rock2001

I'm looking to get 6pt harnesses for my car (Schroth Profi II), and there seems to be very little difference in price between the HANS belts and normal belts. I don't have a HANS, but someday I'd like to get that too. Should I get the HANS belts for now anyways? Is there any real safety difference between the two if I use them 'wrong'?

Thanks

ArcticGT3

There is no difference in safety between HANS and non-HANS belts (in case of impact, they have to sustain the same forces. The HANS belts are just narrower and therefore less comfortable when you're not using the HANS. So get them. And get the HANS asap as well. After you get used to it, you feel naked without it. One time, I was particularly happy that I was wearing one.

pcar928fan

If you plan on doing PCA Club Racing events you MUST have a HANS now... I think that was required as of June 1 or July 1 this year...

Circuit Motorsports

hans specific belts are only for use when wearing a HANS device. Don't use them without a HANS device.

I have a number of posts in other threads regarding the 2 vs. 3 debate so no need to rehash them.

Get the HANS or other safety device and be certain to install the harness correctly. Not just mounting points but geometry too.

jaje

PCA and NASA made them mandatory July 1, 2008 (originally June 1 but many racers waited til the last minute to buy them and there was a big back order).

Brian A.

I went through a similar situation. I bought the 3" Hybrid belts. Eight months later I bought the HANS. I used the belts as is but didn't feel that comfortable. Just six weeks ago I bought the replacement HANS shoulder belts which cost $155 without the cam lock.

My advise would be to buy the HANS and HANS belts at the same time. If you can't swing that then buy the HANS belts and I'll sell you my 3" shoulder belts for $75 to use until you do buy the HANS.

RonCT

As others have said - buy the Hans model ONLY if using it with a Hans. That's the strong suggestion of the guy that imports Schroth to the US. Typical setup is the 3/2" Hans for the driver and 3" for passenger.

Geoffrey

The HANS belts can be used without a HANS device, however, it is possible that some organizations will not allow you to run them that way. Our PCA Region will allow you to run them either with or without a HANs device.

ltc

Pardon me for asking, but did PCA come out and REQUIRE the HANS specifically or did they state any SFI 38.1 device?

RonCT

I was just quoting Joe Marko, who's the US importer of Schroth, in one of his seminars on belts. His feeling was to only use the 3/2 Hans belts if you are using a Hans device. Could you use the 3/2 without? I'm sure you could - but my recollection was that spreading the forces out over 3" of belt was better than 2", but that the 3/2 with Hans was fine due to the additional surface area provided by the Hans itself.

Geoffrey

Funny, it is Joe Marko who has said that the belts are made to withstand the same force and the Hans belts can be used without a Hans device, although there have been no tests either way. FYI, the HANS device is only 2" wide, so there isn't additional surface area.

Sean F

BTW, get 2" lap belts. I did this on Joe Marko reco and they fit great.

Geoffrey

Ron, I think Joe has to be careful in how he says things which may come across as two separate messages. The belts certainly say "for HANS use only" and if I were a belt distributor, I would instruct people to use the belts in accordance with the manufacturer's direction to avoid liability.

chris walrod

There is also the double shoulder belt available now. Makes mounting more involved in road cars but certainly helps with the slipping [off the HANS] problem.

Turbo Stan

Some things are just plain retarded. Why are HANS devices not made 3" wide???? It just makes no sense to me.