Steamboat

I've been invited to drive in a 24 Hours of LeMons event and two ChumpCar races this summer and need to acquire a head and neck restraint system. After these races, I intend to use it for DE events in a 911 Turbo with stocks seats and factory 3 pt. belts. Are there any opinions which is the better system between the HANS Sport Series and Safety Solutions Pro Rage for these intended applications. Thanks,

Matt Romanowski

The HANS won't work with 3 point belts. I'm not sure if the Pro Rage will work with 3 point belts. The regular R3 will work with three point belts though.

Marc123

Definitely the Safety Solutions R3 because it can be used with a 3 point belt. The HANS requires the use of a 5 or 6 points racing harness to work properly. And to use a racing harness, you need a rollbar or rollcage.

Steamboat

Thanks guys, that's what I needed to find out! Best,

Z-man

I have an R3 and have used it when instructing in students' cars equiped with only stock seats and 3-point belts. It seems to work fine because the system is independant of the belts.

Then again, I've never tested the effectiveness of the R3 w/ 3-point belts in an accident. (And I never hope to test it!!!)

-Z-man.

Alan C.

In your situation I'd go for the R3 as well. I've seen a few guys instructing that use the R3 because they end up in cars with no harness and no roll bar/cage.

I tried on the R3 and the Pro Rage at US Racegear. The R3 didn't bother me when sitting in my car's stock seat. For the track I'll use a shell with a 6 point harness and roll bar. I may get the R3 in case I ever ride with a student again.

Potomac-Greg

I got an R3 two years ago and rather than move to a HANS I use it in my SRF too. The safety is independent of your harness system so it's a good option for street car use. The "spine" that goes down your back is not an issue in a well padded street or hybrid track seat. In a shell (or the bare fiberglass of my SRF) you need to use the U-shaped spacer that comes with it.

schwank

I have a R3 and love it. Test the HANS but couldn't get used to the feel... the R3 seemed less restrictive to me.

A good way to try it out before you buy is a rental from Charles at SafeDrives.com.

kurt M

From what I can see when I last looked some time ago no one has any test data on the R3 with 3 points including the makers of the R3. I have not checked the website in a while but the last time I did I recall thet were rather coy about any increased safety. Plenty of folks buy them with 3 point use in mind but seem to do so without any firm data showing an increase in safety. My guess might be they know one way or the other and for some reasons(s) are not saying. For me it is one of the those things that sounds reasonable but don't know. There are plenty of things that sound reasonable but act otherwise in real world or during testing. They should test the R3 with 3 point belts and ether sell it as a good thing or tell people to not use it with 3 points.

Potomac-Greg

Given that the R3 does not interact with the harnesses at all (it's anchored to your body) logic would say that it certainly can't hurt to use it in tandem with 3 point harnesses; and to the extent that a 3 point harness holds you upright, the R3 will then restrain your noggin.

Circuit Motorsports

The Hybrid Pro Rage requires the harness as it ties into the lap belt connectors.

The R3 and R3 rage would be the ones that people use with a 3pt belt system. I have the CF ones in stock but can get the rage series here in a day.

mdrums

I use the R3 in my car and students cars. It's comfortable and secure

Steamboat

It seems that the R3 is favored by the respondents. I think the Hybrid Pro Rage was introduced in the fall of 2010 which hasn't allowed a great deal of time for drivers to use and evaluate,fwiw. Does anyone know of a reason not to use the Hybrid Pro Rage system with a 3 pt. belt? It seems on the surface that it's smaller size makes it more user friendly. Test results on the Safety Solutions website seem quite favorable for the Hybrid product in general although results are scanty for the R3 product per se. Thanks for everyone's feedback! Best,

Circuit Motorsports

Hybrid Pro has been around for a while longer than late last year. I use it personally and have had one for over a year. It is a fundamentally different design in the way it transfers the forces.

The R3 does as has been said has no connection to the harness. It uses the long run down the back with a chest strap to keep the head/helmet in concert with the body.

The Hybrid Pro that sits up at the top of the back has straps that come down around the body and link into the lap belt connection of the 5-7pt harness. The chest strap is used only to hold the device in place while you get in and out of the car.

IMO vision on both is pretty much the same, they both have the sliding tethers. There is a different 'feel' to each one but the second I'm on course the differences go away.

mhm993

I use an R3 for instructing. It's easy.

One thing you should know: safety solutions was recently purchased by simpson, and they appear to be "in between" owners. I called them a half dozen times with a technical question earlier this winter and never received a call back. Kind of stinks that they're not currently offering customer service for their installed product base and would make me think twice before laying out most of $1000 for a new device.