when they designed the helmets.

[moorin]

110% a proper trials open face helmet, they wouldn't sell them if they weren't made for purpose, plus you look "amateurish" with a mx helmet on.

[zippy]

110% a proper trials open face helmet, they wouldn't sell them if they weren't made for purpose, plus you look "amateurish" with a mx helmet on.

And as we all know at our level of the sport it's all about how you look when you ride.

Although quite a few of us go for the "goofier" side of the looks option.

[robdyson]

Would second the wulf helmet comments. Really liked mine though got very hot in it and when it gets wet the shell moves around on the liner....not good so have gone opposite extreme and splashed out on arai penta. Try hebo helmet lot of guys using them cost around £80