Rob 97 993c2

As many of us are getting new 2005 helmets, i wanted some advice.
Anyone using the Arai Gp5-w? is it worth $800 versus the $500 price of many Bell helmets? My application is DE only, not racing. Pls, no comments about the value of my head.

my real question, is, im not sure what makes one helmet better besides light weight.

PAOLOP

Yes Rob, I have a new ARAI gp-5W and it's very light.
With peak it's really lovely!!!

Ciao
Paolo

JCP911S

As far as safety, all helmets that meet the snell rating should be the same. Weight, style and fit are the differences.

IMHO, a couple pounds difference in weight won't matter that much in DE... (depending on how strong hyour neck is).... maybe if you were driving a F1 car pulling 4Gs for 2 hours it would.....

To me biggenst difference is fit.... different helmets seem to match different head shapes better... Bell always seems to be too tight around the forhead and to loose around the cheeks... I use a Bieffe and it fits my head perfectly..

So I'd go somewhere where you can try on the different helmets and see what fits best... it should be snug, but not so tight it causes discomfort....

gman1868

JPC, you're exactly right. Don't buy a helmet without understanding which helmet brand fits your head shape. Otherwise make sure you are professionally fitted to ensure it's both the correct shape and size. My old helment was too big and when the guy fit me for a new one he also tested my old one and showed me how it twisted off my head

That was NOT good

bruinbro

+1 on fit. I went shopping at a local shop a year ago that had almost every brand of helmet out there (except for Gforce) and was hoping to get a Bell for around $300. Ended up with an Arai Gp-5 for $800 because the fit was an order of magnitude better than any of the other helmets including Bell, Simpson, Bieffe, and Stand. Lightest weight helmet? No. Best looking? Maybe. Best fit. Absolutely. Would it be the best fit for someone else? Possibly, but every head shape is different enough to make any helmet a viable candidate for best fit.

Bro

M758

Fit will be impacted if you wear a balaclava or not. My old bell was great without one when I did DE. Then I raced and added one and th helmet was tight. My new G-force was sized with balaclava in mind.

TD in DC

With respect to weight, I think one of the prime considerations is that a lighter weight helmet may be less dangerous in the event of a serious collision. In other words, it is a safety issue as much as a comfort issue, and a few pounds makes an enormous difference with respect to the forces your neck will have to endure if you decelerate rapidly. After all, it is not the speed that kills, it is the rapid stop. You know, "L'important c'est pas la chute, c'est l'atterrissage"

bruinbro

Shouldn't be using the helmet without a H&N restraint device/system. In that case, weight is comfort factor, which can be an important safety factor in fatigue situations.

Bro

bruinbro

Interesting thing I found out about a balaclava is that it makes it so much easier to put my helmet on with my glasses which hook over my ears. Which brings up another consideration for helmet choice, whether you wear glasses or not. Make sure the helmet works and fits with your glasses on.

Bro

TD in DC

Yes that is absolutely true, but the original poster said DE only, not racing, so I wasn't certain whether he intended to get an H&N restraint system or not. I just found it to be a little odd that nobody had mentioned safety yet, but that is probably because most of the responders, like me, already have an H&N restraint system.

TD

gbaker

Given that your helmet is good for ten years, and that you may be racing within ten years, you may want to consider maximum protection. Also, if you put it in the woods at 120 it doesn't really matter how the event is officially categorized--DE or something else.

The use of a balaclava will double the life of your helmet liner, and it's much more comfortable on a hot summer's day to slide into a fresh balaclava from your inventory than to squish back into a soggy helmet.

The safest package will have CF/Kevlar structure and the smallest eyeport possible. Unfortunately, I'm told my Bieffe F1GP is no longer in production.

Rob 97 993c2

Thanks for the feedback. to answer:
im not planning on using a Hans device yet, just the helmet and a 3 point belt.

Also, how do the middle and upper end helmet models vary? Whats the difference between the Arai helmet im considering and the Bell Vortex, or bell m4, or dominator? is it just fit as they are all kevlar and very light?

Im not being cheap, i just want to understand the differences.

bruinbro

Not that it hurts, but some helmets like the Bell Dominator are designed for open cockpit racing where helmet aerodynamics are important.

As far as not getting a H&N device (of which HANS is only one type, there are others) just make sure you don't wear anything but the stock belts when you wear your helmet.

Bro

Bull

If they are all SA rated (not M, which will be less expensive), then the most significant difference that matters (brand not mattering), will be construction/weight.

swftiii

Rob,

I just replaced my Bell helmet with an Arai a few months ago. I was amazed at the difference in fit for my head. I think fit is the most important when buying a helmet (as long as they are SA2005). The liner material of the Arai is of much higher quality and a softer material.

Like everyone else has said - try them on to figure out what fits your head the best.

Happy Hunting...