BrokeAss

I was going through PBOC's general competition rules last night and found a rule that's probably gonna cause me to fork up a few more bucks.

It looks like the min helmet requirement is an SA-2005 rated helmet. Looks like my 2 year old SA-2000 will only cut it in the DE groups.

HANS devices are mandatory - which is fine with me. I've worn one for 2+ years now. They didn't mention an expiration date on those. I wonder if, like helmets, HANS have a limited service life?

I know my seat belts are "freshness dated" (just like Budweiser). I've gotta check my race seat.

....but getting back to helmets. If I have to upgrade my helmet, I don't know what to get. I've had a Sparco WTT-TK with a wide eye port.

Do I spring for a top dollar Stand 21 or a carbon fiber helmet? Forced air ducting or not? Air ducting on the top of your head or on the side? Wide eye port or narrow? Aero ducting in case I buy/mooch a ride in a Radical?
...So many choices!!!

Juan Lopez

Do I spring for a top dollar Stand 21 or a carbon fiber helmet? The lighter the helmet the more comfortable (actually less tiring) and the less mass in case of impact (but you already have a HANS)

Forced air ducting or not? Will you be using a vent system?

Air ducting on the top of your head or on the side? Side is easier to attach on your own, top (if you are not really tall) fits better with most halo type seats. I use a side vent and it works OK but wonder if the one up top cools better.

Wide eye port or narrow? Can you fit your glasses? What is your peripheral vision like. I use a wide port but I wear glasses.

Aero ducting in case I buy/mooch a ride in a Radical? It depends on what you want to do

BrokeAss

Thanks Juan! That's good advice.
My car doesn't have a HALO seat yet, but I do plan to upgrade to one before Winterfest/48 hours. If you say that top ducting works better with a HALO that's an important consideration.

Same thing with the venting. I don't have a NACA duct on the passenger side yet, but could easily add one.

Circuit Motorsports

Carbon Fiber/light stuff-- It's nice and light and weight is a factor although I ran for four hours a day six days a week in off road buggies and karts this summer with a normal Bell and never noticed the weight be a burden.

Wide or narrow eyeport-- The most popular helmet I sell is the GP5W from Arai. Wide eyeport allows people to use glasses easily and doesn't give people the claustrophobic feeling that some of the narrow eyeports give some people. I prefer the narrowest eyeports now that I don't need glasses.

Force Air/Ducting-- Pretty much what Juan said. Top ducting is only good if you have the room for it. A lot of people don't seem to have much of a gap above them though. An easy check, although if you are getting a new seat I'd make sure it would work with that seat.

Aero bits for open cockpit-- If you aren't going to do it very often I wouldn't worry about it. The first year in open wheel I used a Bell M2Pro which has no aero whatsoever and didn't have too much buffeting or lift except at the end of the longest straights like Road America.

And the usual Fit is the most important thing...

BrokeAss

Great information - thanks!
Anyone have any experience/feedback/opinions on IMPACT! helmets?
I don't know much about them, but their carbon fiber Air Draft helmets seem to have some nice features.

BrokeAss

So the difference between the GP-5K and GP-5W is the wider eye port? Other than that the features & construction are pretty much the same, right?
Does Arai make a chin-monuted forced air duct for their helmets?

Circuit Motorsports

The function and fit is the same just the wider eyeport. They do make a chin mounted forced air model (2 actually) but they are the GP5Kac and the GP5ac. They are the same helmet and construction with the forced air mount added to shell.

The impact helmets are nice. I can get them special ordered as well. I've only had them in my hands a couple of times. Two things that I took away from them.

1. They don't feel as light as I was hoping they would. While they are lighter than their non carbon equivlent it wasn't as major of a difference as I expected.
2. They don't fit my head (Bell does, Arai and Simpson don't for comparison)

ltc

As previously mentioned, FIT, FIT and FIT.

You may have an 'Arai' shaped head vs a 'Bell' shaped head.

Different manufacturers have different anthropormorphic models of head shapes.
A helmet with a compromised fit, irregardless of features, will do you no good when it matters.

You can buy a custom fit Stand21 helmet as well (guaranteed perfect fit).

If you can't locate a local shop for helmet fit, you can always order a helmet over the web and return it if it doesn't fit correctly.

ApexPerformance

Personally prefer Arai but try on various helmets if you can. We've had some customers ready to spend big bucks on a helmet and realize they really liked the fit of a less expensive helmet, and other customers wanting to save money and having to upgrade to get something that fits them better.

Hans does not expire, only the tethers - they recommend replacing the tethers every two years or sooner if they show signs of wear/involved in an impact. We don't know how technical the sanctioning bodies are going to get on tethers. Some have just started mandating the use of a H&N restraint. Tethers on the newer Hans devices have a date on them (year only, i.e, 2008).

Below is info from the Hans website on replacing devices:

• HANS Devices are one of the strongest parts of your safety gear but should be inspected periodically or after major impacts. Tethers should be replaced after any major impact.
• Examine your HANS Device visually and run your finger around the edges. Any sign of de-lamination or surface cracking and exposed composite material means the device has served its purpose and should be replaced.
• Even the most thorough inspection can fail to detect damage. This is one of the reasons that we do not resell used devices, and we do not recommend that anyone buy a used device. If in doubt about the integrity of a HANS Device it should be replaced.

mrbill_fl

I thought it was 10 years for helmets? is this just pboc?

(SA2000) is no longer legal?

viperbob

I think it is a mistake. I don't know of any amateur racing org that does not allow current and previous Snell certifications. I know earlier in the year I was racing PBOC with an SA2000....

BrokeAss

I confirmed it with Bob Turnage at PBOC. SA2000 is ok to race at PBOC. The published GCR apparently omit the spec.

That's what I get for reading the competition rules!

BluemaxxRacing

Terry - MOST IMPORTANTLY....when is your first race? Which one are you shooting for? Will we see you racing with us at Daytona in 2 weeks???

viperbob

Terry is waiting to do his first race in conjunction of the release of the new Snell SA2015... Come on Terry, JUST DO IT....

Circuit Motorsports

That sounds much better than making what in some cases could be a barely 3 year old helmet out.