JRMaroon

When wearing a full face helmet in an airbag car, I was told, "shield down, always".
If the airbag hits your open shield it can snap your head and neck back. Thank you Ian for this info.

HiWind

Need full face to do this!

Chaos

I like open face alot better,had them growing up on cycles. Only wear closed,got the lightest one you can,and a Hybrid/Hans

check USRACEGEAR.COM

D_o_S

I'm having a similar debate at the moment... I have heard FIA doing tests and finding that an full face helmet can cause jaw fractures after impact with an airbag?

Also, the price difference between the Bell Mag 1 and the KF3 sport (closed) is like 100% (250 vs 440 Euro), so quite large

Rally drivers wear open face helmets and seem to suffer no more injuries than other drivers wearing full face? I dunno...

I've also heard it can be quite warm in full face helmets...

Coochas

I vote for closed face with either impact proof glasses or preferably visor down. At almost all DE type events the windows need to be down and those rubber bullets from other cars can magically get into the cockpit. I've never been hit in the face by one but I've felt impacts on my shoulder.

earlyapex

You don't get to chose your accidents. A full face helmet is safer.

acao

I've seen several times in this thread "but but rally drivers wear open face."

1. Are you a rally driver?

2. Do you drive a rally car, prepped with a cage like the guys on TV?

3. Do you drive with your plexiglass window up like a rally driver, or glass window down like at most track events?

4. If debris flew into his face, Ken Block could drive my home track better than me with one eye. Can you?

5. There was a time when people could say, "but but The Intimidator wears an open face helmet."

Safety is a system, not just a helmet. Rally cars have a different safety system (cage, harnesses, plexi side windows, dirt runoffs) than weekend track monkeys. It doesn't make sense to say that because rally drivers do it, we can too.

Most of us can't play golf with pro equipment. We need forgiving clubs and ***** and whippy shafts that increase velocity. Pros use stiff shafts and unforgiving clubs.

Pro marathoners run in racing flats. The rest of us run in heavily engineered shoes that do everything from maximize cushioning to reorient an inefficient gait.

MLB uses wood bats. College and below use aluminum.

Just because X person or pro does it, doesn't mean it's the best solution. Doesn't mean it can't be the best solution for you, but the analysis is more than simply, "Vettel drives slicks, I should too!"

DHI

I found a good compromise.
It also has the capability of being easily converted to a full-face too.

http://www.ompracing.it/detail.html?productcode=SC756

cannon1000

I have the bell sport and like it. But always get a good helmet, reputable brand and one that fits YOUR head. If you are doing just DE's and stuff, then ultra-light weight and cooling ducts are not needed.

EDIT:
I also recommend getting one ready for HANS device. As you move up - you may want one.

MUSSBERGER

This.

tripleblack

http://www.araiamericas.com/default....ets/auto/gp-5w
http://www.ogracing.com/arai-gp-5w-sa2010-helmet-6
The wide eyeport is good. It comes standard with a clear visor. Great helmets if they fit your head.

CWay27

You could of proven your point in less then 2 phrases but even though it makes sense at some point, a good majority of guys attend DEs wearing breathable spandex t-shirt and shorts, using stock seat and 3 point belt. To say that an helmet as to work as a system is far fetched in DEs unless you want to make racing seat, 6 point belts, cage, window net and Hans device mandatory. Plenty of guys use the open face without any worries or problems and for those who want built in headphones and mic, can go with stilo helmets.

race911

I always used to wear an open face while instructing. Then my student a little over a year ago went off slowly, we hit a rut at a 90 degree angle, and rolled twice. Nothing bad happened, but it occurred to me that a full face with a down visor would provide a LOT more protection. So now I have my instructing full-face, and my aero/wheel-to-wheel full-face.

Anyone else have first-hand experience?

(In the original post, we've got mention of a 997 GT3 and a desire to not want to spend a lot on a helmet????????)

Julian Allen

I changed to a full face helmet when I had an off road excursion and filled the car, and my face, with flying dirt and sand.
For a while I drove with the visor up. Until a fellow instructor had the back half of a deer enter the car through the windshield near the end of the front straight at Summit Point (front half was somewhere on the course). His only injury was a mid face fracture, and he had double vision for months while he healed up.
Like the man said, you do not get to pick your accidents.

Divot

I don't get this either. It's like asking to save some money by buying 87 octane.