Marc Shaw

After 2 years of DE as a student and being "promoted" to the blue run group at the end of last year, I have decided that safety is the next area I need to spend some money on.....mostly because I have a wife and three year old to go home to after every DE (cars can be replaced).

So I ordered up some goodies:

DAS bolt-in roll bar
SPG and SPG XL seats (for the larger instructors.... )
B-K brackets and harness clips
Schroth Hybrid II 6-point harnesses

It made a good dent on my credit card, but I figure that I am worth it.

Now I am just waffling about an R3 or an Isaac......

Marc

speedread

Hans saved my neck. Consider it. Head and neck safety is very important whatever you choose. Excellent that you're going for safety next.

JPhillips-998

Good for you for making the commitment to safety!
Head and Neck injuries do not discriminate between de groups or racers. It is an imazingly slow speed that you have to head into a wall that can cause great harm. Regardless of skill level, mechanical issues happen, we just saw that at Road Atlanta (and thankfully the driver had a HANS). HANS is #2 on the list, after harnesses (of course).

skl

No question- get a HANS, for the same reason you don't go cheap on a helmet either. If you can't "afford" a HANS, you shouldn't be on a track...

Marc Shaw

It is not a question of economics (the HANS is cheaper than the R3) but rather about the evidence and the apparent finicky setup required for a HANS system to work when you need it.

Marc

kgorman

Bryan Watts

I've always heard the "cheap helmet, cheap head" quote, but let's be honest, all Snell Helmets pass the same safety test. Some of the "cheaper" helmets pass the same test and are lighter (i.e. safer) than the more expensive brands' non-CF helmets. Same goes for H&N restraints...there are some very viable alternatives to the HANS on the market. Spending lots of $$ doesn't guarantee safety, so you might as well be smart with the $$ you spend. I'm tired of seeing people shamed into believing they aren't being safe if they aren't laying down $$ for a $1200 helmet.

kurt M

Don't worry about the Han's belt requirements other than to set up the belts for them as you will be able to do. You can use locking shaft collars to hold the belts in at the 3 inch spacing if need be. The seats have good hole placement so get the H&N you think is best.

Good thinking on your part to spend some $$$ on safety and to think of safety as a system rather than some cool looking parts stuck on your car. I am starting to think that helmet and harnesses = need H&N too. The harnesses hold you in plasce (good thing) and the helmet adds weight to help pull your head off (bad thing). Get the lowest weight helmet you can. As was said some of the less expensive Snell SA 2005 rated helmets are lighter than some of the $$$ ones. Every pound of helmet adds up during a high G event

Veloce Raptor

HANS. And there is no "finicky" set-up required....just sound installation of your harnesses.

Gary R.

I agree, and there is plenty of info out there to make sure you are set properly. Welcome to the Racing & DE Forum Marc, didn't think you ever ventured out of the 964 realm!

ltc

Perhaps "finicky" is not the best word, but there are very specific recommendations regarding belt geometries; some of which could not be met by some people with their existing seat/bar geometries.
http://www.schroth.com/installation-.../en/index.html

The HANS device also has the history of "changes" relating to wings, no wings, friction material, no friction material, HANS specific 2" shoulder belts, regular 3" shoulder belts, most relating to the issue of belt slippage (or the potential thereof).

Fortunately, there has been discussion in this forum regarding almost all of the commerically available H&N restraints (HANS, ISAAC and ISAAC Link, R3, D-Cel, Wright, Hutchens, Hutchens Hybrid II, Hutchens Pro Hybrid, Leatt Moto R...and I'm sure I forgot one or two more), so it is easy to do some quick research and make an informed decision that you are comfortable with.

Marc Shaw

Thanks for the replies.

I did not intend to sound disparaging against the HANS which seems like an excellent device IF set-up properly -- it just seems there are comparable devices that provide excellent protection and do not rely on specific belt geometry and an extra set of belts. I realize there are many threads on the R3 versus HANS versus Isaac debate already.

I have spent the last few days reading every thread here on H&N restraints to be able to make an informed choice and appreciate all the feedback.....and Gary: I lurk everywhere.

Marc
p.s. Oh yeah, I already have a Bell full-face helmet.

Flying Finn

+1

I assume everyone who says there shouldn't be any compromise has the same $15,000 Schubert Kimi Raikkonen is wearing?

Absolutely not disagreeing whether you should have a HANS or not but things always are compromises.

And I'm always amazed to see people either recommending or wearing HANS without a fire suit or even no extinguisher in a car. I've seen people in DE with HANS and shorts & t-shirt.

M758

Get a Head & Neck device. I got one in fall of 2005. It was a HANS since I race and there is the ever looming issue of manded devices in the race groups and a HANS would be in the "allowed" devices so it made the choice rather easy.

Living just in DE... well you still have choice. At the time I really liked Isaac and still do. It was a toss up between the two and for me the racer mandate concern tipped the tide. I think I might have gone Isaac otherwise. Hard to say for sure though.


BTW..... If I ever sell my race car and start tracking my 944 Turbo I will be installing two race seats, roll bar, harnesses and be using my HANS. I think I would just feel naked without them.

skl

Sorry, didn't mean to start a "war" but I have some friends I race with that use the Isaac system. I'm sure it is better than nothing, but I guess I figure the FIA, F1, CC, IRL, etc know more about that stuff than I do and they all REQUIRE the HANS... Between my two boys and myself we have both styles , with and without the little ridges to help hold the unit in place and as noted above, if the belts are properly installed with the right seat, 3" shoulder belts will work. Unfortunately I now want to try DSR and that will require a different angle HANS device...