Joe F

I can't speak to the Open road racing. I have no experience. Having said that, I might go for the full face in that scenario because the peripheral vision is not an issue. There is no wheel to wheel racing and competitiors are not putting the nose of thier car up beside you going into corners.

And, I didn't put my opinion about open face helmets on here to argue with the guys that use full face helmets. One has to assume that they considered the facts and that's what they choose. But, just because I said the visibility is better from an open face helmet than thru the eye port of a full face everyone wants to tell me they don't have any visiblity problems. Great, I am thrilled to hear it. But that doesn't change the fact that someone asked about info on helmets and I gave my opinion. Just because others chose not to have an open face helmet doesn't make my opinion wrong. Jeezz

Like I said earlier. It's your *** in the car and ultimately, anyone elses opinion doesn't mean $hit. Get the facts, try some alternatives, do your homework.

-30-

fraggle

If you NEED a helmet (and i've needed one a couple of times during motorcycle crashes) - you want a full face, car or bike. If you never actually "need" a helmet - you might as well just run without one.

Best to try on a LOT of them. There is a difference in comfort that can cost a fortune, but if your head is in it for 4 hours and all you can think of is how uncomfortable it is, you won't be driving at your best.

Silverback66

I pay pretty particular attention to helmet issues, since I race bikes, instead of 4-wheelers. Some of the issues are different, expecially wind noise and air flow in closed cars, but a human head is pretty much a human head.

With all due respect to those who differ, wearing an open-face helmet is just a way of betting that nothing is going to hit you in the teeth. Peripheral vision is pretty much a non-issue to those who understand target fixation. Look where you want to go.

Dave Lomas is right that you must check the requirements of the sanctioning body. If there are no requirements, however, you might want to review the series of articles that Dexter Ford wrote for Motorcyclist magazine this past year. The bottom line is that there is no correlation between price and protection. The most recent Snell standards may protect you from a skull fracture in the accident which will break your neck.

Back to Mike's original post, the best gift may be a certificate to a large bike shop, or better yet a trade show. The inside of helmets varies about as much as the outside of human heads, and there is no substitute for comfort. You want one that is ever so much too tight in the beginning. Surfer-dude graphics are only useful to those who will never test asphalt abrasion at 110 mph in the Big Bend at Motorsports Ranch in Cresson, Texas.

mspiegle

Thanks for all the replies guys. I think for what my friend is doing, I would want him to have a full-faced helmet. But then again, I like Silverback66's mention of a gift cert to a shop of some sort. I think that's the best idea.

Does anyone know of a shop with racing gear in the southern california area? Bike helmets aren't the same as car-helmets, right? I think Bike helmets are bigger?

Thanks again!

Drewster67

www.denniskirk.com

Ive ordered from Dennis Kirk a few timnes and have been most pleased with the product/delivery time and customer service. I would reccomend them without a hitch.

And BTW

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produc...eafCatId=40103

John Veninger

Car helmets are SA rated while motorcycle helmets are M rated. Nothing to do with the "size".

Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net

Many car clubs will not accept an M rated helmet, they will require an SA rated helmet for use in track events.